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Massachusetts Historical Commission

Paddy's Alley Artifacts

  • Marbles – Earthenware, stone. Marbles have been favorite toys of children for centuries. These early examples are made of clay and stone and must have provided hours of fun for the 14 Carnes children.

    Marbles – Earthenware, stone. Marbles have been favorite toys of children for centuries. These early examples are made of clay and stone and must have provided hours of fun for the 14 Carnes children.

  • Mouth Harp - Iron.

    Mouth Harp - Iron.

  • Figurine head of a young woman - Hand-painted earthenware.

    Figurine head of a young woman - Hand-painted earthenware.

  • Candle snuffer - Copper alloy.

    Candle snuffer - Copper alloy.

  • Scissors - iron.

    Scissors - iron.

  • Button - Cast copper, rosette design.

    Button - Cast copper, rosette design.

  • Smoking pipe - Earthenware. Men and women smoked pipes. This example with a burnished surface and incised decoration at one time would have had a replaceable wooden reed stem. Its origin is unknown.

    Smoking pipe - Earthenware. Men and women smoked pipes. This example with a burnished surface and incised decoration at one time would have had a replaceable wooden reed stem. Its origin is unknown.

  • Smoking pipe - White ball clay. Because they are so fragile, archaeologists usually do not find complete pipes with long stems. This is a rare find.

    Smoking pipe - White ball clay. Because they are so fragile, archaeologists usually do not find complete pipes with long stems. This is a rare find.

  • Musket ball and gunflints - American or European. Firearms, used for hunting as well as military activities, were common household items. Small pieces of flint were used to generate the spark to fire flintlock muskets. The flints usually were imported from Europe.

    Musket ball and gunflints - American or European. Firearms, used for hunting as well as military activities, were common household items. Small pieces of flint were used to generate the spark to fire flintlock muskets. The flints usually were imported from Europe.

  • Musket ball and gunflints - American or European. Firearms, used for hunting as well as military activities, were common household items. The lead musket ball was produced locally.

    Musket ball and gunflints - American or European. Firearms, used for hunting as well as military activities, were common household items. The lead musket ball was produced locally.

  • Serving fork- Iron. Carnes paid for his son’s Harvard University tuition with an assortment of knives, forks, and spoons, and a quantity of sugar. Since currency was often scarce, it was common to pay bills with goods instead of money.

    Serving fork- Iron. Carnes paid for his son’s Harvard University tuition with an assortment of knives, forks, and spoons, and a quantity of sugar. Since currency was often scarce, it was common to pay bills with goods instead of money.

  • Spoon Bowl with Maker’s Mark - Brass.

    Spoon Bowl with Maker’s Mark - Brass.

  • Mug - Salt-glazed stoneware, Westerwald Region of Germany.

    Mug - Salt-glazed stoneware, Westerwald Region of Germany.

  • Cup- Slip-decorated earthenware.

    Cup- Slip-decorated earthenware.

  • Intaglio - Quartz crystal.

    Intaglio - Quartz crystal.

  • Wig curler - Terra cotta. Colonial men often wore wigs that required regular brushing and curling. Carnes wore a fashionable curled hairstyle in his portrait and may have used this curler on one of his personal wigs.

    Wig curler - Terra cotta. Colonial men often wore wigs that required regular brushing and curling. Carnes wore a fashionable curled hairstyle in his portrait and may have used this curler on one of his personal wigs.

  • Plate - Slip-decorated earthenware.

    Plate - Slip-decorated earthenware.

  • Chamberpot Fragment - Stoneware. Chamberpots were often decorated with medallions or royal ciphe.

    Chamberpot Fragment - Stoneware. Chamberpots were often decorated with medallions or royal ciphe.

  • Stone crucible fragments and metal concretions. These artifacts tell archaeologists about the activities that took place at John Carnes’s shop. Crucibles are large, heavy vessels that are used to mix and melt metal. The metal concretions are the waste products of metal castings.

    Stone crucible fragments and metal concretions. These artifacts tell archaeologists about the activities that took place at John Carnes’s shop. Crucibles are large, heavy vessels that are used to mix and melt metal. The metal concretions are the waste products of metal castings.

  • Stone crucible fragments and metal concretions. These artifacts tell archaeologists about the activities that took place at John Carnes’s shop. Crucibles are large, heavy vessels that are used to mix and melt metal. The metal concretions are the waste products of metal castings.

    Stone crucible fragments and metal concretions. These artifacts tell archaeologists about the activities that took place at John Carnes’s shop. Crucibles are large, heavy vessels that are used to mix and melt metal. The metal concretions are the waste products of metal castings.

  • Escutcheon - Copper alloy. This unfinished relief-molded back plate was most likely intended to surround a teardrop-shaped drawer pull.

    Escutcheon - Copper alloy. This unfinished relief-molded back plate was most likely intended to surround a teardrop-shaped drawer pull.

  • Brass pineapple and leaf. John Carnes probably produced many types of these small decorative objects in his shop. They ornamented furniture or other household items.

    Brass pineapple and leaf. John Carnes probably produced many types of these small decorative objects in his shop. They ornamented furniture or other household items.

  • Brass pineapple and leaf. John Carnes probably produced many types of these small decorative objects in his shop. They ornamented furniture or other household items.

    Brass pineapple and leaf. John Carnes probably produced many types of these small decorative objects in his shop. They ornamented furniture or other household items.

  • Buckle - Pewter/lead. This buckle was not finished. Note the unfiled edges.

    Buckle - Pewter/lead. This buckle was not finished. Note the unfiled edges.

  • Metalworking tools (Gouge) - Iron. Fragments of metalworking tools recovered from the foundation of Carnes’s shop included an assortment of files, chisels, skimming, and soldering tools.

    Metalworking tools (Gouge) - Iron. Fragments of metalworking tools recovered from the foundation of Carnes’s shop included an assortment of files, chisels, skimming, and soldering tools.

  • Metalworking tools (Skimming tool) - Iron. Fragments of metalworking tools recovered from the foundation of Carnes’s shop included an assortment of files, chisels, skimming, and soldering tools.

    Metalworking tools (Skimming tool) - Iron. Fragments of metalworking tools recovered from the foundation of Carnes’s shop included an assortment of files, chisels, skimming, and soldering tools.

  • Metalworking tools (File) - Iron. Fragments of metalworking tools recovered from the foundation of Carnes’s shop included an assortment of files, chisels, skimming, and soldering tools.

    Metalworking tools (File) - Iron. Fragments of metalworking tools recovered from the foundation of Carnes’s shop included an assortment of files, chisels, skimming, and soldering tools.

  • Metalworking tools (Soldering Tool) - Iron. Fragments of metalworking tools recovered from the foundation of Carnes’s shop included an assortment of files, chisels, skimming, and soldering tools.

    Metalworking tools (Soldering Tool) - Iron. Fragments of metalworking tools recovered from the foundation of Carnes’s shop included an assortment of files, chisels, skimming, and soldering tools.

  • Metalworking tools (Chisel) - Iron. Fragments of metalworking tools recovered from the foundation of Carnes’s shop included an assortment of files, chisels, skimming, and soldering tools.

    Metalworking tools (Chisel) - Iron. Fragments of metalworking tools recovered from the foundation of Carnes’s shop included an assortment of files, chisels, skimming, and soldering tools.