Assorted family decorative items and artefacts, 1800 - 1920
Scope and Contents
Box 1: Brass dragon; Silver cigarette case with dragon motif; Brass hunting horn (belt buckle or military cap badge); Set of three magnifying glasses; Spoon [tarnished]; Unknown item with tiny bowl on one end, mouthpiece at the other with piece of wood between; Small figure of angel/cherub with hands behind back; Glass bottle [slightly damaged] with glass stopper containing small balls of unknown substance; Carved wooden box containing wooden beetle with moving legs; unidentified metal box with three 'fans'; Four small coloured gaming boxes (possibly by Mariaval le Jeune, Paris, 18th century) with mother-of-pearl lids and ivory containing counters, possibly for playing Quadrille (in wooden box with four compartments).
Box 2: Leather bag of assorted coins; Small booklet containing illustrations of University academic dress; Slip case without contents; Fan made of plastic or ivory [damaged]; Five decorative glass panels with floral design [some broken].
Box 3: Empty metal box, with ornate, coloured floral open-weave design; Japanese bowl with decorated lid, containing assorted coins and rings; Two ornate jewelled belt buckles in case; Wooden Buddha figure connected to another figure [purpose inclear, possibly a toy]; Bag of marbles labelled 'Prince of Wales marbles'; Glass swivel seal with three unidentified shields/ coats of arms on gold clasp and ribbon; Small scent bottle containing unknown substance; Metal rattle with whistle.
Box 3: Bundle of buttons (ten large, six smaller) bearing crest of cubit arm grasping a staff [?], formerly tied together with string [Stanley French's list says it is the Kenny crest]; Wooden box with several wooden discs [purpose unclear]; Small key with tag labelled 'Fisher chest, deposited at Lloyd's Bank, Cambridge, 19.3.63'; Small piece of wood with label saying it came from the [HMS] 'Royal George', which sank in Portsmouth Harbour, 1782; Double-sided miniature with two different, possibly Biblical, figures; Bullet, fashioned into unknown object, piece at top broken off; Disc with man’s head (embossed) [could be George VI]; Disc [made of cardboard] with small token attached, inscribed 'Nationale ban de la garde'; Button with University coat of arms; Small engraved object with unknown substance inside [tip of cane or walking stick?]; Four small bell-shaped objects, linked together; Extracts from The Times and Golf Illustrated relating to Rex Salisbury Woods, May 1972; note originally with relay medals won by Woods in 1914 [medal - DCHR/2/4];
Box 4: Small silver key in presentation box, may be ceremonial key to Kenny Gate; Envelope of six cigars, dated to 1816 [NB: originally displayed in the old Muniment Room as "the oldest cigars in the world" - Dr Millett]; Spillikins with rules for playing the game; Two small red lacquered boxes; 'Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures' by Mary Baker Eddy, published by The Christian Science Publishing Society, USA [nd]; Packet of conical-shaped pegs; String of beads and loose beads; Fabric shield; Thermometer [?] in box; Nest of five pot balls; Small leather-covered box; Scarf [made by Misses Kenny?]; Small wooden box with seven small buttons on card, bearing crest [see box 3 above]; Small, pointed embroidered shoe; Small rectangular box (empty) dated 8 June 1819; Two small pieces of embroidery; Small seal matrix with dog design
Box 5: Black and white photograph of house, 'Knockanotis Ballinrobe [co Mayo] Taken in 1903'; Ornate purse with beadwork (many beads loose); Purse with beadwork; Four suede slippers with beadwork; Small metal box with dragon motif containing small beadwork purse, 25 cent Belgian coin and piece of wire from first Zeppelin brought down in WW1 at Cuffley, Hertfordshire, 3 September 1916 in envelope stating that it was sold in aid of wounded soldiers; Three small boxes originally containing medals; Empty wrapping labelled ‘Octagon Lucky penny May 10th 49’; Canvas bag with three pieces of rock: ‘specimens of old quartz given to me when a guest of Col Parrot Johanisburgh [sic, Johannesburg] 5 April’; 26 plaster casts, different sizes; 11 plastic seal matrices; Three wooden circular boxes, two containing small seals;Small wooden disc [purpose unclear]; Small metal disc with threaded screw; Rectangular box, lined with blue cloth and from T and J Bragg, London and Birmingham; Small silver box with ‘PGW’; Tiny child’s head [purpose unclear]; Old fashioned pen? [no nib]; Small bead hat; Newspaper cutting re ‘Victory’, nd [19th century?]; Manuscript note re ore excavated from mines in South Africa;
Box 6: Wallet of Potichomania [way of copying Japanese designs on porcelain onto paper] with small booklet about the process, mid 19th century.
Dates
- Creation: 1800 - 1920
Conditions Governing Access
Some records series are subject to confidentiality restrictions with the following closure periods: 30 years from date of creation for general administration files, legal records and financial files; 50 years from date of creation for governmental records, including papers of the College Governing Body and College Council, and constituent committees; 100 years from date of creation for personal and personnel records, including tutorial files, staff and fellows files and appointment records, personal finance and pension records. In addition sensitive correspondence and papers concerning College affairs such as disputes and disciplinary matters are closed for 100 years. Restrictions apply on some personal and private papers.
Extent
c. 6 archive box(es) (c. 6 boxes)
Language of Materials
English
Custodial History
The inclusion of later items relating to Rex Salisbury Woods suggests that some general College artefacts became muddled with the Kenny artefacts at some point after their deposit in the Muniment Room.
Date information
DateText: Dates approximate..
Finding aid date
2019-04-17 12:08:47+00:00
Repository Details
Part of the Downing College Repository
Downing College Archive
Downing College
Cambridge Cambridgeshire CB2 1DQ United Kingdom
+44 (0)1223 762905
archivist@dow.cam.ac.uk