POST MEDIEVAL TOY

1540

An incomplete cast copper alloy post medieval miniature cauldron, cast in a quadruple form. Each of the four cauldrons has a rectangular foot decorated with three incised lines and a handle on the side, though two handles are missing. The cauldrons vary slightly in diameter with the largest being 15.6mm and the smallest being14.8mm. The length of the toy is 29.7mm, the surviving width is 38.7mm and the complete weight is 56.86g. The purpose of the creating a quadruple form of the cauldron toy is still unclear. However, vessels known as ‘fuddling’ vessels have been recorded as full size ceramics and were produced from the 17th century as novelty pieces. These ‘fuddling cups’ were vessels with three or more small cups with interlinked handles and joined together through a small hole in the walls. The idea was to drink from one without spilling the contents of the others. Although cooking vessels have no ‘fuddling’ parallel, it seems that this miniature is some sort of novelty piece.