Object number
51/600
Collection
Description
This is a wooden grain shovel used in barns for turning over and moving grain, and for mixing seed and dressing. It is carved from a single piece of wood as a joint would become a weak point at which the shovel would be liable to break. Nothing is known of its origins, although the word 'Day' is branded in two places on the handle.
Physical description
1 threshing shovel: wood and metal; good condition....The word: 'DAY' has been branded in two places near the hand grip once at the front and once at the back
Archival history
MERL 'Catalogue index' card – 'Wooden shovels constructed from a solid piece of wood are still commonly sold in shops and used in barns for turning over and moving grain. When a farmer dresses his own seed grain, a wooden shovel is indispensable for mixing the seed and the dressing. They are always carved out of one solid piece of wood for jointing would lead to less strength and the tool would be more liable to break apart at the joints in use. // The origins of this shovel are unknown. The handle which has a hollow hand grip is 23.5 inches in length. The blade is 13 inches in maximum length, the shoulders being 13 inches in width and the tip 14.5 inches in width. The blade has split and at the tip a rectangular piece of metal measuring 4 inches by 2.2. inches has been screwed on with six screws. A strip of metal has also been fixed along the back, near the shoulders. This is 13.5 inches long and is kept in place by five screws, one of which has pierced the blade and surfaced on its slightly concave front. The word DAY has been branded in two places near the hand grip, once at the front and once at the back.', No Lavinia Smith No. recorded.
Object name
Material
Associated subject
Associated person/institution
External document
- L:\MERL\Objects\JISC 2012\60 series negatives\60_15642.tif - High resolution image