List of Objects

Telling a history of our world through objects

Click on the titles in the blue bar below [Location, Theme, Contributor Type, etc.] and then choose a category to see a list of objects - e.g. click Theme and then click War. (All objects have been classified by their contributor.)

You can also chose to see objects from a particular time period by clicking on the dates in the box below.

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Time Periods

  1. WRNS Certificate of Service, Station X WRNS Certificate of Service, Station X This is the certificate recording my mother's service in the Women's Royal Naval Service during the Second World War. ... Contributed by Individual
  2. Mexican codex map Mexican codex map Map of two Mexican towns, showing the impact of the Spanish conquest and survival of Mexican native society Contributed by The British Museum
  3. A 1934 French conscript souvenir book A 1934 French conscript souvenir book This is my father's diary book from his military service in France in 1934.In French of course. We also have a book ... Contributed by Individual
  4. Type used for a headline Bombs in 1973 Type used for a headline Bombs in 1973 When the IRA bombed a Birmingham pub in 1973 the Western Mail in Cardiff printed its first headline in 72 point type. It ... Contributed by Individual
  5. Color Photo of Nazi-Occupied Austria Color Photo of Nazi-Occupied Austria This photograph was taken in 1938 during a cycle tour of Nazi occupied Austria by my Great Uncle Earnest Telfer. The ... Contributed by Individual
  6. aneroid barometer aneroid barometer This object was made for Admiral Robert Fitzroy who, as well as being Captain of HMS Beagle, invented the science of ... Contributed by Individual
  7. Bronze age axe head Bronze age axe head Found in pristine condition during a rock climbing trip on obscure cliffs above the A5 on Pen yr ole Wen. A very unusual ... Contributed by Individual
  8. Great Grandad's micrometer Great Grandad's micrometer The micrometer is used in engineering to make very small, very accurate measurements. This one belonged to my Great ... Contributed by Individual
  9. Surfboard Surfboard This surfboard was made for my mother in 1924 in Polzeath, Cornwall. The family had spent their summer holidays there ... Contributed by Individual
  10. pocket watch pocket watch This watch was given to my late Great Aunt Annbella Mackintosh MBE by a German sailor from the Graff Spee who was ... Contributed by Individual
  11. Carriage Clock Carriage Clock This clock, which is no more than a basic timepiece, came to me from my grandmother. My understanding is that this was ... Contributed by Individual
  12. WW1 Chinese Painting and Message. WW1 Chinese Painting and Message. This is one of a pair of watercolour paintings brought back from France or Belgium by my grandfather Iorwerth James who ... Contributed by Individual
  13. DAVY MINER'S LAMP DAVY MINER'S LAMP THIS LAMP, GIVEN ME BY MY GRANDFATHER, IS A SYMBOL OF BRITISH INVENTIVENESS, AND OF COAL,THE BEDROCK OF THE INDUSTRIAL ... Contributed by Individual
  14. Crimean War Diary Crimean War Diary This is the diary of Lt Col William Cuddy, commanding officer of the 55th Regiment of Foot, in the Crimean War. He was ... Contributed by Individual
  15. The Bastille Jug The Bastille Jug The Bastille Jug commemorates the storming of the Bastille, the event which sparked off the French Revolution in 1789. Contributed by Museum
  16. Mark 3 Martin-Baker Ejection Seat Mark 3 Martin-Baker Ejection Seat Explosive-powered aircraft ejection seat, invented by James Martin in the 1940s Contributed by Museum
  17. Paymaster General's account book, 1690 Paymaster General's account book, 1690 Manuscript accounts book for the Williamite army in Ireland in 1690. Contributed by Museum
  18. Lost Lives Lost Lives How do you tell the story of Northern Ireland's Troubles, the conflict between Irish republicans and the British army, ... Contributed by Museum
  19. First breech loading handgun First breech loading handgun This pistol is by the gunmaker John Dafte. It was the first to use a practical method of breech loading a hand gun. ... Contributed by Museum
  20. Salt blocks used as currency Salt blocks used as currency These blocks of salt bound with straw, and called 'amole tchew' (??? ??), were collected in Ethiopia by Major ... Contributed by Museum
  21. Spanish Armada sword Spanish Armada sword This sword, given to the Powell Cotton Museum in 1968, was recovered from the seabed at Tobermory in Scotland. In 1588, ... Contributed by Museum
  22. Tipu Sultan's seal Tipu Sultan's seal This is the seal of Sultan Fateh Ali Tipu (1750-1799), the ‘Tiger of Mysore’ used by him to confirm official documents. ... Contributed by Museum
  23. Hitler's Christmas Card Hitler's Christmas Card My father Lt. Col. Ray Bloomfield was amongst the first allied officers to enter the Berlin Bunker in 1945. In an office ... Contributed by Individual
  24. Glass bottles from 1960's Glass bottles from 1960's Biba have just been re-launched and are using the same logo, the bottles are from the origial store opened in London by ... Contributed by Individual
  25. Box of Coty face powder Box of Coty face powder I remember my mother having this on her dressing table in the 1950's it marked the beginning of the liberation of women ... Contributed by Individual
  26. Oil Lamp Oil Lamp This terracotta lamp decorated with two fishes and a horse would have been used by the ancient Romans for artificial ... Contributed by Individual
  27. Shillelagh owned by Daniel O'Connell Shillelagh owned by Daniel O'Connell Shillelagh owned by Daniel O"Connell the Irish Liberator. He was an important leader in the movement for Catholic ... Contributed by Individual
  28. A piece of coal A piece of coal This large lump of Wallsend coal is between 200 and 400 million years old. It was bought by my grandmother in 1939 from ... Contributed by Individual
  29. Instrument and Toolmaker's Lathe Instrument and Toolmaker's Lathe The lathe is the oldest and most important machine tool, on which most other machines and instruments can be made. ... Contributed by Individual
  30. The start of television broadcasting The start of television broadcasting This is the first and last page of the programme arrangements and running order for the opening of the BBC Television ... Contributed by Individual
  31. HOUNOURABLE DISCHARGE CERTIFICATE HOUNOURABLE DISCHARGE CERTIFICATE My maternal Grandfather served with the Army Service Corps as part of the British Salonika Army from 1916/18. Like many ... Contributed by Individual
  32. Grandfather's Caul Grandfather's Caul Cauls were believed to be a charm against drowning. My grandfather's caul was carried abroad by my relative, Lily Hale, ... Contributed by Individual
  33. WW1 metal faces WW1 metal faces My grandfather who trained in dentistry at Queen Marys Hospital Sidcup, mad we believe 110 tin faces,carefully ... Contributed by Individual
  34. First Class Saloon Chair from RMS Cedric First Class Saloon Chair from RMS Cedric This is a chair from the first class saloon of the White Star liner, RMS Cedric (built in 1902). It has a solid heavy ... Contributed by Individual
  35. Reissue of 17th century blank book title Reissue of 17th century blank book title During the 16th century, printing presses, using moveable metal type invented around 1470, disseminated pioneer texts ... Contributed by Individual
  36. Designs for an early TV Designs for an early TV My great uncle, Pieter Vermeer from Limburg in the Netherlands, designed an "Apparatus for Eletrical Transmission of ... Contributed by Individual
  37. First World War trench map First World War trench map This map was used by my grandfather, who served in France during the First World War with the Artists' Rifles and the ... Contributed by Individual
  38. Dream come true - autonomous transport Dream come true - autonomous transport "Dream of Future Past" - As far back as dreams go, this is one of the oldest - Autonomous assisted travel and transport. ... Contributed by Individual
  39. Turkoman Saddle Turkoman Saddle I bought this saddle (from a shop still using an abacus as a calculator)while on a horse riding trip in Northern Iran. ... Contributed by Individual
  40. The Modem, key to the communication age The Modem, key to the communication age The modem is a plain plastic and metal box the size of a paper back book with a few flashing lights. Its appearance ... Contributed by Individual
  41. Longcase clock dial showing HMS Victory Longcase clock dial showing HMS Victory This is the dial of my pine-cased longcase clock. This style of dial with arabic numbers is typical of longcase clocks ... Contributed by Individual
  42. Midwife's Graduation Medal from GLIH Midwife's Graduation Medal from GLIH This medal was awarded to my Aunt Mai when she graduated as a midwife from the General Lying In hospital in London in ... Contributed by Individual
  43. GEORGE V & QUEEN MARY COMMEMORATIVE MUG GEORGE V & QUEEN MARY COMMEMORATIVE MUG This bone china mug, featuring pictures of King George V, Queen Mary and the Prince of Wales, commemorates their Silver ... Contributed by Individual
  44. Crotal Bell Crotal Bell This Crotal bell was the largest offered by the Robert Wells bell foundry of Aldbourne, Wiltshire. Crotal bells were ... Contributed by Individual
  45. Casket - 2000yr old English Bog Oak Casket - 2000yr old English Bog Oak My sister Anthea and I each have casket about 7� tall by 4� diameter, of turned wood, shiny black and an acorn to lift ... Contributed by Individual
  46. Box Brownie Camera Box Brownie Camera Box brownie camera dating from the 1920s. Contributed by Museum
  47. Portable Typewriter Portable Typewriter This typewriter illustrates how you would have had to produce your letters and reports before the invention of the ... Contributed by Museum
  48. A collection of telephones A collection of telephones A collection of telephones illustrating the changing shape and style of dialling mechanisms and hand sets. Contributed by Museum
  49. Milk Crock Milk Crock Before pasteurisation became standard, milk would have been drawn and strained before use. Contributed by Museum
  50. Bottle Churn Bottle Churn This bottle churn would have been used to make butter in the home. Contributed by Museum