Our ancestors had devices for all occasions
Looking at these items, it is difficult to imagine that someone actually used them and that they were in demand at the time.
Fantastic and mystical objects from the past that today evoke both horror and delight. What could they have that we do not?
A 19th-century device against masturbation
This copper device, measuring three and a half inches, was made specifically for boys to avoid sin. The item dates back to around 1880 and was popular in church circles in France.
Vampire hunting kit
This complete vampire hunting kit, including a Bible, stakes, silver bullets, crosses, garlic, candles and holy water, was made around the 1800s in North America.
Ear picks
The name speaks for itself. Small (about 5-6 cm) items, mainly made of copper and silver, for cleaning ears.
Box-shaped flea traps
Fur flea traps
Flea traps were used, as you can imagine, to catch fleas. Honey was added to the boxes, in which the fleas got stuck, and animal skins were used as natural bait — the fleas caught on the skin were shaken out and used again for the next round. The presence of a huge number of fleas on the human body and in the folds of clothing in the 16th century was commonplace.
Ballroom notebook (notepad)
These items are small works of art — inlaid with mother-of-pearl and precious stones — and were a must-have accessory for ladies attending balls. It was considered an unforgivable mistake to forget who you had promised the next dance to, so everything was recorded in this little book.
Men’s travel toiletries bag
Men in the past devoted as much time to their appearance and clothing as ladies did. This is why multi-layered toiletries bags were created, containing everything needed for personal care — mirrors, combs, powder, lipstick, perfume, various hair and nail accessories, and so on. They also contained buttons, lace and other clothing accessories. The photo shows the toilet bag of Prince de Beauharnais (Italy).
Toothpicks
Yes, this item still exists today, in the form of wooden or plastic sticks. But the beauty of ancient toothpicks, which are small works of art, is amazing.
Head scratching stick
Given the 18th-century fashion for huge, lush hairstyles (up to 1.3 metres high), which sometimes went undisturbed for weeks and were smeared with grease and sprinkled with flour, it is not surprising that hair combs came into fashion — after all, they (the hairstyles) were home not only to lice, but also mice.
Burda
A lady’s duck — for trips, travels and long visits.
Portbouquet (boutonniere, egret)
Another small work of art is the boutonniere, designed to hold fresh flowers. It was pinned to clothing or hair and contained water inside to keep the flowers from wilting.
Clothes hooks
The multitude of buttons, sometimes very small, on clothes and shoes (zippers had not yet been invented) led to the invention of hooks. There were small hooks for gloves and clothing, as well as larger ones for shoes.
Cups for moustachioed men
Moustaches were a subject of special care for men. And so there was a special cup for them.
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