Greetings folks!

I have a collection of 6 curious objects that I need help identifying!
The objects in question come from a site in New York City c.1850-1860. 
They are from a domestic assemblage that was recovered from the fill of 
a privy shaft in the backyard behind the home of a family in Greenwich 
Village, which was then a middle-class residential neighborhood.

The objects include 1) a small carved bone dog's head; 2) a bone disk 
or tag; 3) a pornographic figurine of a reclining woman without her 
knickers (she is wearing the rest of her clothes!); 4) a cigar or 
cigarette holder in the shape of a dragon with a frog sitting astride 
its back; 5) an anthropomorphic pipe of a reclining figure with face; 
and 6) a carved bone handle, possibly from a folding knife, resembling 
a fish.

I have posted photographs of the objects at 
http://archaeoseek.ning.com/photo under my name, Jessica Striebel 
MacLean. If you do not wish to become a member of the site which is 
free, but necessary to view the photographs, please contact me and I'd 
be happy to send you photographs directly. Brief descriptions of the 
objects follow.

With thanks,

Jessica

1) Carved bone dog's head
A carved, polished bone dog's head (whippet or greyhound?). The head is 
broken off from something and measures 1" neck to nose (8mm thick).

2) Bone disk, tag, or token
This bone disk of one of two found in the assemblage. The second disk 
is broken and incomplete. The pictured disk measures 3cm in diameter 
with cross-hatching carved around the perimeter. The disk is <l mm 
thick at the center and 2.5mm thick around the perimeter. Tiny bone or 
wooden pegs remain sunk in several of the holes drilled into perimeter. 
The fraction 40 superscript 2 over 75 subscript 0 is written in pencil 
on one side of the disk.

3) Porcelain figurine of reclining woman
This porcelain figure is 6.6cm in length and 3.5cm wide at the base. 
She is reclining, resting on one hand while lifting her skirt with the 
other. She is NOT wearing knickers and little is left to the 
imagination.

4) Pipe or cigarette/cigar holder
This pipe or cigarette/cigar holder appears to be in the shape of a 
dragon with a frog sitting astride its back. It does not have an 
upturned bowl and the stem is rounded but tapers flat towards the 
smoking end. The pipe is 6.5cm long with a 1cm diameter bowl opening.

5) Anthropomorphic pipe
Clay pipe with yellow-orange glaze. The stem in the shape of a 
reclining figure (with arms) and the bowl depicts a human face. The 
bowl 1.5cm in diameter and the smoke hole not drilled. There is no 
apparent maker's mark.

6)Carved bone handle
Carved bone handle of a folding knife(?) resembling a fish 5.5cm long 
and 2cm wide. An iron pin or "eye" appears to have held a bone(?) 
folding blade which no longer remains.



-- 
Jessica Striebel MacLean
Department of Archaeology
Boston University
675 Commonwealth Ave
Boston, MA 02215