Implements and utensils

Ivory cosmetic spoon

Ivory cosmetic spoon
view: front

Ivory cosmetic spoon with shallow circular bowl surrounded by a zigzag border. The handle of the spoon is of similar width to the bowl and depicts an ibex, facing to the right, kneeling on the right fore-leg.
Previously broken and repaired.


Steatite spoon handle

Steatite spoon handle
view: front

The bowl of the spoon is missing, leaving only a small section of a zigzag border visible. On the front of the handle is a naked woman wearing only a headdress and a collar.


Ivory spoon

Ivory spoon
view: front

Delicate spoon with circular bowl and fine handle. At the end of the handle is a hand with the thumb running along its length and the four fingers curled around the handle.
The surface of the bowl is scratched.


Kohl jar

Kohl jar
view: front

Squat kohl jar with a narrow angled rim, on a square stand with four legs. Carved from calcite with a pitted surface.


Hand-shaped clapper

Hand-shaped clapper
view: front

One of a pair of Egyptian clappers carved from ivory, in the form of a left hand and forearm. Two incised lines on the wrist on the front of the clapper represent a bracelet. The fingers and thumb are elongated with a depression between and the nails are carved.


Fish-shaped palette

fish-shaped palette
view: detail 1

Cosmetic palette in the shape of a fish, used for grinding eyepaint. One side of the palette is decorated with incised lines representing the features of a fish.


Pressure-flaked flint knife blade

pressure-flaked flint knife blade
view: front

Light brown pressure-flaked flint knife blade. One face of the knife blade is heavily worked and the underside is completely smooth except for being worked only along the edge to form a sharp, finely denticulated convex knife edge.


Fishtail lance head

fishtail lance head
view: front

Light brown pressure-flaked fishtail lance blade. Both sides of the lance blade are heavily worked to form sharp, denticulated edges.
The fishtail section of the blade is incomplete and has been broken and repaired.


Bronze disc of a mirror

bronze disc of a mirror
view: front

Bronze disc with a spike to fit into a handle to form a hand-mirror.


Wooden mirror handle

wooden mirror handle
view: front

Wooden handle into which a polished bronze mirror disc fitted. Carved in the shape of a papyrus column terminating in the head of the god Bes.


Terracotta frog lamp

terracotta frog lamp
view: front

Decorated oval lamp made of terracotta. On the upper side of the lamp is a frog facing to the front, with tail curled behind him. There is a rimless hole is the middle of the frog's back and a rimmed hole at the front of the lamp.


Scribal palette

scribal palette
view: front

Scribe's palette made from wood.


Hand-shaped clapper with the head of Hathor

hand-shaped clapper with the head of Hathor
view: front

One of a pair of Egyptian clappers carved from ivory, in the form of a right hand and forearm. On the front of the clapper is an incised full-face depiction of the head of the goddess Hathor, with cow's ears protruding from a plaited wig and wearing a modius decorated with uraei.


Printing woodblock

printing woodblock
view: front

Pear wood printing block, carved on both sides with 23 columns of characters in a regular script. The inscription is of pages 9 and 10 from volume 55 of the "Collected Works of Su Weigong" by Su Song (1020 - 1101 CE), a scholar in both astronomy and medicine.


Astronomical clock

astronomical clock
view: front

Astronomical clock with carved wooden stand.


Celadon lantern

celadon lantern
view: front

Celadon lantern, in the shape of a hexagonal pavilion-style pagoda.


Incomplete crossbow trigger mechanism

incomplete crossbow trigger mechanism
view: left

Part of a cast bronze trigger mechanism for a crossbow. Only the frame and hook of the mechanism remain; the two pins, trigger rest and trigger are missing.
The mechanism shows signs of corrosion.


Set of poem cards in a lacquer box

set of poem cards in a lacquer box
view: front

Set of thirty six Japanese printed poem cards in a decorative lacquer box. Each card printed with a different figure and calligraphic poetic inscriptions.

Maki-e (Metal Powder Sprinkled Lacquer Decoration)


Ivory and jade opium pipe

ivory and jade opium pipe
view: front

Yellow ivory and green jade opium pipe.


Earthenware candlestick

earthenware candlestick
view: front

Earthenware candlestick of light buff clay in two tiers, an imitation of a western shape. The upper tier is smaller than the lower; both tiers are shallow with an everted rim and are centrally supported by a ribbed solid shaft with a holder for the candle on the top.