Stay or busk bone

This busk, like 5609-1859, would have been intended to stiffen the bodice or the front of the stays; see James Gillray's print, The Stays, of c. 1800 for an example of a busk being inserted. Both these ivory examples (this and 5609-1859) are decorated with foliate scrolls. This one has one hole at the base so that it could be tied to the underclothes. Such decorated examples were evidently presented to young ladies by their sweethearts. Other busks in the Museum's collection are held in the Furniture, Textile and Fashion Department (inv. nos. 675-1902, T.345 to 7-1921, T.674-1996 and W. 56-1929).

The tradition of decorating ivory objects in this style using piqué ornament was common throughout Europe in the 16th and 17th centuries. Cutlery handles in the collections at the V&A which show some parallels include a presentoir, carving knife and fork, made in Germany and dating from 1682 (inv. nos. 1193 to b-1864), and a serving knife, probably Italian, of c. 1500-50 (inv. no. 310-1903). The decoration on the present piece and on 5609-1859 suggests that they are more likely to be French, and date from the first third of the seventeenth century.