figurine

Terracotta painted figure, 'representing a soul in purgatory, bought at Naples on All Souls' day 1828'

Early: 1800 Late: 1828

H: 86 mm

Europe Italy Naples

Thomson, Alexander

clay fired.clay pigment

Sets of Fleams used for bleeding horses (19th cent). Horses were important in agriculture in Scotland for pulling the plough and other implements. By the 19th century horses had mostly superseded the ox, and the large draught horses, particularly the Clydesdale, were bred for this type of work. Large teams were kept on larger farms and were cared for and worked by horsemen with special skills and knowledge, known as 'the horseman's word'. It was a matter of pride to keep the horses and harness immaculate, and the horseman would know how to treat most ailments of the horse. This is a set of fleams, three small steel knife blades with a tongue, which were used to bleed horses. They are mounted in a horn case. Blood-letting was considered to be a treatment for several conditions at this time. This set of fleams comes from Aberdeenshire. 

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