POST MEDIEVAL BOOK FITTING

1550

An incomplete Post Medieval copper alloy book clasp dating to the late 16th century. The object would have been formed from a single sheetof copper alloy, folded around a book cover to form a clasp. The front plate consists of a rectangular plate with a rectangular tab at one end and a serrated fan tail at the other. The serration is formed by a series of four triangular notches running along the edge of the plate. There are five circular perforations towards the fantail end, which have been drilled. Two rivets remain in situ and connect the front plate to the back plate. There is a further perforation further up the plate towards the rectangular tab, with rivet in situ. The back plate is of a similar shape but the rectangular tab is no longer present and the serrated edge has been worn so that it no longer appears serrated. There are only two perforations near the fantail and one further up the plate, all of which contain rivets. The object is broken at the hook.The object has only been decorated on the front face. The decoration consists of four strips of hatched engraving to form a herringbone pattern. The rectangular tab is decorated in a wriggle-work (rocker-arm) design, contained within a linear border. There is also a linear engraved design beneath the rectangular tab.A similar example can be found in Margeson (1993, 453) though without the rivet hole near the rectangular tab. Further examples can also be found on the PAS database: IOW-046198, IOW-BF3B81, IOW-347A31, IOW-136F91, DOR-2FF4B1 and LON-030766Dimensions: length: 48.95 mm; width: 20.44 mm; thickness: 2.21 mm; weight: 4.48g.Reference: Margeson, S.1993. Norwich Households: The Medieval and Post-Medieval Finds From Norwich Survey Excavations 1971-1978. East Anglian Archaeology Report No. 58.