51/577/1-2
These two hames form the wooden frame of a horse harness, which would be attached to a padded leather collar. Each hame has a metal plate at one end to which a chain is attached by a hook, and shorter pieces of heavier chain are attched to the sides. Nothing is known about their origins.
Physical description
1 hames [pair]: wood, metal, rope
Archival history
Lavinia Smith Catalogue (D60/28) - 'A list of the contents of the East Hendred museum. July 5 1940 // Horse furniture // 58-61. Four pairs of wooden hames, the smal [sic] ones belonged to Horace Prior's grandfather's donkey about 1890.'Heritage of the Hendreds Exhibition 1969 - 'Catalogue of Exhibits // Number 332 // Wooden Hames // Lent by MERL Miss Smith c.' (The catalogue description could also be in reference to 51/757/1-2, 51/756/1-2, 51/758/1-2 and 51/578/1-2)