19th Century Late. Quill Box and Writing Slope, India. Scalloped base and drawer. Desk opens up to a writing slope and opens again to hidden drawers. Complete with candle holders and ink pots. The type of inkstand that households woulds have in Jane Austen’s times for writing letters and keeping track of estate matters. Many of these exotic and decorative items were brought to England by gentlemen doing their Grand Tour through Europe and Asia. via 1st Dibs Auctions ~ 1stdibs.com
1780 Watch on a Chatelaine, Germany. Silver Repousse Verge With four chain chatelaine. via Heritage Auction H.A.com.
Definition Chatelaine: The word Chatelaine is French and means the keeper of the keys. Chatelaine” derives from the Latin word for castle. In Medieval times, the chatelaine was in charge of the day-to-day running of the castle. What did a chatelaine do? Most important task was keeper of the keys. Also ordered supplies, did bookkeeping, supervised servants, taught castle children, and organized guests. books2read.com/SuziLoveChatelaines
What were chatelaines used for?
1798 Woman’s Light Blue Douillette, Or Housecoat, French. Trimmed with pink velvet, pink fan, black slave sandals, apricot hat with black trim. Fashion Plate via Journal des Dames et des Modes, or Costume Parisien.
Description Douillette: A coat or housecoat, sometimes quilted, worn in France.
1810 ca. Spencer, Or Short Jacket, Of Printed Cotton, Europe. White base with rose and zigzag motifs in pink, red, yellow and green. via Mode Muze, Netherlands ~ modemuze.nl. Spencers were needed to cover the flimsy dresses made of lightweight fabrics of the Regency years, to provide warmth and some protection from windy conditions when the transparency of gowns might cause modesty issues. Jane Austen and her contemporaries often walked to places and so would have needed the warmth of a Spencer over her dress in the cold British winters.
Definition Spencer: Short body-hugging jacket worn for warmth and modesty. Said to have originated in an accident to Lord Spencer while hunting when his coat tails were torn off and he wore it as a short jacket.
1814 Couple In Walking Ensembles, French. Gentleman in a brown tailcoat with a notched collar and back pockets, vest, white breeches tied under his knees, red fob at the waist, white stockings, high white shirt collar, white cravat, top hat and cane. Lady in adorable pink Redingote with capes.
1800 ca. Brown Striped Trousers, American or European. Button front waistband, small drop down flap, or fall, pockets, and with extra fullness in the back for ease of movement. via Metropolitan Museum, N.Y.C., U.S.A. The style of men’s pants that replaced breeches as the fashionable pants item for men in Jane Austen’ times.
1760 ca. Traveling Ink Set. Rectangular Shagreen case with hinged cover which opens to reveal an unmarked silver mounted inkwell and sander, a pen, and a desk seal.
Definition Shagreen: Type of rough untanned skin, sometimes made from a donkey or a horse, but often from a shark or a stingray.
1750-1770 ca. Back Lacing Linen Corset, European. Made of linen, lining of natural linen, chamois leather to strengthen, straps of linen, stiffening of whalebone. Corset: deep point, hip flaps, lacing at the back, Netherlands.
Description: Quilted linen corset with vertical tunnels and with ribs. Whalebone stiffening, point on front, hip flaps, front shoulder straps of fabric plus long narrow linen strips to tie. Lined and has chamois leather at armpits, front point and waist. Linen corset with a deep thickened point at the front, hip flaps, and lacing at the back. Fully quilted with vertical tunnels, with ribs. Thickened tip at the front is slightly triangular. Above for round shape due to wide horizontal rib. Flares from the waist into hip phlangers, or fingers. Lacing eyelets and criss-crossed lacing at the back.
Front shoulder straps are of the fabric with very long linen straps with narrower linen strap, total 110 cm, and two horizontal linen loops on top of the backs. There is a narrow linen strip on all seams and along all edges. Armpits and the front point are reinforced with chamois leather and chamois leather is at the waist with straps attached. Via Mode Museum Province of Antwerp
Corsets 1700-1790 History Notes Book 15 This book shows how body wraps, stomachers and stays were worn during the 1700s. They created a variety of fashionable silhouettes to suit the elaborate fashions worn for court and daily life during the 18th Century. Wearing the correct underclothing was essential for keeping garments in place and giving the best fashion display.
1750-1770 Ca. Back Lacing Linen Corset, European. #GeorgianEra #Corset #HistoricFashion https://books2read.com/SuziLoveCorsetBook15 Share on X
Light-Hearted look at an Older Lady’s Life In Jane Austen’s Times, or early 1800s. An easy to read overview of what an older lady did, wore, and how she lived in the early 19th Century. Information for history buffs and pictures for readers and writers of historical fiction. Older Lady’s Day, Regency Life Series, Book 5, by Suzi Love. books2read.com/suziloveOLD
The older lady’s day usually started with her toilette in her bedroom, where her maid helped her dress for the day and styled her hair. After that, she would join her family downstairs for breakfast unless she preferred a tray with either tea or hot chocolate in her bedroom as she prepared for her busy day. Her day would be made up of speaking with the housekeeper and the cook about the week’s menus, assuring that the servants were all available that day and no one was ill, and checking the list of foods needed. She would also enquire if the laundry was up to date and that they had enough good linen to make up all the beds before extended family members and guests arrived. If she was in the country and hosting a weekend house party, she would assign rooms to the guests on her lists and query that all was in readiness for their arrival.
