100 ANTIQUE IVORY TABLET. 



WoNHAM Manor, Eeigate, 

 Apeil 24th, 1865. 



Dear Sir, • 



The curious little Tablet of Ivory found at Bodmin, and now 

 in your possession, is an interesting example of the sculptures in 

 that material, executed, I am dispSsed to think, in France, towards 

 the later part of the 14th Century. I have, however, only seen a 

 photograph; and reproductions by the new Art, which is of so 

 much value for our archaeological purposes, are never quite satis- 

 factory in regard to details, and to the peculiar handling which 

 supplies evidence of date. I hope that you will favor me with a 

 sight of the original; .and I may thus be enabled to offer you 

 some more decided notion as regards the Art, and the subject. 



The invaluable illustrations which are presented to the student 

 of Art in the series of sculptured Ivories, which commences from 

 the Classical Age, chiefly consist of sacred subjects ; but there are 

 not wanting some of these charming productions of Middle-Age 

 Art, which display scenes of daily life, subjects of social manners, 

 of gallantry, and of chivalry, and more particularly of scenes 

 taken from the popular literature of the times, the Mediaeval 

 Eomances, the chansons cle geste, and the stories of Arthur and the 

 Heroes of the Eound Table. The tastefully decorated objects of 

 secular use upon which such objects occur, are chiefly Caskets of 

 Ivory, nuptial gifts probably, destined to contain jewels or the 

 like. Mirror Cases, Combs, and the Covers of Tablets, or Table- 

 Books, of which the ivory leaves were, I believe, usually coated 

 with wax, and thereon the writing was traced with a pointed 

 style. 



To an object of this last kind I believe that your Tablet be- 

 longed. I imagine it to be one of a "pair of tables," as such 

 medieeval memorandum-books were termed ; and although I have 

 not had occasion to assure myself of the fact by inspection, there 

 is, I think, near the lower corner on the left hand, a perforation, 

 through which the lace was passed by which the leaves, Avith the 

 •two covers, were so held together as to admit conveniently of un- 

 folding the book, and turning to any leaf of ivory within it. It is 

 scarcely needful to remind you of Mr. Douce's observations on 

 such table-books of ivory, (which he regards as having been 

 originated by those in use amongst the Romans), and to the re- 



