Ocarina
Category
Musical instruments, devices and recordings
Date
1960 - 1969
Materials
Terracotta, card and paper
Measurements
Bird - 105 mm (length); 77 mm (height), Box - 150 mm (length); 72 mm (width); 56 mm (height)
Order this imageCollection
Sudbury Hall Museum of Childhood, Derbyshire
NT 666128
Summary
A large terracotta bird-shaped whistle, which has been painted white (1960s). The wings and tail of the bird are edged to give a feathered effect. The tail has a pink stripe down the middle. The wings are painted green and pink and it has a pink band around its neck and a pink breast. The top of its head is painted green. There is a hole on the bottom of the bird and a long thin hole on the end of its tail. Notes made by Elizabeth Spencer records that it is from the north end of the main island and was played with by very young children. The bird comes in a box made from card with a mock wood graining pattern printed on it. On the lid of the box there are two Japanese characters printed. Inside of the box is a sheet of fine paper which has Japanese writing printed on it. These Japanese toys and other objects were given as gifts to the donor when she visited Japan on a lecture tour. She had written an autobiographical book (in the 1960s) which had been translated into Japanese so she was well known there. Total number of items is 4.
Provenance
Donated to the Museum of Childhood by Miss Eileen Colwell in October 1991.
Marks and inscriptions
On the lid: [Japanese characters]