Object number
51/579
Collection
Description
This is a kidney shaped wooden seedlip. It hung from the sower's neck by a leather strap as they walked across the field sowing seeds, and the wooden handle at the front was for holding the box in place. It was slung on the left side while they 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.
Physical description
1 seedlip: wood; metal
Label Text
<DIV STYLE="text-align:Justify;font-family:Georgia;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;font-size:16;color:#000000;"><P><SPAN><SPAN>2. <B>Seedlip</B><P>The Victorian seedlip was often kidney-shaped so that it fitted comfortably against the body. It was slung around the neck by means of a cord attached to the iron hook and eye pictured. With one hand grasping the handle at the front, the sower used the other to take seed from the box and scatter it in a wide arc as he advanced down the field. The secret of successful broadcasting was to develop a coordinated rhythm between the natural pace of walking and the arm movement required to scatter the seed.<P>51/579</SPAN></SPAN></P></DIV>
Archival history
MERL 'Catalogue index' card – 'This is a kidney shaped seedlip made of rather thin wood bent into the required shape and reinforced with metal in several places. It was slung on the left side of the sower while he [they] cast with his right hand. As he [they] returned across the field, it was pushed to his [their] right side and the other hand was used. It has one metal hook and one metal loop at the neck for the cord by which it was slung from the neck. There is a short wooden handle at the front so that it could be held in place. The handle measures 14 inches in length, but only 6 inches project above the side of the seedlip. The box measures 24 inches long and 13.5 inches wide. // Seedlips were later made of galvanised iron, but the shape was retained. Other names for the seedlip are SEED-COT, HOPPER and SCUTTLE, SEEDCUP. // See also 51/157M.', 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 51/764), MERL ‘Conservation Record’ form – ‘Class: Cultivating - seeding // Name: Seedlip // Acc. No.: 51/579 // Conservator: D Empringham // Date: 9 Aug 93 // part/whole: treatment: Cuprinol. method: Brushed. // part/whole: repair: Consolidated wormy handle. Glued handle to body (handle loose), PVA. method: Dilute Cascamite. // part/whole: finish: method: // [tick box, unticked] tick when noted on catalogue sheet’
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Material
Associated subject
Associated person/institution
External document
- L:\MERL\Objects\JISC 2012\35 series negatives\Scans\35_347.tif - High resolution image
