Pen Wiper
1880-1900 (made)
1880-1900 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
‘Merry-thought’ figure pen wipers were novelty items, hand-made and often sold in markets and stalls. It was an everyday item which many people would have used to clean the nibs of their dip-pens. This ‘Merry-thought’ figure pen wiper is fashioned from a chicken’s wishbone, adorned with a mortar board and a gown to resemble a teacher. Taking the form of a teacher and accompanied with a comical rhyme, it has been imbued with character and humour. Despite the crude materials and construction, the pen wiper is in relatively good condition with all parts intact.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | |
| Materials and techniques | chicken's wishbone, wool |
| Brief description | Hand-made ‘Merry-thought’ figure pen wiper fashioned from a chicken’s wishbone and adorned with a mortar board and gown to resemble a teacher. |
| Physical description | This ‘Merry-thought’ figure pen wiper is fashioned from a chicken’s wishbone, adorned with a mortar board and a gown of black and red woolen cloth to resemble a teacher. It has a comical rhyme written on paper which is stiched to its gown. The pen wiper is in relatively good condition with all parts intact. |
| Dimensions |
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| Marks and inscriptions | "Once I was a Merry-thought,
Growing on a hen,
Now I am a little man,
Made to wipe your pen" |
| Object history | ‘Merry-thought’ figure pen wiper were novelty items and sold in markets and stalls. It was an everyday item which many people would have used to clean the nibs of their dip-pens. |
| Summary | ‘Merry-thought’ figure pen wipers were novelty items, hand-made and often sold in markets and stalls. It was an everyday item which many people would have used to clean the nibs of their dip-pens. This ‘Merry-thought’ figure pen wiper is fashioned from a chicken’s wishbone, adorned with a mortar board and a gown to resemble a teacher. Taking the form of a teacher and accompanied with a comical rhyme, it has been imbued with character and humour. Despite the crude materials and construction, the pen wiper is in relatively good condition with all parts intact. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | B.28-2014 |
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| Record created | September 1, 2014 |
| Record URL |
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