PIPE TAMPER SEAL RING
PERIOD: JACOBEAN LOCATION: LINCOLNSHIRE, UK MATERIAL: COPPER ALLOY
Our shortest ever dig.
Here at Roman Found we aren’t ones for a quick dig. More often than not we are out in the fields for hours (sometimes days) completely taken over by the digging obsession and unable to stop. This was one of those very rare occasions where we had a limited digging window with a very important lunch date with our landowner looming, we found ourselves with merely two hours to find our treasure.
So here we are pottering over a large pasture field that we have gridded extensively (left, right, up, down, even all diagonals!) just hoping that some random wandering will bring us that perfect angle to eek out one more stellar find. And it delivered! A field truly is never done, that age old metal detecting saying which only gets proven to us time and time again, as is the way of this mysterious hobby of seeking lost relics from the earth.
Sometimes we find these relics like to wait for the perfect time to reveal themselves and for us on that day it brought quite the conversation starter to lunch! Our first ever ring find, and it didn’t stop there, we were blessed with a beautiful 17th Century multitool: a ring and pipe tamper all in one! Absolutely chuffed!
More often than not we are out in the fields for hours (sometimes days) completely taken over by the digging obsession and unable to stop.
We turned out to not be the only ones rather impressed with our unusual artefact as before we even made it to our lunch appointment we got accosted on the public footpath walk back by some locals! Often it’s very easy to get lost in our hobby, just us, the fields and the finds and we fail to remember just how in the public eye you can be especially when digging alongside an ancient footpath. Needless to say they were very impressed at the history that we had unearthed from practically under their feet, there’s something special about an artefact that really connects to people.
This artefact incorporates both a signet ring and a pipe tamper into one object, a rather curious 17th Century invention that apparently derived from the drunken gentleman losing his wares on one too many an occasion. A pipe tamper when drunk in the 17th Century seemed to be an easy object to lose, and an incredibly important one for a gentleman. How else may he smoke! To prevent this loss the pipe tamper was added onto his signet ring (you would have to be quite drunk indeed to lose a whole ring!) so it could be worn securely and concealed within the palm of the hand.
Watch the recovery footage
Smoking was rapidly becoming a large part of the culture in the 17th Century with imported tobacco from the America Colonies and cheaply made clay pipes creating an industry for tobacco here in Britain. By 1680 - 1700 almost every town and city in Britain had a clay pipe manufacturer, making pipes not just for local consumption but for export as well.
It is not known when the first pipe tampers were produced but they have been claimed to be a 17th Century invention developing naturally with the progression of tobacco smoking. Maintaining the correct density of tobacco within a pipe bowl for a successful smoke was essential, so these little objects occurred exactly for that reason, pressing the tobacco down. Initially a utilitarian object that rapidly developed into more intricate and delicately designed artefacts that became very collectable as the smoking culture developed.
A signet ring was also a very widespread and common occurrence in the 17th Century. Seals had been used as signatures and stamps of authenticity since 3500 BC, being seen as more trustworthy than writing, especially in a time where literacy was poor. They were used to sign all sorts of important documents from legal deeds to personal letters and often the rings would be destroyed upon a gentle or noble man's death to prevent any post death forged letters appearing, this practice was especially prevalent in Medieval Times.
Our pipe tamper seal ring depicts the heraldic two headed eagle which often appeared with Jewish Connotations during the time of the 17th - 19th Centuries. It’s an ancient symbol which has been around for centuries appearing in Empires such as the Holy Roman Empire and Russian Empire, as well as in religion in both Christianity and Paganism. You may even recognise it today from the Flag of Albania. But back at the time of our artefact it would have represented a gentleman’s signature, most likely linked to his family’s heraldry and history.
For us this has been the find that just keeps on giving. Its much more than just a good conversation starter at lunch! Since its discovery we’ve been able to unlock a new level to this little artefact with the very kind help of Studio Rua who featured in our last interview article. Read Here.
Using the ancient technique of lost wax casting Ruth utilised our seal ring pipe tampers original intended use of producing a wax seal. From this seal she took directly from our artefact she then created two bespoke pendants in sterling silver and bronze, immortalising this 17th Century signature into contemporary jewellery. Seeing our find in this new form has opened up new creative windows for us and allowed us to really connect with this little multitool and wear its forgotten signature proudly.
