Shake it, Baby! For the 18th Century Bairn who has Everything

[joyful_molly]

I admit I find this item as exciting as a ceremonial sword, and depending on the previous owner, it might have been just as dangerous…!

Comments

[eglantine_br]

I have seen a few of those and my first thought is always that they could detach the little bells somehow and choke on them.

Still, it is a beautiful item. Someone saved it out of love and memory. Sweet.

[oloriel]

Yes, that was my first thought also! A beautiful piece of craftsmanship, but DON'T GIVE IT TO SMALL CHILDREN! *flails*

[joyful_molly]

I think that's most people's first reaction, but I wonder if that ever happened, a baby choking. For one, it's wonderful craftmanship; generations of babies didn't manage to rio the bells of. Plus, this was a rich child's toy, so I don't think it was put in a cot and left alone, rather a nurse was playing with junior.

Now I want to research "incidents of 18th century babies choking on bells"...

[joyful_molly]

I wonder if that's where the term "bells and whistles" originates from. *is curious*

[anteros_lmc]

What a lovely thing! I wonder was there any specific reason for using coral for the teether?

[joyful_molly]

My guess is that coral was hard enough to survive first teeth, yet warmed once a baby chewed on it. That's not the case with other materials.

[chaotic_binky]

The red coral looks like a tentacle or an unusually slim finger :D

[eglantine_br]

Or a carrot!

[chaotic_binky]

Yes it does! :D

[joyful_molly]

Davy Jones' rattle!

[caecus_parvulus]

Love the gaces on the whistle part (or at least the front and back look like they have gaces to me). Lovely, nut the sort of thing I'd biy for someone else's kid, because there's no way I'd give a cranky, crying baby something that was a whistle, and outfitted with bells, too. But then, they probably had a nanny with the kid all day, so the parents wouldn't be the ones woth the headaches.

[joyful_molly]

Yes, that's my thought as well; this was a toy for the child of wealthy parents, who could afford a nurse/nanny (who was probably paid very little for the privilege of enduring hours of whistling and rattling!)