Unusual Artifacts: A Silver Rattle, 1901

Baby's Rattle
Sterling Silver and Bone
Saunders and Shepherd
Birmingham, England, 1901
The Victoria & Albert Museum

Silver rattles are still being given as special gifts—a lasting way to mark the birth of a child, and something which can be passed through generations. The practice of presenting a newborn with a silver rattle dates to the early days of the Victorian era, a time when children were especially revered and doted-upon.

This example dates to the end of Queen Victoria’s reign (and life), 1901, and the start of the brief reign of her eldest son, King Edward VII. Though many styles were changing during this period, this rattle looks as if it could have been made in 1837 and adheres to a traditional style which was expected for such gifts.

Unlike the silver rattles given as gifts today, the sterling rattles of the Nineteenth and early Twentieth Centuries were actually intended to be used by the baby. Let’s examine this one more closely. The silver rattle is mounted with a teething ring of bone at one end while the other side is fitted with a loop for a ribbon, and terminates in a whistle. The bulbous central section is decorated with scrolling ornament and hung with six, enclosed, cone-shaped bells. Above this, two more bulbous tiers are mounted, each of these hung with three similar bells with two below.

The little object would have provided quite a lot of hours of entertainment for a baby who could make it rattle, ring and whistle. Furthermore, the bone teething ring would have helped junior work his teeth through his gums. But, there’s also another aspect of this rattle which isn’t immediately apparent or remembered.

As I mentioned, this a period during which children and babies were especially romanticized. The infant mortality rate, at the start of Queen Victoria’s reign, was much higher than at the end of it. During this time, anything that could be done to ensure the long life of a child was going to be employed. Superstitions and what we now refer to as “Sympathetic Magic” were big parts of this philosophy. Even the smallest detail might have had some importance. For example, the fact that the teething ring portion of the rattle is made of bone is not just a matter of practicality and availability of the medium. The use of animal bone was thought to confer the strength of the animal to the child—a strength which would be employed to fight pain and illness. Sometimes teething rings were made of red or white coral—or both—in order to symbolize the battle between the flesh and the bone which was inherent to teething. But, also, the use of coral would have imbued the child with the power of the ocean.

This may sound very quaint and silly. But, think about it. Even as recently as 1901, such superstitions came to play. And, if you think about it, humans are, by their very nature, still a species which relies quite a lot on “magic” and assigns significant power to the unknown. The rattle is marked “CS” with a six-point star. It is also stamped “FS/ anchor/ lion/ b” and “Made by Saunders & Shepherd.” It was assayed in Birmingham, England as sterling silver; marked 1901.

Drawing of the Day: Fairies Rescuing a Bird, 1920-1925

Click on image to enlarge.
"Fairies Rescuing a Bird"
Margaret Tempest, 1920-1925
The Victoria & Albert Museum

Margaret Tempest (1892-1982), the celebrated English illustrator, began her career in the 1920s and became known as the creator of the beloved children’s book characters “Little Grey Rabbit” and “Fuzzypeg the Hedgehog.” The stories were written by Alison Uttley with illustrations by Margaret Tempest whose drawings graved the first thirty stories from 1929 until 1970.

Uttley and Tempest often debated between themselves about which of them could take the most credit for the success of the characters. However, it wasn’t the usual artistic struggle. In fact, each credited the other for the creation of the characters who had become household names.

Most agree, however, that the stories were given a special kind of life because of Tempest’s subtle watercolor drawings.

Here’s an interesting example of Margaret Tempest’s delicate work. In this watercolor, pen and ink drawing, we see fairies attempting to rescue a bird from a basket work cage. The artist’s gentle hand shows in the tones of the fairies’ wings and her ability to capture a moment of effort makes the painting seem as if we have been given a glance into a new world.

The drawing dates between 1920 and 1925. 

Antique Image of the Day: The Royal Navy of England & the Story of the Sailor Suit, 1900

Pamphlet by Wm. Rowe & Co.
Septimus E. Scott, 1900
The Victoria & Albert Museum

Here, we see a trade pamphlet issued by clothing-maker Wm. Rowe & Co., Ltd, of Gosport, London & Cowes. The 40-page pamphlet features a ribbon binding and a soft cover printed with lettering and gold decoration over an illustration of a sailing vessel on the front. The pamphlet contains a color frontispiece entitled, “Seafaring Men” by Septimus E. Scott, which depicts a boy in a sailor suit seated beside a uniformed sailor. The pamphlet cleverly combines the story of the rise of naval uniform in England with half-tone illustrations (also by Septimus Scott) of the vairous children's garments (mostly with a nautical theme) which were manufactured by Rowe's.

The sailor suit was a popular item of children's dress from the middle of the Nineteenth to the beginning of the Twentieth Century. This style was based on the uniform worn by ratings in the British Navy.

How did the style develop? The first sailor suit for a child is typically thought to be one which was made for Queen Victoria's eldest son, Prince Albert Edward (“Bertie,” later King Edward VII—father of George V) to wear on a Royal visit to Ireland in 1846. T Within a decade, the fashion became a classic of childrens-wear, and was still in use well into the 1920s. The fashion still survives as a choice for young boys participating in wedding parties.

Rowe—the producer of this pamphlet--was one of the leading manufacturers of sailor suits. They also offered correct accessories for children, including a lanyard and a small “Bo'swain's pipe” (whistle), the "regulation Senet Hat", and the sleeve badges of various naval ranks.

Unusual Artifacts: An Italian Coral Amulet, c. 1600

Carved Coral Amulet
Italy, Seventeenth Century
The Victoria & Albert Museum

A carved coral amulet, this jewel was made in Italy around 1600 and was intended as a baby gift. Mounted in enameled gold filigree, the piece is carved with a bird meant to protect the child from harm. 

The amulet could have been suspended from a ribbon over the cradle or, perhaps, hung from a rattle.

The Art of Play: A Child's Chafing Dish, 1912-1918

Chafing Dish
1912-1918
Staffordshire
The Victoria & Albert Museum

Teddy bears had become very popular very quickly at the beginning of the 20th century.  Not only were the actual bears themselves all the rage, but depictions of teddy bears began to appear on a variety of objects.

Of great interest to many was the idea of bears behaving like humans.  This was a popular theme for many a drawing, and such images began to adorn all sorts of items—both for adults and children. 

Here’s one such item designed for a child.

On this dish, we see images of bears performing various sporting activities including cricket, football, skating and golf. It’s a chafing dish--when filled with hot water, the metal base kept the child's food warm.  Seems like a recipe for scaling to me.  But, what do I know?  Other such dishes showed bears dressed in suits and gowns for an elegant  ball.

The dish was made in Staffordshire between 1912 and 1918 by John Aynsley & Sons Ltd.  

Drawing of the Day: Fairies Rescuing a Bird, 1920-1925

Click on image to enlarge.
"Fairies Rescuing a Bird"
Margaret Tempest, 1920-1925
The Victoria & Albert Museum

Margaret Tempest (1892-1982), the celebrated English illustrator, began her career in the 1920s and became known as the creator of the beloved children’s book characters “Little Grey Rabbit” and “Fuzzypeg the Hedgehog.” The stories were written by Alison Uttley with illustrations by Margaret Tempest whose drawings graved the first thirty stories from 1929 until 1970.

Uttley and Tempest often debated between themselves about which of them could take the most credit for the success of the characters. However, it wasn’t the usual artistic struggle. In fact, each credited the other for the creation of the characters who had become household names.

Most agree, however, that the stories were given a special kind of life because of Tempest’s subtle watercolor drawings.

Here’s an interesting example of Margaret Tempest’s delicate work. In this watercolor, pen and ink drawing, we see fairies attempting to rescue a bird from a basket work cage. The artist’s gentle hand shows in the tones of the fairies’ wings and her ability to capture a moment of effort makes the painting seem as if we have been given a glance into a new world.

The drawing dates between 1920 and 1925. 

Object of the Day: "Punch and Toby," a Children's Book

I received this beautiful book from my parents for Christmas. Since English books before 1970 often didn’t list a copyright date, it’s difficult to say when the book was published, but it’s the work of London’s Juvenile Productions, Ltd., and likely was written and illustrated in the 1940s. Neither the author nor illustrator is named.

The illustrations are truly stunning. I wish I could have reproduced all of them for you, but I didn’t want to risk damaging the book by opening it wide enough to scan all of the pages.

Entitled, “Punch and Toby,” the story explains that Mr. Punch lives in a steam-lined caravan and travels to seaside towns to entertain children. Along the way, he meets a stray dog and decides to call him, “Toby.” After being given a bath (which Punch calls the worst part) and dinner (which Punch calls the best part), Dog Toby is Punch’s friend for life and they travel about together, riding on roundabouts, visiting the marketplaces, and putting on their show.

I’m especially tickled that Punch greets Toby initially with, “Hullo, Chum”—just like our Mr. Punch/the Duke of Fallbridge from “Mr. Punch of Belgrave Square.”

Drawing of the Day: Fairies Rescuing a Bird, 1920-1925

Click on image to enlarge.
"Fairies Rescuing a Bird"
Margaret Tempest, 1920-1925
The Victoria & Albert Museum

Margaret Tempest (1892-1982), the celebrated English illustrator, began her career in the 1920s and became known as the creator of the beloved children’s book characters “Little Grey Rabbit” and “Fuzzypeg the Hedgehog.” The stories were written by Alison Uttley with illustrations by Margaret Tempest whose drawings graved the first thirty stories from 1929 until 1970.

Uttley and Tempest often debated between themselves about which of them could take the most credit for the success of the characters. However, it wasn’t the usual artistic struggle. In fact, each credited the other for the creation of the characters who had become household names.

Most agree, however, that the stories were given a special kind of life because of Tempest’s subtle watercolor drawings.

Here’s an interesting example of Margaret Tempest’s delicate work. In this watercolor, pen and ink drawing, we see fairies attempting to rescue a bird from a basket work cage. The artist’s gentle hand shows in the tones of the fairies’ wings and her ability to capture a moment of effort makes the painting seem as if we have been given a glance into a new world.

The drawing dates between 1920 and 1925. 

Mastery of Design: An Italian Coral Amulet, c. 1600

Carved Coral Amulet
Italy, Seventeenth Century
The Victoria & Albert Museum

A carved coral amulet, this jewel was made in Italy around 1600 and was intended as a baby gift. Mounted in enameled gold filigree, the piece is carved with a bird meant to protect the child from harm. 

The amulet could have been suspended from a ribbon over the cradle or, perhaps, hung from a rattle.

Unusual Artifacts: A Silver Rattle, 1901

Baby's Rattle
Sterling Silver and Bone
Saunders and Shepherd
Birmingham, England, 1901
The Victoria & Albert Museum

Silver rattles are still being given as special gifts—a lasting way to mark the birth of a child, and something which can be passed through generations. The practice of presenting a newborn with a silver rattle dates to the early days of the Victorian era, a time when children were especially revered and doted-upon.

This example dates to the end of Queen Victoria’s reign (and life), 1901, and the start of the brief reign of her eldest son, King Edward VII. Though many styles were changing during this period, this rattle looks as if it could have been made in 1837 and adheres to a traditional style which was expected for such gifts.

Unlike the silver rattles given as gifts today, the sterling rattles of the Nineteenth and early Twentieth Centuries were actually intended to be used by the baby. Let’s examine this one more closely. The silver rattle is mounted with a teething ring of bone at one end while the other side is fitted with a loop for a ribbon, and terminates in a whistle. The bulbous central section is decorated with scrolling ornament and hung with six, enclosed, cone-shaped bells. Above this, two more bulbous tiers are mounted, each of these hung with three similar bells with two below.

The little object would have provided quite a lot of hours of entertainment for a baby who could make it rattle, ring and whistle. Furthermore, the bone teething ring would have helped junior work his teeth through his gums. But, there’s also another aspect of this rattle which isn’t immediately apparent or remembered.

As I mentioned, this a period during which children and babies were especially romanticized. The infant mortality rate, at the start of Queen Victoria’s reign, was much higher than at the end of it. During this time, anything that could be done to ensure the long life of a child was going to be employed. Superstitions and what we now refer to as “Sympathetic Magic” were big parts of this philosophy. Even the smallest detail might have had some importance. For example, the fact that the teething ring portion of the rattle is made of bone is not just a matter of practicality and availability of the medium. The use of animal bone was thought to confer the strength of the animal to the child—a strength which would be employed to fight pain and illness. Sometimes teething rings were made of red or white coral—or both—in order to symbolize the battle between the flesh and the bone which was inherent to teething. But, also, the use of coral would have imbued the child with the power of the ocean.

This may sound very quaint and silly. But, think about it. Even as recently as 1901, such superstitions came to play. And, if you think about it, humans are, by their very nature, still a species which relies quite a lot on “magic” and assigns significant power to the unknown. The rattle is marked “CS” with a six-point star. It is also stamped “FS/ anchor/ lion/ b” and “Made by Saunders & Shepherd.” It was assayed in Birmingham, England as sterling silver; marked 1901.

History's Runway: The Pudding Safety Hat, 1775-1800

"Pudding" or "Safety" Hat
Britain, 1775-1800
The Victoria & Albert Museum

A “pudding” hat was essentially a safety hat designed for a young child to wear while learning to walk. The hat was designed to be fastened around the head, horizontally, above the ears. The name comes from the resemblance of the rolled part of the hat to the sort of English sausage known as “pudding.” This horseshoe-shaped roll of glazed cotton would feature four lightly padded triangular flaps attached at regular intervals. Two of these flaps fastened together over the head.

This type of “pudding” hat was very popular for children during the Seventeenth and Eighteenth Centuries. Not only was it cute, but it served to protect a tot’s soft, smooshy head for injury should he or she take a tumble while staggering about in that way that babies have. Clearly, I’m not a parent… 


The sausage-like horseshoe-shaped roll on this “pudding” hat is constructed of glazed pink cotton. This includes a padded white linen inner piece which has been stiffened with wire and card, and a black petersham ribbon tie at each end. The four lightly padded triangular flaps are also stiffened with card and attached to the roll at regular intervals (partly covering the crown of the head). The edges of the triangular flaps and the top seam of the roll are all edged with narrow black velvet ribbon. This hat was made in the U.K. between 1775 and 1800. 

Antique Image of the Day: The Royal Navy of England & the Story of the Sailor Suit, 1900

Pamphlet by Wm. Rowe & Co.
Septimus E. Scott, 1900
The Victoria & Albert Museum

Here, we see a trade pamphlet issued by clothing-maker Wm. Rowe & Co., Ltd, of Gosport, London & Cowes. The 40-page pamphlet features a ribbon binding and a soft cover printed with lettering and gold decoration over an illustration of a sailing vessel on the front. The pamphlet contains a color frontispiece entitled, “Seafaring Men” by Septimus E. Scott, which depicts a boy in a sailor suit seated beside a uniformed sailor. The pamphlet cleverly combines the story of the rise of naval uniform in England with half-tone illustrations (also by Septimus Scott) of the vairous children's garments (mostly with a nautical theme) which were manufactured by Rowe's.

The sailor suit was a popular item of children's dress from the middle of the Nineteenth to the beginning of the Twentieth Century. This style was based on the uniform worn by ratings in the British Navy.

How did the style develop? The first sailor suit for a child is typically thought to be one which was made for Queen Victoria's eldest son, Prince Albert Edward (“Bertie,” later King Edward VII—father of George V) to wear on a Royal visit to Ireland in 1846. T Within a decade, the fashion became a classic of childrens-wear, and was still in use well into the 1920s. The fashion still survives as a choice for young boys participating in wedding parties.

Rowe—the producer of this pamphlet--was one of the leading manufacturers of sailor suits. They also offered correct accessories for children, including a lanyard and a small “Bo'swain's pipe” (whistle), the "regulation Senet Hat", and the sleeve badges of various naval ranks.

The Art of Play: A Child's Chafing Dish, 1912-1918

Chafing Dish
1912-1918
Staffordshire
The Victoria & Albert Museum

Teddy bears had become very popular very quickly at the beginning of the 20th century.  Not only were the actual bears themselves all the rage, but depictions of teddy bears began to appear on a variety of objects.

Of great interest to many was the idea of bears behaving like humans.  This was a popular theme for many a drawing, and such images began to adorn all sorts of items—both for adults and children. 

Here’s one such item designed for a child.

On this dish, we see images of bears performing various sporting activities including cricket, football, skating and golf. It’s a chafing dish--when filled with hot water, the metal base kept the child's food warm.  Seems like a recipe for scaling to me.  But, what do I know?  Other such dishes showed bears dressed in suits and gowns for an elegant  ball.

The dish was made in Staffordshire between 1912 and 1918 by John Aynsley & Sons Ltd.