51/194

This is a face piece ornamented with two brasses and a star shaped stud and crowned by a fly terret. Fly terrets used to be mounted on the saddle and the driving reins passed through them, but when mounted on the horse’s head they were purely ornamental. The facepiece came from Gloucestershire and the fly terret from Sussex.

1 fly terret and face piece; metal; good condition

Citation in publication [H. J. Massingham, 'Country Relics' (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1939)] –' When the door of the Hermitage is opened, the eye is at once caught by the gleam of brass against bright leather. These are ells and brasses which once gave music to mile after mile of birdless winter lanes...My set of waggon-team head-bells belonged to [the donor], the head-carter of a farm at Elkstone...They were his father's before him, since cartering was practically an hereditary profession. A "swing-brass" (mine is from Sussex) or disk of polished brass swinging within a brass ring was an alternative.' (pp. 79) [see also pp.81-82], MERL 'Catalogue index' card – 'This is a face piece ornamented with two brasses and a star shaped stud and crowned by a fly terret. The terret consists of a polished brass disk swinging in a brass ring, which is screwed into the top of the face piece at the point where the brow band of the bridle passes through the loop of the face piece. Fly terrets used to be mounted on the saddle and the driving reins passed through them, but when mounted on the horse’s head they are purely ornamental. This one came from Sussex, and is 3.75 inches in height. The face piece measures 16 inches in length, and came from Gloucestershire. See also 51/288 and 51/280.', MERL list / description [Massingham Collection, circa 1951] - 'Museum of English Rural Life // Equipment to be loaned to the Cotswold Tradition Exhibition // Cat Ref. No.: // 51/194 M // [tick] Bridle [Cleaned] [tick] ...', MERL list / description [Massingham Collection, circa 1951] - '[insert] MASSINGHAM FILE [end insert] // THE COTSWOLD TRADITION // AN EXHIBITION AT CIRENCESTER PARK // MAY-SEPTEMBER 1951 ... // RECEIPT. // Received with gratitude the following articles, collected from Reading University on the 29th April, 1951: // ... Cart Horse Harness Face Piece. ... // Loaned by The Massingham Collection.', MERL list / description [Massingham Collection, October 1989] – 'ACC. NO.: 51/194 // NAME: FLY TERRET + FACE PIECE // NEG NO.: 35/54, 35/1818 // STORAGE: P. Ex. [Permanent Exhibition] Harness.'