The Digital Ark: Early Modern Collections of Curiosities in England and Scotland, 1580-1700
Hester Tradescant ( - 1678)
Relevant locations: Lived at or near South Lambeth Road, LambethRelationships: Hester Tradescant was a source of object(s) for William Courten (28 Mar 1642-26 Mar 1702)
Cornelis de Neve (1609- c. 1678) was a uncle of Hester Tradescant
John (grandson) Tradescant (1633-1652) was a son of Hester Tradescant
John Tradescant, the Younger (4 Aug 1608 [bap.]-22 Apr 1662) was a husband of Hester Tradescant
Linked manuscript items: as N/A - "[Confession of Hester Tradescant]," Bodleian Library Rawlinson D 912, Oxford University
Linked print sources: as Subject of/in a work of art - An Outline of the History of the de Critz Family of Painters.
Linked images:
References in Documents:
MS Book of the dean of Christ Church (MacGregor, ed.) 663 Picturæ DnĩJōhĩs Tradescanti junioris et uxoris suæ, limbo aureo munitæ. 102 Picture of John Tradescant the Younger and his wife , in a golden frame.MacGregor 1983, no. 262
MS Book of the dean of Christ Church (MacGregor, ed.) 671 Pictura Uxoris Johannis Tradescant cum filio filiâque astantibus, omnes intra marginem bullis aureisornatam. 52 Picture of the wife of John Tradescant with her son and daughter standing by, all within a frame ornamented with gold bosses.MacGregor 1983, no. 269.
MS Book of the dean of Christ Church (MacGregor, ed.) 707 Pictura Conjugis Johĩs Tradescanti cũfiliolo suo. 99 Picture of the wife of John Tradescant , with his little son.MacGregor 1983, no. 280.
Peter Mundy's description of the Tradescants' Ark in his travel diary (1634) [4] In a catalogue of the Tradescant collection, published
in 1656 , these objects are
thus described: "Mechanick artificiall Works in Carvings . . . A
Cherry-stone, upon on side S. George and the Dragon, perfectly cut:
and on the other side 88 Emperours faces . . . Variety of Rarities.
Severall sorts of Magnifying glasses: Triangular, Prismes,
Cynlinders." Under "Medalls" are enumerated Gold (5), Silver (55),
Copper and Lead (52). J. T. [John Tradescant junior] , London,
1656.Mundy at Lambeth was sent to Oxford with the rest of the "rarities" handed over to
Elias Ashmole by Tradescant’s widow . It is not in existence
now, but among the Tradescant
specimens at the Ashmolean Museum
are six plum or "apricock" stones carved in the same manner with
minute figures. A drawing of the cherry-stone is, however,
preserved. Mr D. G. Hogarth ,
Keeper of the Ashmolean Museum ,
to whom I am indebted for the above information, tells me that under
a pencil drawing of the stone in an Bodleian
Library (1131-183) is a note in 17th century
handwriting (? Ashmole’s ) as
follows: "The draught of a cherry-stone whereon St George on ye one side and divers heads on
the other by Capt. Burgh and
given by him to Mr John
Tradescant who preserved it amongst the rarities." The
drawing shows the two faces of the stone enlarged some 3 diameters,
with a sketch of the stone natural size beside. About 80 heads are
arranged concentrically on one side. Mr Hogarth is of opinion that the note under the drawing
leaves the question open as to whether the stone itself was ever in
Tradescant’s hands or only
Captain Burgh’s drawing of
it. But, judging from Mundy's
usual accuracy of statement, I feel convinced that the cherry-stone
was among the "rarities" that he actually saw. The particular
magnifying glass described by Mundy cannot be traced in the Ashmolean Museum .
Musæum Tradescantium; or A Collection of Rarities Preserved at South Lambeth neer London. By
Ashmole MSat the