18th Century Babies’ Rattles

Extant 18th century rattles

Christie’s 8841, Lot 353, a Dutch child’s silver rattle and whistle, c. 1669

Rijksmuseum BK-NM-8994, a gold rattle with a whistle and a piece of rock crystal, Netherlands, c. 1685-1700

Christie’s 2593, Lot 578, a silver and red coral rattle and whistle, probably late 17th or early 18th century England

National Trust 1298783, a child’s silver rattle in the form of a mermaid blowing a trumpet, with a whistle and five bells, continental

National Trust 1298784, a child’s silver rattle in the form of a unicorn, with a fish tail and three bells on a chain, probably Scandinavian

Met 33.120.361, rattle with whistle and bells, made by Richard van Dyck, New York City, c. 1740-1750

Christie’s Lot 54 / Sale 5984, a silver rattle and whistle, probably mid-18th century

Glenbow S.62.35.1

V&A M.18-1996, silver and coral rattle, England, c. 1750

Met 47.70, rattle with whistle and bells made by Nicholas Roosevelt, America, c. 1755-1768; “This rare and precious gold toy, with its elaborate chased and repoussé ornament, might have been given as a lavish christening gift. It consists of a whistle, a piece of teething coral, six of the original eight bells, and a loop to hang a toy on a ribbon around the child’s neck. Aside from being a teething device, the coral in the whistle and bells was thought to ward off enchantment and disease.”

Philadelphia Museum of Art 1970-81-1, made by John Leacock in Philadelphia, c. 1756-1760

Christie’s 5000, Lot 74, probably made by William Law in Dublin, 1765

Colonial Williamsburg 1970-122, whistle with bells and coral made in London, c. 1766-1771

Rijksmuseum BK-14684, a golden rattle with a whistle and a mother-of-pearl handle, made in Amsterdam in 1772

Rijksmuseum BK-1961-60, a golden filigree rattle in the shape of a lion, made in Leeuwarden in 1778

MFA 38.1284, Netherlands (?)

Rattle at the Musée Hyacinthe Rigaud

Palais des Beaux-Arts A.1203

Palais des Beaux-Arts A.1912

MFA 38.1321, France

Percy Bysshe Shelley’s baby rattle, 1792 (you can hear it in this video)

Christie’s 2657, Lot 114, a silver and red coral rattle, probably made in late 18th century England

MFA 38.1322, England, c. 1800

Christie’s Lot 382 / Sale 1689, a group of silver-mounted baby rattles from the 18th and 19th centuries, variously inset with red or white coral stems, with whistle and bell attachments