Our first mini-brief for Contextual & Theoretical Studies (CTS) was to explore the idea of collections and artists who are collectors. In this project, we were briefed to collect different objects and curate them into a collection.
I chose to collect objects that I found on the Thames foreshore during low tide, I thought this could be an interesting way to illustrate the history of London through its objects. I had also been interested in mudlarking, which is as Meriel Jeater, a curator at the Museum of London explains “the name given to people literally scavenging for things on the riverbank.” she then goes on to explain that it originated “as a profession in the late 18th and then into the 19th century… These original mudlarks were often children, mostly boys, who would earn a few pennies selling things like coal, nails, rope and bones that they found in the mud at low tide.” (The Thames Museum) I also learned that the Thames, in particular, is very popular for mudlarking because of the anaerobic quality of its mud acts as a preservative for any objects dumped in the river.
Figure 2: Arranging my collection in different categories (clockwise from upper left)- ceramic, glass, textures, patterned ceramics
The “rules” to my collection were that 1) all objects had to come from the Thames foreshore during low-tide 2) all items were manmade 3) all items had to fit in my hand. Further categories I broke down my objects into were by texture, color, material, size, and my favorite finds.
Some of my favorite objects that I found include a terracotta game-piece (in the top left of the picture above) from the game of snobs/ jacks. My guess is this object dates back to pre-1900, most likely Victorian era based on images (figures 4-6) I was able to find of similar game pieces.
Figure 4: (OLD FATHER THAMES | Thames Mudlark Diary, 2016), Figure 5: (PicClick UK, 2018), Figure 6: (Snobs, 1989)
Another interesting find would have to be the pieces of clay pipe that I found. While most were just pipe stems I found one fragment of a pipe bowl with a ship on it (seen in top left in Figure 7). A few of the stem pieces I found also had maker’s marks on their heel, one of which I was able to trace its possible era and maker through the National Pipe Archive. (Figure 8)
References-
OLD FATHER THAMES | Thames Mudlark Diary. (2016). Jacks, Snobs, Knucklebones, Chuckstones…. [online] Available at: https://thamesmudlarkdiary.com/2016/12/07/jacks-snobs-knucklebones-chuckstones/ [Accessed 9 Jan. 2020].
PicClick UK. (2018). COLLECTION OF CERAMIC/CLAY Snobs- Various Colours Size – Victorian Game-Dump Dug. [online] Available at: https://picclick.co.uk/Collection-Of-Ceramic-clay-Snobs-Various-Colours-Size-253784199227.html [Accessed 9 Jan. 2020].
Pipearchive.co.uk. (n.d.). NPA home. [online] Available at: http://www.pipearchive.co.uk/index.html [Accessed 9 Jan. 2020].
Snobs. (1989). [Ceramic and wood] Available at: http://www.nationaltrustcollections.org.uk/object/669693 [Accessed 9 Jan. 2020].
The Thames Museum. (2020). Mudlarks | London History | Hands on History | History | Society of Thames Mudlarks. [online] Available at: http://www.thamesmuseum.org/about.html [Accessed 9 Jan. 2020].
Michaela J Maloney 