Ivory mirror case

Country of Origin: France
Time Period: 14th century.
Type of Accessory: Mirror
Construction Materials: Resin, glass
Metal: none
Details of Construction: Cast resin mirrorcase with glass foil-backed mirror. Hand cast.
Details of Decoration: Hunting scene with four lions.
Dimensions: 110mm diameter.
Made by: (? Poland?Checz)
Bought from: Nomads with Baggage.
Documentation: Extant mirror, Louvre

Pewter folding mirror case

Country of Origin: England
Time Period: pre 1350.
Type of Accessory: Mirror
Construction Materials: Metal, glass
Metal: Pewter
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.
Dimensions: 50mm diameter.
Made by: Steve Millingham's Pewter Replicas, England
Bought from: Mainly Medieval.
Documentation: Museum of London collection. 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: Brass
Details of Construction: Pin hinged mirrorcase with glass foil-backed mirror. Hand made with rocker wriggle work on the case exterior.
Details of Decoration:
Dimensions: mm diameter.
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
Details of Construction: wooden mirror case with mirror
Details of Decoration: none
Dimensions: mm diameter.
Made by:
Bought from: Op Shop
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
Details of Construction: wooden mirror case with mirror
Details of Decoration:
Dimensions: mm diameter.
Made by:
Bought from:
Documentation: Manuscripts 14th centuries, including Luttrell Psalter

Wooden mirror case

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

Wooden mirror case

Country of Origin:
Time Period: 14th century.
Type of Accessory: Mirror
Construction Materials: wood, glass
Metal: none
Details of Construction: wooden mirror case with mirror
Details of Decoration:
Dimensions: mm diameter.
Made by:
Bought from:
Documentation: 1440, Germany. Granada, MS C67, The Book of Nature

Wooden double sided comb

Country of Origin: England, France
Time Period: 14th century
Type of Accessory: Double sided comb
Outer Colour: natural wood
Construction Materials: Wood, type unknown
Details of Construction: Hand made reproduction of medieval comb
Details of Decoration: Series of decorative stars on comb body
Sold by: Make your own medieval
Documentation: 14th century Paris comb, Elizabeth Altarpiece from the Church of St. Agidius at Bardejov, c. 1480-1500
Documentation: 15th century French boxwood comb in the private collection of Mrs Leopold Blumka. Finely carved with two sliding compartments for cosmetics to be stored in.

Wooden double sided comb

Country of Origin: England, France
Time Period: 14th century
Type of Accessory: Double sided comb
Outer Colour: natural wood
Construction Materials: Wood, type unknown
Details of Construction: Hand made reproduction of generic medieval comb
Details of Decoration: none
Made by: Malcolm Fraser, Sweetness & Light, UK.
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
Details of Construction: Hand made reproduction of generic medieval comb
Details of Decoration: undecorated
Made by:
Documentation: 14th century Paris comb

Country of Origin: England, France
Time Period: 14th century
Type of Accessory: Double sided comb
Outer Colour: creamy white
Construction Materials: bone
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

Laver stand

Country of Origin: Multiple generic
Time Period: medieval- 14th and 15 centuries
Type of Item: laver stand
Colour: natural
Materials: pine
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)

Lavabo for laver stand

Country of Origin:
Time Period: medieval
Type of Item: Lavabo
Colour: brass
Materials: brass
Decoration: animal heads with women's faces on the handles
Construction: Hand made
Made by:
Documentation: 14th century, Roman de la Rose (multiple versions), artifact 1451 Historisches Museum, Frankfurt

Bronze dish for Lavabo

Country of Origin: Generic
Time Period: medieval
Type of Item: dish
Colour: brass
Materials: bronze
Decoration:
Construction: Hand made. Wide lip at the top. Flat bottom
Made by: unknown. Bought from Comfort Room, Ukraine
Documentation: 14th century, Roman de la Rose (multiple versions)

Brass dish for hand washing

Country of Origin:
Time Period: medieval
Type of Item:
Colour:
Materials: brass
Decoration: small turned lip
Construction: Commercially made
Made by:
Documentation: 14th century

Brass jug & dish

Country of Origin:
Time Period: medieval
Type of Item: small jug
Colour: brass
Materials: brass
Decoration: two lines around the top edge of the mouth, pedestal base.
Construction: Hand made
Made by:
Documentation: 14th century, Bohun Psalter, folio 108r

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

Tweezers

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

Bone Gravour

Country of Origin: France
Time Period: 14th century
Type of Accessory: Hair parter- gravour
Outer Colour: White
Construction Materials: Bone
Details of Construction: Hand carved and shaped
Details of Decoration: undecorated
Made by:
Bought from: Mainly Medieval as part of the Wax Tablet set
Documentation: (not the one shown) 14th century Italy, Ivory. Collection of Mrs Ernest Brummer

Hair trimming scissors

Country of Origin: Europe & England
Time Period: 14th century
Type of Item: Scissors
Outer Colour/colours: black
Construction Materials: Iron
Details of Construction: cm. Handforged.
Details of Decoration & Finishes: none
Imported by:

Sea Sponge: large 17cm

Country of Origin: Italy
Time Period: medieval
Type of Accessory: Sea sponge
Outer Colour: natural
Construction Materials: none
Details of Decoration: none
Made by: nature
Bought from: Est Australia
Documentation: Bath scene

Sponges x 4

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

Rose petals

Country of Origin:
Time Period: medieval
Type of Accessory: Rose petals for bathing
Outer Colour:
Construction Materials:
Details of Decoration:
Made by:
Bought from:
Documentation: Manesse Codex, 14th century

Hair powder 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)
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.

Tooth Powder 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.

Tooth Powder Trotula texts

Country of Origin: Salerno
Time Period: medieval
Type of Accessory: tooth powder
Colour: natural
Materials: cinnamon, clove, spikenard, mastic, frankincense, grain, wormwood, date pits and olives.
Made by: Rosalie Gilbert, Rosalie's Medieval Woman
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 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.

Tooth Powder Banke's Herbal

"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."

Breath freshener 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
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."

Trotula, On Cosmetics. 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. She writes: :

"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."

Mint mouthwash & powder

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

Trotula, On Cosmetics. 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. She writes: :

"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."

Sage mouthwash

Country of Origin: Salerno
Time Period: medieval
Type of Item: mouthwash and breath freshener.
Colour:
Ingredients: Sage, white wine
Made by: Rosalie Gilbert
documentation: Hildegard von Bingen's book 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."

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, Medieval Still Room.
Bought from: Mainly Medieval, Sydney.
documentation:

Rosewater with hair powder infused
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)
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.

Rouge wool

Country of Origin: France
Time Period: 13th century
Type of Item: rouge for pink cheeks
Colour: red
Materials: dyed red wool
Details of decoration: none
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

Lip balm/stain

Country of Origin:
Time Period: medieval
Type of Accessory:
Outer Colour:
Construction Materials:
Details of Decoration:
Made by:
Bought from:
documentation:

Castile Soap 110g

Country of Origin: Castile
Time Period: medieval
Type of Accessory: unscented soap
Outer Colour: natural
Construction Materials: Saponified olive oil, Alden's Olives, Cohuna, Victoria.
Details of Decoration: none
Made by: Biome, brisbane
Bought from: Biome, Brisbane
Documentation: written accounts
Gilbertus Anglicus writes about the various types of soap in the 14th century
Mainly Medieval: Aleppo soap is classified as one of the original Castille soaps and was traded into the Western Medieval world through a number of trade channels. It has been in production for thousands of years in areas such as Syria, and family businesses still continue making this olive oil soap in the traditional manner to this day.

Aleppo Soap

Country of Origin:
Time Period: medieval
Type of item: unscented soap 250g
Colour: natural
Ingredients: Olive and laurel berries, water and potash.
Decoration: none
Made by:
Bought from:
Documentation: written accounts
Gilbertus Anglicus writes about the various types of soap in the 14th century
Mainly Medieval: Aleppo soap is classified as one of the original Castille soaps and was traded into the Western Medieval world through a number of trade channels. It has been in production for thousands of years in areas such as Syria, and family businesses still continue making this olive oil soap in the traditional manner to this day.

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.

Venetial Barber's Soap

Country of Origin:
Time Period: medieval
Type of item: Soap. approximately 30g
Colour: natural
Ingredients: Castile Soap, Rosewater, Orris root, Poudre Douce, Clove, Frankincense Essential Oil.
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.
Mainly Medieval: From a recipe originally commissioned by the Barber’s guild of Venice for use only when barbering their most noble and discerning clientele.

Red glass paternoster

Country of Origin: England
Time Period: 14th century
Type of Accessory: Paternoster
Outer Colour: red, white, gold
Construction Materials: Linen thread, glass beads, pearl spacers, gold cotton tassel
Details of Construction: Five groups of ten beads threaded onto linen, pearl spacer, with tassel terminating at the end.
Details of Decoration: none
Made by: Mickey Coleman
Documentation:

White marble paternoster

Country of Origin: England
Time Period: 14th century
Type of Accessory: Paternoster
Outer Colour: red, white, gold
Construction Materials: Linen thread, marble beads, gold spacers, red silk tassel
Details of Construction: Ten groups of ten beads threaded onto linen, gold spacer, with tassel terminating at the end.
Details of Decoration: none
Made by: Rosalie
Documentation: 1400s Mother of God With Pea Blossom, Master of Cologne, Germany

Small wood paternoster

Country of Origin: England
Time Period: 14th century
Type of Accessory: Paternoster
Outer Colour: brown, red, white
Construction Materials: Linen thread, wood beads, pearl spacers, brown linen tassel, red glass bead
Details of Construction: Five groups of ten beads threaded onto linen, bone spacer, with tassel terminating at the end.
Details of Decoration: none
Made by: Rosalie
Documentation:

Peacock feather fan/flabellum

Country of Origin: Bohemia
Time Period: 14th century
Type of Accessory: Fan/fly swatter
Outer Colour: Multicolour, white
Construction Materials: Peacock feathers, faux ivory
Details of Construction:
Details of Decoration: none
Made by: Rosalie
Bought from: Feathers from Spotlight
Documentation: Manesse Codex, 14th century, Germany

Rectangular wooden fan

Country of Origin: Italy
Time Period: early 14th century
Type of Accessory: Fan
Outer Colour: Wooden
Construction Materials: wood
Details of Construction:
Details of Decoration: none
Made by:
Bought from: Vida Hendersen
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

Carnelian headed dress pins - orange

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,
Glass-headed pins, Museum of London, Dress Accessories, Egan.

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

Flower headed dress pins

Country of Origin:
Time Period: 14th century
Type of Accessory: Veil pins
Outer Colour: silver
Construction Materials: pewter, enamel
Details of Construction: hand produced
Details of Decoration: central ball with 4 small balls
Made by:
Bought from: Gift from Vikki, via Mainly Medieval.
Documentation: Extant pins from Dress Accessories, MoL

Lady headed dress pins

Country of Origin:
Time Period: 14th century
Type of Accessory: Veil pins
Outer Colour: silver
Construction Materials: pewter, enamel
Details of Construction: hand produced
Details of Decoration: lady heads
Made by:
Bought from: Gift from Vikki, via Mainly Medieval.
Documentation: Extant pins from Dress Accessories, MoL

Raspberry headed dress pins

Country of Origin:
Time Period: 14th century
Type of Accessory: Veil pins
Outer Colour: silver
Construction Materials: metal
Details of Construction: commercially produced
Details of Decoration: central ball with 4 small balls
Made by: Ribtex
Bought from: Spotlight
Documentation:

Ball headed dress pins

Country of Origin: Generic
Time Period: 14th century
Type of Accessory: veil pins
Outer Colour: brass
Construction Materials: metal
Details of Construction: hand made
Details of Decoration: ball heads
Made by: Bero in Germany
Documentation: Museum of London

Ball headed dress pins

Country of Origin: Generic
Time Period: 14th century
Type of Accessory: veil pins
Outer Colour: silver
Construction Materials: metal
Details of Construction: machine made
Details of Decoration: ball heads
Made by: Ribtex
Bought from: Spotlight
Documentation:

10 Brass coil headed veil pins

Country of Origin: England
Time Period: 14th century
Type of Accessory: Veil pins
Outer Colour: gold
Construction Materials: Brass
Details of Construction: Hand made with twisted heads
Details of Decoration: none
Made by: Medievalcraft, Europe
Documentation:

6 Brass coil headed veil pins

Country of Origin: England
Time Period: 14th century
Type of Accessory: Dress pins
Outer Colour: gold
Construction Materials: Brass
Details of Construction: Hand made with twisted heads
Details of Decoration: none
Made by: Malcolm Fraser, Sweetness & Light, UK
Documentation:

Flat headed dress pins

Country of Origin: Generic
Time Period: 14th century
Type of Accessory: veil pins
Outer Colour: silver
Construction Materials: metal
Details of Construction: machine made
Details of Decoration: flat heads
Made by: Ribtex
Bought from: Spotlight
Documentation:

Large flat headed dress pins

Country of Origin: Generic
Time Period: 14th century
Type of Accessory: veil pins
Outer Colour: silver
Construction Materials: metal
Details of Construction: machine made
Details of Decoration: ball heads
Made by: Ribtex
Bought from: Spotlight
Documentation: