Objects Database

Troll Hexagons - early versions

Accession Number

1327.2016.1

Object Name

Troll Hexagons - early versions

Created

22/06/2016

Creator

Hermione Cooper

Accession Date

22/06/2016

Brief Description

Two solid and one hollow Troll hexagons each with 4 holes.

Materials

aluminium alloy

Dimensions

a - 3.8 x1.5cms b - 4.3 x 1.5cms c - 7.4 x 3.2 cms

Number Of Objects

3

Inscription Description

On a and b " TROLL"

Colour

silver

Maker

Troll

Object Production Place

Wales

Provenance

Early Rock climbers jammed pebbles and chockstones in cracks and fissures which they could thread a rope around, to make an anchor or a belay. They then started threading nuts - as in nuts and bolts- on rope realising that the hexagonal shape of a nut wedged well in the rock. Not only did this latter idea give a generic term for things which climbers jammed in the rock i.e. 'nuts', the hexagonal shape was used for the first commercially produced nuts which were made of aluminium rather than iron or steel.
The U.K. Based companies of Troll and Clog were the first to mass produce these new 'nuts' which they called Hexagons or Hexes.
We've got a collector's dream here in the collection with two very early Troll Hexagons dating from 1963/64, two or three years earlier than their arch rivals Clog produced something very similar.
These early Troll Hexagons were longer than subsequent versions with straight sides and no numbering/sizing system which came along later. We have a nice set of the later, shaped and sized versions elsewhere in the collection.
We've added an even rarer prototype, or possibly homemade version, to compliment the two. Not quite sure of its provenance but it seems to be professionally made, with the large hole drilled through the centre to make it lighter.
Mick Tighe acquired these three items somewhere along the way, but he's not quite sure where.

Acquisition Method

Donated by Mick Tighe

Acquisition Date

22/06/2016

Condition Check Date

22/06/2016

Rules

Spectrum : UK Museum documentation standard, V.3.1 2007

Modified

22/06/2016

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