Scissors
SC01

Object: Scissors
Culture: Late medieval. 16th century
Area of Origin: Blackfriars, London.
Material: iron
Size: 100mm
Weight: 15.76 grams

Notes: Scissors are complete and intact. Central pivoting rivet is present although the blades do not move. Both loops are a similar size. Dating to 16th or 17th century, although the blade shape suggests the late 16th century is likely.

When I first bought these, they were fairly clean although not able to move at all. It looked like they were clogged up with mud, not rust, so hours and hours of painstaking work and I was able to free up the central pivot and make them move again.

Provenance: Old Mudlark Collection. Found River Thames, Blackfriars, London in the 1970’s.

Similar to: British Museum PAS, Finds Identified, Leahy and Lewis, Item LON-A1E3B3, London. Dated 1400-1500, Iron scissors, Thames find. Although these are longer, the style is similar with the two loops being the same size and the spape when closed, very similar.