Hairbrush

I found the remains of a hairbrush a few months ago, almost didn't pick it up. It took me back to another word - the London cottage industry of brush drawing - which sounds more romantic than it evidently was. 

Homeworking brush drawer East End London 19th C (Society of Brushmaker Decendents) . 

Holes were drilled into the brush back and wire or string was looped through the holes. Bunches of bristles were pushed through each loop by hand and were folded and pulled back into the hole as the twine was pulled from behind. Apparently it could take a whole day to draw a brush in this way. 

You can still see the twine sewn into the ridges at the back. On the reverse loops are just visible, nestling in each hole. The brush would have been finished with a back which was either stuck on with fish glue, the posher ones were screwed on. No screw holes in this one, so the commoner type I think. I can't work out if it's made of bone, horn or wood. Lovely comfy indentations for your thumb and forefinger, it would have been a rather cute hairbrush, I suspect from the 19th century.

Drilling holes in the brush backs (brushmakers.com)

As well as homeworkers the still in business GB Kent made their brushes in London from 1777, mainly employing women. An early visitor to their original factory observed 'bristles from Russia, Serbia, China and India; badger hair from Germany and the Balkans; whalebone from the Antarctic; fibres from Mexico, Brazil and Africa; beech, cherry, birch and sycamore from the English countryside and tropical timbers, ebony and satinwood from the forests of Ceylon, the West Indies, South America and Indonesia' (Executive Shaving Company) 

All of which I imagine would have arrived via the Thames.

The Rhinebeck Panorama of London c. 1807

Mystery Thames Mudlarking Finds

I picked up these two objects last weekend. Both mysteries. No joy identifying via google. Any ideas?

On first sight thought this object was probably plastic, but having almost discarded  very old  objects before, popped it in my bag just in case. Later, on closer inspection concluded it was pottery. A small oval dome 1.5 cm tall and 3cm wide. Did it come from an Egyptian black teapot – some kind of tea strainer? Last Sunday, a guy at the Thames Discovery event at the Tower of London, reckoned it was bone not pottery and that the holes were too big for a strainer. He thought it was probably used for ‘sprinking’ something....

Thames Mudlarking Mystery Find 1 Top above, underneath below

Since posting the pinner's bone, I’ve been wondering whether I’d find any bones which have been worked and used as tools. Funny how you tend to find things you've pondered about. This one looks like it’s made of horn. Cut in half with a rectangular notch cut away at the top,  it’s 7.5cm long and 3cm wide. A diagonal section on the right of the horn has been worn away, presumably by a right handed person’s thumb when they used it as a tool – but what did the tool do? 

Thames Mudlarking Mystery Find 2

Tudor Nit Comb Found Mudlarking on the Thames

I found a small section of a tudor comb on my first ever mudlarking trip in September 2011. It’s made of bone, so smooth to touch and beautifully made. One side is a regular comb, the other a nit comb. 

Section of Tudor nit Comb found on Thames Foreshore

When I picked it up I asked my sister whether she thought it was anything of interest, she thought not. Fortunately I ignored her and asked our guide what it might be. I found another comb section a few months later, but left it there for someone else to find.

Tudor Nit Combs found on the Mary Rose