Object number
64/17
Exhibition
Description
This is a singlestick, a wooden sword used on board ships for teaching the use of a cutlass. It consists of a stout ash stick with a basketwork hilt made of white willow. This hilt is in the shape of a small dome with a hole either side below the border through which the stick passes.
Physical description
1 single-stick: willow; ash wood; dowel
Archival history
MERL 'Catalogue of baskets' form – 'NAME: SINGLE-STICK (basketwork). C. Sage & Son. Ltd. // Acc. No.: 64/17 // Group: SOCIETY. recreation Games // Neg. no.: 60/5337 // Place of origin: LONDON. // Period in use: Up to 1950 // DESCRIPTION // Materials: White willow & ash. Dowel // Shape and construction: A stout ash stick has a hilt of basketwork, i.e. a small dome with a hole either side below the border through which the stick passes. A piece of dowel goes through the end of the stick to stop the basket coming off. Border: 3 beh. [behind]1. L. [leagues] 6 1/2. Slewed. // Dimensions: Length of stick: 41 1/2” Basket hilt diam: 6” depth: 5” Dowel 1 1/2” // Use: On board ships for teaching the use of the cutlass. // Dialect names: // Distribution: // Additional notes: For rules of Single Stick see Encyl. Brit. quotes War Office Pamph. 1887. // Shorter Ox. Dic. [Shorter Oxford English Dictionary] gives first date of the word as 1771. Sandbolt. Hamph. Clink. (1815) 200 // No mention in Stuffs’ Sports & Pasttimes. // Quarter. Staff?'
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Technique
Associated subject
Associated person/institution
External document
- L:\MERL\Objects\JISC 2012\60 series negatives\60_5337.tif - High resolution image
- L:\MERL\Objects\Baskets\64_17_cob.tif - High resolution image
