Whistle and Bells with Coral
Thomas Edwards
c. 1722
Medium
Silver and coral
Dimensions
1.9 × 11.4 × 11.4 cm (3/4 × 4 1/2 × 4 1/2 in.)
Classification
whistle
Department
Arts of the Americas
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
48898
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
This small toy was most likely given to its owner as a christening present. Coral was thought to have excellent protective powers against illness, and the coral stick was a perfect remedy for a teething child. In period portraits depicting children, a whistle and bells sometimes hang from a chain around the child’s waist. This toy may have been made for Jonathan Fayerweather, who was born in Boston in 1722.