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Shamrock mascot
Shamrock and Pipe Mascot worn by an Irish private of the City of London Regiment, March 1918. Shamrock made from three lobes of wire forming the leaves. The ends of the wire are twisted and come together to form the stem, which is wrapped in green paper (c. 3cm length in total); a c.1.5cm section of the stem is bent backwards at a 45 degree angle. The wire forming the lobes/leaves is wrapped with a spiral of thinner wire. Each leaf is wrapped in thin green floss silk (?) thread: the thread passes across the diameter of the petal, then returns and is lodged in-between the next twist of the spiral of thin wire and so forth, with the threads intersecting at the centre of the petal (resulting in a web-like appearance). A small white clay (?) pipe (length = 4.1cm) is tied to the centre of the shamrock using white cotton thread (3-ply, S-twist); its mouth-end is painted green and is pointing to the right.
Amulet in a box, with a typed note: 'Shamrock and Pipe Mascot worn by an Irish private of the City of London Regt. March, 1918'. Acquired by the Museum in 1918 from Edward Lovett, a folklorist and collector from Croydon.