51/764

This is a kidney shaped wooden seedlip, patched with an old leather boot, metal and linoleum. It would have hung from the sower's neck by a leather strap, which is now missing, as they walked across the field sowing seeds, and the wooden handle at the front, which is also missing, was for holding the box in place. It was slung on the left side while the sower cast with their right hand and when they returned across the field, it was pushed to their right side while they sowed with their left.

1 seedlip: wood; leather; metal; poor condition- patched with old leather boot, metal and linoleum, most of which has come off

MERL 'Catalogue index' card – 'This seedlip is kidney shaped, it has at one time had a leather strap attached to it by nails, 19 of which remain, but the strap has broken off. Instead of this there is a metal hook in the middle of the back, attached by wire through a hole in the seedlip, to which a cord for carrying it could be fastened. There has been a handle for supporting and steadying the seedlip at the front but this has broken off at the top of the front. // The wood is patched with old leather boot, attached by nails with ornamental heads. It is also patched and supported with metal and one piece of linoleum, most of which has come off. // The seedlip is 25.5 inches long, 15 inches broad and 7.5 inches deep. // See also 51/157M.', MERL 'Catalogue index' card – 51/157 – 'The earliest method of sowing was to broadcast the seed from a basket and later a seedlip. This was slung from the neck and the sower walked across the field making a cast with each step. On his return he would push the seedlip round to the opposite side and sow with the other hand. The cast was always made inwards towards the body.', Lavinia Smith Catalogue (D60/28) - 'A list of the contents of East Hendred museum. July 5 1940 // Heating and Cooking // 221. A seedlip bought of F. Smith the last of the old-time farmers. // 222. A seedlip bought from George Collett of Murcote - in - Otmoor for the prize he fixed, "three Half-crowns," I had been told that the dwellers in Otmoor even now do most of their trading by barter. Three half-crowns is much more concrete than three times 2/6' (Either of these entries could be in reference to this particular object - the other is possibly 51/579)

Wood, Metal, Leather

Rippon, Miss Dorothy May Lyddon (Agent)
Collett, George
Smith, Frederick. A