Block Shell
Description
This shell comes from a block with a single sheave or pulley wheel and has the number ‘F x B’ carved into it. We have been unable to ascertain what this might stand for. Shells of this period were handmade from wood, with knotty elm being favoured due to its toughness. The shell was made in two halves. The hole cut right through the centre was for a wooden pin. The sheave was fitted on to the pin and rotated inside the shell when the block was in use. The shell has a channel or groove shaped into its outer faces. This was to accept a rope lashing that would hold the block in place.
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Object Detail
Breadth: 207mm
Depth: 65mm (2 9/16")