Medieval Money Box

Details

 This replica is based on Tudor green glazed money boxes, a common type of pottery from the medieval period. One of the main production areas for these little vessels was Surrey, and many of them would then have been sold in bustling London markets.

Finding the genuine Medieval money boxes intact is rare, as to retrieve your precious savings, you would need to smash the box open. Although I remember as a child avoiding this with my modern money box by utilising a butter knife and patience.)

It is suggested that these boxes had an important role on St. Stephen’s Day, December 26th, when children would smash their money boxes and use the carefully collected funds to buy Christmas treats, thus giving the day the name Boxing Day.

As banks were pretty much nonexistent in the medieval period, Money boxes were also used by adults to save and conceal their hard-earned cash. These little containers could be filled and then hidden in secret nooks and wall spaces for later retrieval.

Theatres were also a large market for potters selling these delightful little boxes as theatres to collect money from customers eager to watch the latest play. These boxes would then have been stored in an office where it is believed the term’ Box Office’ originates. Once full, the boxes would then have been smashed.

In 1988 and 2010, the Museum of London Archaeology excavated the site of The Rose theatre, Bankside and discovered many pieces of these pots.

 Materials

Grogged clay with a green glaze.

Dimensions

Approx. 105 mm tall 82 mm diameter

Production

As with all my Museum Quality Replicas, I try to work in a way that is as close as possible to the methods used by the ancient craftsmen and women who created the original. This pot has been made entirely by hand using natural materials and tools that are replicas of those used by the original maker.

Postage
All items are sent using a second-class postal service; if you wish to have an item sent first-class, please contact me for a quote. Many Thanks