51/622

This is a small horn beaker, with a separately fitted bottom, for serving drink. Horn beakers were made from a section of a bullock's horn which had been cleansed, scraped, polished and pared away on the thin lip. It was given to Lavinia Smith by Isobel Robinson who probably lived in the East Hendred area.

1 beaker: horn

MERL 'Catalogue index' card – [51/626] – ‘A horn mug was made form a section of a bullock’s horn, cleansed, scraped, polished and pared away inside to make a thin lip. A groove was then cut all round inside about ¼ of an inch from the bottom and a flat disk fitted tightly into it. // It was usually necessary to soften the disk by heat so that it could be forced into place. Sometimes, however, the whole of the mug was carved out of one piece of horn.’, Lavinia Smith Catalogue (D60/28) - 'A list of the contents of the East Hendred museum. July 5 1940 // 420. One old horn cup marked with rings. [...] // One small horn cup given to me by [...].' (The other horn beaker referred to here acquired from [...] is in reference to 51/624), Heritage of the Hendreds Exhibition 1969 - 'Catalogue of Exhibits // Number 35 // Horn Cup // Lent by Museum of English Rural Life' (The description in the catalogue could also be in reference to 51/623, 51/624, 51/625, 51/626 and 51/628)

Rippon, Miss Dorothy May Lyddon (Agent)