A 1263 decree from the Pope, cutlery made from the legs of a deer and a giant's toe are among the items nominated for Herts Museum Object of the Year for 2023.

Fourteen items are up for the award after each of the county's museums put forward one of their interesting or odd items, with the winner decided by a public vote.

The items up for the award are as follows:

Ashwell Museum - dolls house chamber pot

A chamber pot from a dolls house, with a gold interior and the amusing inscription which reads: "Morning exercise on the exterior."

Welwyn Hatfield Times: Ashwell Museum's chamber pots.Ashwell Museum's chamber pots. (Image: Hertfordshire County Council)

 

The Bunker Museum at Hatfield Police Station - diorama of Blue Streak Missile silo

A diorama showing a Blue Streak Missile in its silo.

Designed and built by de Havilland at Hatfield, Blue Streak was Britain’s first long-range missile and was later used for satellite launches.

Welwyn Hatfield Times: The Blue Streak Missile was designed in Hatfield by de Havilland.The Blue Streak Missile was designed in Hatfield by de Havilland. (Image: Hertfordshire County Council)

Dacorum Heritage - Click the Kodak Kolorkin

A stuffed toy given out as a reward for buying Kodak products. 

Twenty million Kolorkins were distributed by Kodak worldwide during the late 1980s.

Welwyn Hatfield Times: 20 million Click's were distributed by Kodak.20 million Click's were distributed by Kodak. (Image: Hertfordshire County Council)

Garden City Collection, Letchworth - Boycott the Circus poster

A 1948 poster was made by the Performing Animal Defence League, run by Letchworth resident  and fierce animal rights campaigner, Edmund T MacMichael.

Welwyn Hatfield Times: The poster was made in 1948.The poster was made in 1948. (Image: Hertfordshire County Council)

Hertfordshire Archives and Local Studies - papal bull with bulla

A decree issued by Pope Urban IV in 1263, to the prioress and nuns of the priory of St Giles in the Wood, Flamstead.

Bulla is made of lead and shows St Paul and St Peter on the obverse with the name of the Pope on the reverse.

Welwyn Hatfield Times: The decree dates back to 1263.The decree dates back to 1263. (Image: Hertfordshire County Council)

Lowewood Museum - The Four Swans

A set of four wooden swans which sat for 100 years on wooden gallows across Waltham Cross’s High Street.

Welwyn Hatfield Times: Waltham Cross' Four Swans.Waltham Cross' Four Swans. (Image: Hertfordshire County Council)

Mill Green Museum, Hatfield - deer leg knife and fork

This set of a fork and carving knife have the legs of a deer as handles, possibly holiday souvenirs from a hunting trip.

Welwyn Hatfield Times: The cutlery is likely a souvenir from a hunting trip.The cutlery is likely a souvenir from a hunting trip. (Image: Hertfordshire County Council)

Natural History Museum at Tring - Glis glis

A rodent that established a UK population when six of them escaped from Second Baron Rothschild’s collection in 1902.

It is estimated that thousands now live in the Home Counties, all descended from those that escaped.

Welwyn Hatfield Times: The Glis Glis became native to the UK after six escaped in 1902.The Glis Glis became native to the UK after six escaped in 1902. (Image: Hertfordshire County Council)

North Hertfordshire Museum - Giant Toe

The toe, which may be from a colossal statue of Amenhotep III in Luxor, has a base of Carrara marble added by famous British sculptor John Mills.

Welwyn Hatfield Times: The Giant Toe.The Giant Toe. (Image: Hertfordshire County Council)

Royston Museum - Chain of Office, AOFB Chief Gargler

The Ancient Order of Froth Blowers was founded in 1924.

They met in pubs and fundraised through fines for rule-breaking and membership fees.

The Chief Gargler ran meetings and issued fines. Welwyn Hatfield Times: The Ancient Order of Froth Blowers was founded in 1924.The Ancient Order of Froth Blowers was founded in 1924. (Image: Hertfordshire County Council)

Stevenage Museum - Gordon the Gopher

A beloved puppet nominated by museum volunteer Jamie.

Welwyn Hatfield Times: Jamie with Gordon the Gopher.Jamie with Gordon the Gopher. (Image: Hertfordshire County Council)

Three Rivers Museum - the diaries and counts of John White

The diaries of Rickmansworth farmer John White from 1846 to 1896, record his work, his life and those of his contacts and friends.

Welwyn Hatfield Times: John White's diaries date from 1846 to 1896.John White's diaries date from 1846 to 1896. (Image: Hertfordshire County Council)

Tring Local History Museum - railway sleeper with chair

1837 railway stone sleeper with cast iron chair that held the rail.

Stone bases are often found, but not with the original chair in place, making the item very rare.

Welwyn Hatfield Times: The 1837 railway sleeper stone is incredibly rare.The 1837 railway sleeper stone is incredibly rare. (Image: Hertfordshire County Council)

Watford Museum - Watford FC mobile phone

A Nokia 3310 decorated with a Watford Football Club case to celebrate 100 years of Watford being a chartered borough and 100 years of the football club being at Vicarage Road.

Welwyn Hatfield Times: The Nokia 3310 was decorated to celebrated 100 years of the borough and Vicarage Road.The Nokia 3310 was decorated to celebrated 100 years of the borough and Vicarage Road. (Image: Hertfordshire County Council)

"The Hertfordshire Association of Museums Awards are a great opportunity for our museums to showcase the objects they care for and the work they do," said Councillor Terry Douris, cabinet member for education, libraries and localism at Hertfordshire County Council.

"Hertfordshire’s museums are wonderfully welcoming places, and I am especially keen to encourage people to take advantage of those museums offering themselves as warm spaces this winter.

"I look forward to seeing which object captures peoples imagination this year."

To vote for your Herts Museum Object of the Year, visit www.hertfordshiremuseums.org.uk/object-of-the-year-2023.