Pen wiper
- Place of origin:
England (made)
- Date:
1880-1900 (made)
- Artist/Maker:
Unknown
- Materials and Techniques:
chicken's wishbone, wool
- Museum number:
B.28-2014
- Gallery location:
In Storage
‘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.
