Fissure 89. — Tools: a, block-plane blade; b, scraping loo! (ill. 76); c, gouge chisel (ill. 77); 

 d. jiari of bung extractor; e, fragment of ax; f, three dogs or hooks; g, pothook; and h, 

 shim or pin. 



term in 1729 when he bought a pair of "Sidehinge.s" 

 for 9d. "Cross-garnet" hinges, where a sharply 

 tapering, spear-headed strap section is pivoted by a 

 pin inserted in a stationary, rectangular butt section, 

 are represented by three imperfect specimens (USNM 

 ')'i.l657 and 59.1881, fig. 88). Both these types are 

 named, described, and illustrated by Moxon.^''' 

 Locks, L.\tches, .wd Keys. — Only one remnant of 

 the ubicjuitous 18th-century "Suffolk" thumb-press 

 door latch was found at Marlborough. This frag- 

 ment comprises the handle but not the cusps at the 

 ends, by which the age might be determined (USNM 

 60.137, fig. 88). Mercer purchased an "Iron door 

 latch" from Nathaniel Chapman for ninepence in 



2' 3 Albert H. Sonn, Early American Wroiiahl Iron (New York: 

 Charles Scribncr's Sons, 1928), vol. 2, p. 9. 



1731. In a complete assemblage fur ilie-te latches, 

 a thumb press lifts a latch bar on the reverse side 

 of the door, disengaging it from a catch driven into 

 the edge of the jamb. One large latch bar was 

 recovered (USNM 59.1972, fig. 88f), as well as two 

 catches (USNM 59.1644, fig. 88i, and 59.1801, ill. 

 65) . Sliding bolts were the usual locking devices when 

 simple thumb latches were used. A survival of one 

 of these is seen in a short iron rod with a shorter 

 segment of rod attached to it at right angles (USNM 

 59.1942, ill. 69). 



Purchases of padlocks are recorded, but t\w\\: is no 

 archcological evidence for them. However, a well- 

 ntadc hasp (USNM 59.1655, ill. 65) has survived, and 

 also three staples (USNM 59.1644, 59.16,59, 59.2027, 

 fig. 88j). Mercer bought six staples in 1742 at a 

 penny each. 



Apparently the principal doors of both the 1730 



166 



