Lavabo stand

Country of Origin: Multiple generic
Time Period: Medieval- 14th and 15 centuries
Type of Item: Lavabo stand
Colour: Natural
Materials: Pine
Dimensions:
Decoration: None
Construction: Hand made, glued and nailed with interlocking pieces to enable transporting
Made by: Rosalie Gilbert
Documentation: 14th century, Roman de la Rose (multiple versions). Also seen in multiple manuscripts with variations on design.
Notes: Often the stand can be a seperate stand. In the 15th century, we can see lavars built in ot the walls of houses.

Lavabo for stand

Country of Origin:
Time Period: Medieval
Type of Item: Lavabo
Colour: Brass
Materials: Brass
Dimensions:
Decoration: Animal head spouts with women's faces on the handles
Construction: 19th century reproduction. Hand made.
Made by: Unknown
Documentation: Artifact 1451 Historisches Museum, Frankfurt
Notes: Many of these can be seen in manuscripts through the 14th and 15th centuries.

Bronze dish for Lavarbo

Country of Origin:
Time Period: Medieval
Type of Item: Washing pan
Colour: Bronze
Materials: Bronze
Dimensions:
Decoration: None
Construction: Hand made, wide, flat lip.
Made by: Vintage item from Comfort Room, Ukraine
Documentation: 14th century, Roman de la Rose (multiple versions)

Wooden bucket

Country of Origin: Generic
Time Period: Medieval
Type of Item: Wooden bucket
Colour: Brown
Materials: Birch wood
Dimensions:
Construction: unknown
Made by: Unknown
Documentation: Codices vindobonenses 2759-2764 in the Osterreichischen Nationalbibliothek, in Vienna, Austria.

Brass dish for hand washing

Country of Origin:
Time Period: Medieval
Type of Item: Dish
Colour: Brass
Materials: Brass
Dimensions:
Decoration: Small turned lip
Construction: Commercially made
Made by: Unknown
Documentation: 14th century manuscript

Brass jug and bowl

Country of Origin: France/England
Time Period: Medieval
Type of Item: Jug and bowl for sponge bathing
Colour: Brass
Material: Brass
Dimensions:
Decoration: Two lines around the jug lip
Construction: Hand made
Made by: Unknown
Documentation: 14th century manuscript, Tacuinim sanitatus.

Pewter folding mirror case

Country of Origin: England
Time Period: pre 1350.
Type of Accessory: Mirror
Construction Materials: Metal, glass
Metal: Pewter
Dimensions: 50mm diameter.
Details of Construction: Pin hinged mirrorcase with glass foil-backed mirror. Hand cast.
Details of Decoration: The crucifixion scene shows Saint John with a bible to the left and Mary carrying a purse to the right. Above the figure of Christ is a sun and moon.
Made by: Steve Millingham's Pewter Replicas, England
Documentation: Museum of London collection. Original made of lead-tin alloy

Brass-bronze folding mirror case

Country of Origin: England
Time Period: 14th century
Type of Accessory: Mirror
Construction Materials: Metal, glass
Metal: BrassD
Dimensions: mm diameter.
Details of Construction: Pin hinged mirrorcase with glass foil-backed mirror. Hand made with rocker wriggle work on the case exterior.
Details of Decoration:

Made by: Daniel Woldenberg.
Bought from: Zeitenhandel, Germany.
Documentation: Gilbert Collection. PAS database.

Wooden mirror case

Country of Origin: Generic
Time Period: 14th century.
Type of Accessory: Mirror
Construction Materials: wood, glass
Metal: none
Dimensions:
Details of Construction: wooden mirror case with glass mirror
Details of Decoration: none
Dimensions: mm diameter.
Made by:
Bought from: Temu
Documentation: Manuscripts 13-15th centuries

Wooden mirror case

Country of Origin:
Time Period: 14th century.
Type of Accessory: Mirror
Construction Materials: wood, glass
Metal: none
Dimensions:
Details of Construction: wooden mirror case with glass mirror
Details of Decoration: painted
Dimensions: mm diameter.
Made by: painted by Rosalie
Documentation: Manuscripts 14th centuries, including Luttrell Psalter

Wooden mirror case

Country of Origin:
Time Period: 14th century.
Type of Accessory: Mirror
Construction Materials: wood, brass
Dimensions:
Details of Construction: Mirror surround carved out and polished brass plate inserted.
Details of Decoration: Painted red externally
Dimensions: mm diameter.
Made by: painted by Rosalie
Bought from: Temu
Documentation: Manuscripts 14th centuries, including Luttrell Psalter

Bone double sided comb

Country of Origin: England, France
Time Period: 14th century
Type of Accessory: Double sided comb
Outer Colour: creamy white
Construction Materials: bone
Dimensions:
Details of Construction: Hand made reproduction of generic medieval comb
Details of Decoration: undecorated
Made by: ?
Bought from: Make Your Own Medieval, Brisbane
Documentation: 14th century Paris comb

Horn double sided comb

Country of Origin: England, France
Time Period: 14th century
Type of Accessory: Double sided comb
Outer Colour: black/brown
Construction Materials: horn
Dimensions:
Details of Construction: Hand made reproduction of generic medieval comb
Details of Decoration: undecorated
Made by:
Documentation: 14th century Paris ivory comb

Tweezers

Country of Origin: England
Time Period: medieval
Type of Item: locking tweezers
Colour: gold
Materials: brass
Dimensions:
Decoration: several incised grooves, locking wire
Construction: Hand made
Made by: Mark Shier, Gaukler Medieval Wares
Documentation: 14th century artifact, The Gilbert Collection

Earscoop & nail cleaner

Country of Origin: France
Time Period: 14th century
Type of Item: ear scoop
Colour: white
Materials: bone
Dimensions:
Decoration: Terminus is a fashionalbe lady holding a book.
Construction: Hand carved
Made by: Ezio Zannini, Italy.
Documentation: 14th century artifact, Musee Cluny Item 8985.
Notes:

Earscoop & nail cleaner

Country of Origin:
Time Period: medieval
Type of Item: ear scoop and nail cleaner
Colour: gold
Materials: brass
Dimensions:
Decoration: barley twist main stem
Construction: Hand made
Made by: Gaukler Medieval Wares
Documentation: 14th century artifact, The Gilbert Collection

Hair trimming scissors

Country of Origin: Europe & England
Time Period: 14th century
Type of Item: Scissors
Colour: black
Construction Materials: Iron
Dimensions:
Details of Construction: cm. Handforged.
Details of Decoration & Finishes: none
Imported by: Medieval Design, Italy

Castile Soap 110g

Country of Origin: Castile
Time Period: medieval
Type of item: unscented soap
Colour: natural
Materials: Saponified olive oil, Alden's Olives, Cohuna, Victoria.
Made by: Biome, Brisbane
Documentation: written accounts.
Gilbertus Anglicus writes about the various types of soap in the 14th century and lists Castile soap.
One written reference to scented soaps, comes from 14th century Boccaccio's the Decameron where we read-

"...the lady herself washed Salabaetto all over with soap scented with musk and cloves..."

Whether or not this scented soap was the luxurious Castille soap is not mentioned.

Aleppo Soap

Country of Origin:
Time Period: medieval
Type of item: unscented soap
Colour: greenish
Materials:
Decoration: none
Made by:
Bought from:
Documentation: written accounts
Gilbertus Anglicus writes about the various types of soap in the 14th century

Nablus Soap

Country of Origin:
Time Period: medieval
Type of item: Soap
Colour: natural
Ingredients: 100% Extra Virgin Olive Oil, water and caustic soda.
Decoration: none
Made by: Nablus Soap Company. EcoCert, Palestine.
Bought from: Mainly Medieval
Documentation: written accounts
Gilbertus Anglicus writes about the various types of soap in the 14th century.
Mainly Medieval: Nablus soap is classified as one of the original Castille soaps and was known to be traded into the Western Medieval markets through a number of trade channels. It has been in production for thousands of years in areas such as Syria and there are still family businesses continuing to make this olive oil soap in the traditional manner to this day.

The difference between the Aleppo and Nablus is simply that after the Aleppo soap has been aged, it is then shredded and re-processed again, creating a much finer textured and paler coloured soap. The Nablus has always been more expensive due to the further production steps and storage times to allow the soap to harden to the corrent consistancy. As such it has also been generally used for the export market, as its appearance was deemed more in keeping with the Western perceptions.

Venetian Barber Soap

Country of Origin:
Time Period: medieval
Type of item: Soap
Colour: natural
Materials:
Decoration: none
Made by: Roxy Macdonald
Bought from: Mainly Medieval
Documentation: written accounts
Gilbertus Anglicus writes about the various types of soap in the 14th century

Rosewater for handwashing

Country of Origin: Everywhere
Time Period: medieval
Type of Item: rosewater
Colour: palest, clear pink
Materials: roses
Decoration: n/a
Made by: Besttaste, Iran
Documentation: Trotula et al

Hand washing water

Country of Origin: France
Time Period: 14th century
Type of Item: herbal waters
Colour:
Materials:
Decoration: n/a
Made by: Rosalie's Medieval Woman
Documentation: Le Mesnagier de Paris. From A Medieval Home Companion: Housekeeping in the 14th century, Tania Bayard, from the Goodman of Paris

"To make water for washing hands at table: Boil sage, then strain the water and cool until it is a little more than lukewarm. Or use chamomile, marjoram or rosemary boiled with orange peel. Bay leaves are also good."

 

Rosewater with hairpowder
the Trotula Texts

Country of Origin: Salerno
Time Period: medieval
Type of Accessory: hair powder
Colour: natural
Materials: dried roses, clove, nutmeg, watercress, galangal, rose water
Made by: Rosalie's Medieval Woman
Documentation: Trotula, On Cosmetics (attributed)
Notes: The Trotula, or the set of three texts attributed to Trotula, include On Women's Cosmetics, and include recipes for beauty including a beautiful-smelling hair powder, so that the hair remains sweetly scented. In the section about On Various Kinds of Adornments, it reads:

But when she combs her hair, let her have this powder. Take some dried roses, clove, nutmeg, watercress and galangal. Let all these, powdered, be mixed with rose water. With this water let her sprinkle her hair and comb it with a comb dipped in this same water so that [her hair] will smell better. And let her make furrows in her hair and sprinkle on the above-mentioned powder, and it will smell marvelously.

The entire process of living history experiment recreating the hair powder according to the recipe, is here on the TROTULA'S HAIR POWDER page.

Hair powder
the Trotula Texts


Country of Origin: Salerno
Time Period: medieval
Type of Accessory: hair powder
Colour: natural
Materials: dried roses, clove, nutmeg, watercress, galangal, rose water
Made by: Rosalie's Medieval Woman
Documentation: the Trotula texts, On Cosmetics (attributed)
Notes: The Trotula, or the set of three texts attributed to Trotula, include On Women's Cosmetics, and include recipes for beauty including a beautiful-smelling hair powder, so that the hair remains sweetly scented. In the section about On Various Kinds of Adornments, it reads:

But when she combs her hair, let her have this powder. Take some dried roses, clove, nutmeg, watercress and galangal. Let all these, powdered, be mixed with rose water. With this water let her sprinkle her hair and comb it with a comb dipped in this same water so that [her hair] will smell better. And let her make furrows in her hair and sprinkle on the above-mentioned powder, and it will smell marvelously.

The entire process of living history experiment recreating the hair powder according to the recipe, is here on the TROTULA'S HAIR POWDER page.

Mouthwash
Hildegarde von Bingen's Sage & wine

Country of Origin: Salerno
Time Period: medieval
Type of Item: mouthwash and breath freshener.
Colour: Clearish when new
Ingredients: Sage, white wine
Made by: Rosalie Gilbert
documentation: Hildegard von Bingen's book Physica
Notes: Physica deals with the properties of things; animals, stones, minerals, plants and elements of the earth. She looks at what these things may be good for and offers remedies for health concerns. One of these is dealing with bad breath. It reads:

"Anyone... who has stinking breath, should cook sage in wine, strain it through a cloth, and drink it often."

The entire process of living history experiment recreating the hair powder according to the recipe, is here on the HILDEGARDE'S SAGE & WINE MOUTHWASH page.

Mouthwash
Bancke's mint & vinegar

Country of Origin: England
Time Period: medieval
Type of Item: breath freshener
Colour: green
Materials: vinegar, mint
Made by: Rosalie's Medieval Woman
Documentation: Bankes' Herbal, 1525.
Notes: From Bankes' Herbal, 1525

"For the stinking of the mouth and filth of the gums and of the teeth, wash thy mouth and gums with vinegar that mints have been sodden in; after that, rub them with the powder of mints or with dry mints."

The entire process of living history experiment recreating the hair powder according to the recipe, is here on the BANCKES'S BREATH FRESHENER page.

Tooth Powder
the Trotula texts

Country of Origin: Salerno
Time Period: medieval
Type of Accessory: tooth powder
Colour: natural
Materials: cinnamon, clove, spikenard, mastic, frankincense, grain, wormwood
Made by: Michelle Barton, Cabinet of Medieval Curiousity
Documentation: Trotula, On Cosmetics (attributed)

The Trotula, or the set of three texts attributed to Trotula, include On Women's Cosmetics, and include recipes for beauty including tooth powder. She writes:

Take some each of cinnamon, clove, spikenard, mastic, frankincense, grain, wormwood, crab foot, date pits, and olives. Grind all of these and reduce them to a powder, then rub the affected places. Your breath, with its mix of frankincense and crab foot, will let everyone know just how wealthy you are.

Notes: This recipe was made without olives and date pits and crabfoot, which is an ingrediant of unsure type. Plant? Animal? There is a Chinese tea called Crabfoot, which may be the ingrediant, or not, depending on whether it was known at this time. The inclusion of frankincense may hint at exotic imports, but it also really may not. There is a plant which also might be it, but it's not a perfect match either.

The entire process of living history experiment recreating the hair powder according to the recipe, is here on the TROTULA'S TOOTH POWDER page.

Tooth powder 2
Banckes's Rosemary Charcoal

Country of Origin: England
Time Period: medieval
Type of Item: tooth powder
Colour: black
Materials: rosemary
Made by: Rosalie's Medieval Woman
Documentation: Bankes' Herbal, 1525
Notes: A charcoal tooth powder recipe comes from Bankes' Herbal, dated 1525.

"Also take the timber thereof [rosemary] and burn it to coals and make powder thereof and put it into a linen cloth and rub thy teeth therewith, and if there be any worms therein, it shall slay them and keep thy teeth from all evils."

The entire process of living history experiment recreating the hair powder according to the recipe, is here on the BANCKES'S CHARCOAL POWDER page.

Breath Freshener
Fennel seed

Country of Origin:
Time Period: medieval
Type of Item: breath freshener
Colour: natural
Materials: fennel seed
Made by: Rosalie's Medieval Woman
Documentation: Trotula, On Cosmetics.
N

"The woman should wash her mouth after dinner with very good wine.
Then she ought to dry very well and wipe with a new white cloth.
Finally, let her chew each day fennel or lovage or parsley, which is better to chew because it gives off a good smell and cleans good gums and makes the teeth very white."

Breath freshener 2
Gilbertus Anglicus

Country of Origin: England
Time Period: medieval
Type of Item: breath freshener
Colour: natural
Materials: pepper, mint, salt
Made by: Rosalie's Medieval Woman
Documentation: Gilbertus Anglicus, about 1400, English
Notes: For breath-freshening, Gilbertus Anglicus, about 1400, English

"And let him use this powder: Take of pepper, one ounce; and of mint, as much; and of rock salt, as much. And make him to chew this powder a good while in his mouth, and then swallow it down."

The entire process of living history experiment recreating the hair powder according to the recipe, is here on the GILBERTUS BREATH FRESHENER page.

Breath freshener
Trotula parsley

Country of Origin:
Time Period: medieval
Type of Item: breath freshener
Colour: green
Materials: parsley
Made by: Rosalie's Medieval Woman
Documentation: Trotula, On Cosmetics.
Notes: For breath-freshening, Trotula, or the set of three texts attributed to Trotula, include On Women's Cosmetics, include recipes for keeping the breath fresh. It reads:

"The woman should wash her mouth after dinner with very good wine.
Then she ought to dry very well and wipe with a new white cloth.
Finally, let her chew each day fennel or lovage or parsley, which is better to chew because it gives off a good smell and cleans good gums and makes the teeth very white."

Perfume- Queen of Hungary Water

Country of Origin:
Time Period: medieval
Type of Accessory: Perfume
Colour: Clear
Construction Materials: Alcohol, rosemary, lemon, frankinsence, rose and neroli essential oils.
Made by: Roxy McDonald, Medieval Still Room.
Bought from: Mainly Medieval, Sydney.
documentation:

Rouge

Country of Origin: France
Time Period: 13th century
Type of Item: rouge for pink cheeks
Colour: pink
Materials: dyed red wool
Made by: Rosalie's Medieval Woman
Documentation: Love Lock'd Out, A Survey of Love, Licence and Restriction in the Middle Ages by James Cleugh. A 13th century French song refers to a peddlar who carries for sale:

'razors, tweezers, looking glasses, toothbrushes and tooth-picks, bandaus and curling irons, ribbons, combs, mirrors, rosewater... cotton with which they rouge themselves and whitening with which they whiten themselves.'

Foundation

Country of Origin: France
Time Period: 13th century
Type of Item: lip balm
Colour:
Materials:
Made by: Rosalie's Medieval Woman
Documentation: L'ornement des Dames The L'Ornement des Dames gives this recipe for making an easy foundation:

There is a white make-up that is very easy to make. Put very pure wheat in water for fifteen days, then grind and blend it in the water. Strain through a cloth, and let it crystalise and evaporate. You will obtain a make-up which will be as white as snow. When you want to use it, mix it with rosewater, and spread it on your face which has first been washed with warm water. Then dry your face with a cloth.

Lip balm/stain

Country of Origin:
Time Period: medieval
Type of Item: lip balm
Colour:
Materials:
Made by: Rosalie's Medieval Woman
Documentation: Trotula, On Cosmetics. Also Secrets of Don Alessio Piemontese.
Notes: One recipe for a medieval lip balm described as a 'sweet smelling grease that will keep the lips and hands from chapping and make them moist and soft' comes from the book Secrets of Don Alessio Piemontese, published in 1557.

'Take 12 oz of fresh suet and 6oz of marjoram and pound them together. Form into balls and sprinkle with good wine. Next put into some vessel and seal it tightly so that the odor of the marjoram does not escape. Place in the shade for 24 hours and then put into water. Cook slowly, then strain. This process must be repeated 4 or 5 times always adding another 9oz of suet. Finally a little musk or civet can be added.'

Skin tonic tba

Country of Origin:
Time Period: medieval
Type of Item: Tonic to...
Colour:
Materials:
Made by: Rosalie's Medieval Woman
Documentation: The Old Woman from the manuscript the Roman de la Rose also offers advice on skincare:

If her complexion loses colour and her heart is tormented as a result, she should arrange always to have aqueous ointments hidden in boxes in her chamber, for the purpose of painting her face. But she must take care that none of her guests can smell or see them: otherwise she could be in great trouble... If her hands are not fair and unblemished but marred by spots and pimples, she ought not to leave these alone but use a needle to remove them; or else she should hide her hand in her gloves so that the spots and scabs are not visible.

Fresh herbs for bathing

Country of Origin:
Time Period: medieval
Type of Item:
Colour:
Materials:
Made by: Rosalie's Medieval Woman
Documentation: Many sources indicate that scented and herbal bathwaters were enjoyed in the medieval period.
Notes: In the 14th century Boccaccio's the Decameron we read about bathing-

Without permitting anyone else to lay a hand on him, the lady herself washed Salabaetto all over with soap scented with musk and cloves. She then had herself washed and rubbed down by the slaves. This done, the slaves brought two fine and very white sheets, so scented with roses that they seemed like roses; the slaves wrapped Salabaetto in one and the lady in the other and then carried them both on their shoulders to the bed.

They then took from the basket silver vases of great beauty, some of which were filled with rose water, some with orange water, some with jasmine water, and some with lemon water, which they sprinkled upon them. After which they refreshed themselves with boxes of sweetmeats and the finest wines.

Sea Sponge: large

Country of Origin: Italy
Time Period: medieval
Type of item: Sea sponge
Colour: natural
Materials: natural
Dimensions: 17cm
Decoration: none
Made by: nature, Greece
Documentation: Bath scene and written references

Sponges x 4

Country of Origin: England
Time Period: 14th century
Type of Accessory: Sponges
Colour: natural
Materials: sea sponges
Dimensions:
Details of Decoration: none
Made by: Imported from overseas
Bought from: Priceline, Rochedale South
documentation

Carnelian headed dress pins - red

Country of Origin: Generic
Time Period: 14th century
Type of Accessory: veil pins
Outer Colour: brass,
Construction Materials: brass, carnelian
Details of Construction: hand made
Details of Decoration: carnelian bead heads
Made by: Commercial pins, Rosalie beaded
Bought from: Spotlight (pins), carnelian: Beads N Things, Stones Corner
Documentation: contemporary art

Pearl headed dress pins

Country of Origin: Generic
Time Period: 14th century
Type of Accessory: veil pins
Outer Colour: brass, cream
Construction Materials: brass, freshwater pearls
Details of Construction: hand made
Details of Decoration: pearl bead heads
Made by: Commercial pins, Rosalie beaded
Bought from: Spotlight (pins), pearls: Beads N Things, Stones Corner
Documentation: contemporary art

Bath curtains

Country of Origin: England
Time Period: medieval
Type of Item: curtains
Colour/colours: white
Materials: linen
Construction: machined stitching
Decoration & Finishes: navy blue circular top
Made by: Rosalie's Medieval Woman
Documentation: Aldobrandino of Siena, Le Régime du corps folio 8v

Striped Tablecloth

Country of Origin: Everywhere
Time Period: 13th-15th century
Type of Item: Towel
Outer Colour/colours: Blue and white
Construction Materials: Flax linen
Construction: Hand woven
Dimensions: cm x cm
Decorations: diamond weave with blue stripes and tassels
Made by: unknown for Medieval Design, Italy
Documentation:

Bone handled knife

Country of Origin: England
Time Period: 1350-1400
Type of Item: Knife
Colour: Cream
Materials: Bone, steel
Dimensions:
Construction: Not known, original blade modified
Made by: unknown
Documentation: Artifact. 1350 Thames, England

Acorn knop spoon

Country of Origin: England France
Time Period: 14th century
Type of Item: Spoon
Colour: Silver
Materials: Pewter
Dimensions:
Construction: Cast in one piece. Wide, fig-shaped dish. Wide finial.
Decoration: Acorn finial, stamped S on bowl.
Made by: Steve Millingham Pewter Replicas
Documentation: Artifacts. York City Museum replica. Also 14thC Bronze spoon, France, MedGallery, Collection of Jean Boxhorn.
Notes: Metropolitan Museum of Art states the first known reference to the acorn spoon is in a will dated 1348 where John de Holegh bequeathed to Thomas Taillour "12 silver spoons with akernes". The Gilbert family lists a purchase of 8 silver Acorn spoons.

Bath tub

Country of Origin: generic
Time Period: medieval
Type of Item: bath
Colour/colours: natural
Materials: Oak, metal
Dimensions:
Construction: traditionally made wine cask half with securing metal bands
Decoration & Finshes: painted interior. Iron bands to be covered with flexible wood. wip
Documentation: The Hague, KB, 76 F 21 fol. 15r Mary in bath Fol. 15r

Board

Country of Origin: Generic
Time Period: medieval
Type of Item: bath board
Colour/colours: Oak stain
Materials: Pine
Construction: cut to size
Decoration & Finshes: none
Made by: Rosalie's Medieval Woman
Documentation: Medieval art