Chatelaine

1810-1820: " Gold and gilt metal, embossed, cast and chased; bloodstone egg, with enamelled mounts; rock crystal seal. During the 18th century, a fashionable woman wore from her belt a 'chatelaine', or, as it was then known, a 'chain' or 'equipage'. From the chatelaine might hang a range of different objects: a watch, seals, a box for a thimble, or an 'étui' containing sewing, writing or cosmetic implements." Link

A Gustavian house

1790: 1:48 scale house. Envisioned it as an imaginary Swedish house of the late 18th century, furnished in the so-called Gustavian style. A well-off widow lives here with a maid to look after the house. In the upper-class homes of the 18th century, the kitchen was often placed in a separate house, in order to reduce the risk of fire, so the little extension would be perfect for a kitchen. Link

Life Before Television

Turn off your flat screen television and get lost in 17th, 18th and 19th century optical entertainment. Link

Square stork, parrot, swallow, butterfly and plum blossoms

18th century: Embroidery. Link

Collections

" 1763: John Kelly was a Norwich textiles manufacturer. This book is his 'counter-part', or matching copy, of a pattern book sent to Portugal and Spain, where customers could choose from the numbered samples and have their orders prepared back in Norwich. The book shows the range of patterns and colours thought likely to appeal to the Spanish and Portuguese market in 1763, the date it was sent, and the colourful names given by manufacturers to convey fashionable or exotic novelty, like martinique, harlequin, floretta and diamantine." Link