Whistle and Bells with Coral

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.