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2-piece elephant ivory pistol-grip fork handle

Notes

Full length of handle; circular hole for tang. Length and thickness comparable to other examples of fork handles in the Mount Vernon collection


Object Type


Has it Been Conserved?

No


Where Was It Found?

Project Site: House for Families [more details]


Material

Bone


Manufacturing Technology

Carved


Form

Fork, 2 Piece


Completeness

Incomplete


Date

18th century


Country of Origin

England


Dimensions

24.52mm x 19.05mm x 78.52mm (W x H x L)


Illustration shows object in comparison to the size of a quarter


Weight

22.8 gram(s)


Project: House for Families

The structure identified as the “House for Families” on the 1787 Vaughan plan likely housed the majority of the enslaved population living at the Mansion House Farm for much of the second half of the eighteenth century. The building was in existence from circa 1760 until it was demolished in late 1792 or early 1793. The archaeological evidence for the structure consisted of a brick-lined storage cellar (44FX762/40-47) measuring roughly six feet by six feet. Historically the cellar served as a handy trash receptacle once it ceased to be used for its original storage function, and through extensive excavation has yielded an extremely rich assemblage of household refuse. The analysis of these remains offers the opportunity to study important aspects of the daily lives of Mount Vernon's enslaved community.

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