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Doll's Maundy Coin

1727-1760 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Object Type

Maundy Thursday is the day before Good Friday in the Christian religion. It is thought to be the night of the Last Supper before Christ was crucified. A traditional Christian ceremony, it included the washing of the feet of the poor by religious leaders or monarchs in memory of Christ's washing the feet of his disciples. The word 'Maundy' comes from the Latin maundatum, meaning 'command', from the instruction that Christ gave 'that ye love one another', recorded in the Bible (John 13: 34).



Historical Associations

In England as early as the 13th century the monarch participated in the Maundy ceremony with gifts of food and money. During the reign of Elizabeth I (1588-1603), silver pennies were distributed. The tradition of coins specially minted for Maundy began with Charles II (ruled 1660-1685) in 1662, with the issue of one, two, three and four penny pieces.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Minted silver
Brief description
Doll's maundy coin of silver, London, 1727-1760
Physical description
Doll's maundy coin in minted silver, from the reign of George II (1727-1760).
Dimensions
  • Diameter: 1.2cm (approx.)
Dimensions checked: measured; 01/01/1999 by DW
Marks and inscriptions
'GEORGIUS II DEL GRATIA' (Around the edge, above the profile bust of King George II)
Gallery label
British Galleries: These dolls were named 'Lord and Lady' of the family home in Clapham, London by their owners, the Cockerell family. The outfits of the dolls are perfect miniatures of London fashions 1690-1700. Lord Clapham's coat, waistcoat and close-fitting breeches demonstrate the newly fashionable three-piece suit. At this period the suit was not expected to match. The neck-cloth is worn in fashionable, military style. Doll of wood and wool, face gessoed and painted, wig of human hair; linen shirt; breeches of silver tissue lined with white flannel; waistcoat of silver tissue lined with silk; wool coat, lined with silk and trimmed with silver braid; muslin neckcloth; silk stockings; leather shoes with brass buckles; felt hat(27/03/2003)
Credit line
Purchased by public subscription
Object history
The doll and its partner are thought to have belonged to the Cockerell family, descendants of Samuel Pepys. The daughter of Pepys' nephew, John Jackson (son of his sister, Pauline) married a Cockerell. The doll and its partner were named 'Lord' and 'Lady' of the family home in Clapham.

Historical significance: The doll and its partner are costume documents; their clothes being, in style, cut and material, perfect miniatures of the fashions of the late 17th century. Their importance is underlined by the almost total lack of other good visual material for this period, whether pictorial or in the form of surviving garments. In particular, the survival of accessories and the informal garments is extremely rare.
Historical context
Maundy money was specially minted coins, given to the poor by the ruling sovereign on Maundy Thursday. This one dates from 1727-1760, and therefore must have been added to the doll's ensemble later.
Subject depicted
Summary
Object Type

Maundy Thursday is the day before Good Friday in the Christian religion. It is thought to be the night of the Last Supper before Christ was crucified. A traditional Christian ceremony, it included the washing of the feet of the poor by religious leaders or monarchs in memory of Christ's washing the feet of his disciples. The word 'Maundy' comes from the Latin maundatum, meaning 'command', from the instruction that Christ gave 'that ye love one another', recorded in the Bible (John 13: 34).



Historical Associations

In England as early as the 13th century the monarch participated in the Maundy ceremony with gifts of food and money. During the reign of Elizabeth I (1588-1603), silver pennies were distributed. The tradition of coins specially minted for Maundy began with Charles II (ruled 1660-1685) in 1662, with the issue of one, two, three and four penny pieces.
Associated object
T.846-1974 (Object)
Bibliographic reference
Hillier, Mary, Pollock's Dictionary of English Dolls, London: Robert Hale Ltd, 1982, 50-51, 202pp. ill
Collection
Accession number
T.847R-1974

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Record createdAugust 12, 2003
Record URL
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