The Digital Ark: Early Modern Collections of Curiosities in England and Scotland, 1580-1700

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Material from the 'Museum' of Ralph Thoresby (1659-1725) Preserved at Burton Constable Hall, East Yorkshire

Secondary Title (i.e. Proceedings Title): Periodical Title:Journal of the History of Collections Publication Type:Journal Article Authors:Connell, D. P. and M. J. Boyd
 Editors: Publisher: Place of Publication: Publication Date:1998 Alternate Date (i.e. Conference Date): Volume:10 Issue:1 Start Page:31 End Page:40 Abstract:The museum of Ralph Thoresby (1658–1725) of Leeds was dispersed soon after his death and, until now, very few items therefrom have been traced However, nineteen specimens have recently been discovered amongst the collections assembled by William Constable (1721–91) at Burton Constable Hall, East Yorkshire. The newly recognized Thoresby items at Burton Constable include geological, zoological, archaeological and ethnographic specimens William Constable appears to have acquired them via Dr John Burton (1697–1771) of York A manuscript list survives which indicates that Constable once possessed more than fifty-five items or groups of items, from the Musœum Thoresbyanum At least seven of these ex-Thoresby items, not now traceable, can be shown to have passed into the museum founded by George Wallis (1731–1803), a gunsmith and antiquary of Hull. Descriptors/Keywords: ISBN:0954-6650 URL:
Documents in Print Item: No Documents Listed in Print Item Attached People: Subject of/in a document - Thoresby, Ralph (1658-1725)
Collector (major) - Thoresby, Ralph (1658-1725)
Subject of/in a document - Constable, William (1721-1791)
Mentions or references - Burton, John (1710-1771)
 Location(s): Current location at - Burton Constable Archives (Museum and/or Archive) -> Burton Constable Hall (Residence)
 Bibliographic Source(s): No Bibliographic Sources Attached To This Item
 Items Which List This As A Bibliographic Source: A Guide to the Museum of the Literary an..., page: 37, notes: Cited by Connell.
Ralph Thoresby, a Museum Visitor in Stua..., page: , notes: Discusses the remnant of Thoresby's collection.
The itinerary of John Leland the Antiqua..., page: 35, notes:
[Curiosities once belonging to Ralph Tho..., page: 37-9 and passim., notes: Contains a transcription of this manuscript
DDCC/2/43B..., page: 34, notes:
[MS annotations in a copy of Ducatus Leo..., page: 36, notes:
Images Contained: Fossil Lamellibranches..., page: 33
Elephant’s Tooth..., page: 33
Roman Shuttle..., page:
Scroll..., page: 33
Lobster Claw..., page: 33
Toothbrush..., page: 33
Lance and Hone..., page: 33
Head of a Tobacco Pipe..., page:
Darker of Two Large Teeth..., page: 34
Indian Shield..., page: 34
Round Bone of a Whale..., page: 34
Large Scaly Tail..., page: 35
Flat Tortoise..., page: 35
Large, South American Sea-Tortoise..., page: 34
Elk's Leg..., page: 34
Drawing of Thoresby's House..., page: 214
 Objects Contained: No Objects Attached To This Item
 Annotation: