Dressing Case thumbnail 1
Dressing Case thumbnail 2
On display
Image of Gallery in South Kensington

Dressing Case

ca. 1850 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Object Type
Dressing cases had been in use at least since the 18th century, but were particularly popular during the 19th. Their contents vary: basic requirements at this time would normally include at least one razor with a leather strap to sharpen it, a pair of scissors, a toothbrush, a mirror and a hairbrush.

Material & Making
The case is thought to have been made by Wilson, Walker & Co. of Leeds for the Great Exhibition of 1851. It is a luxury product, elaborately finished with tooled decoration on the outside. It shows the use of a number of materials, including a lining of metal foil in some compartments to prevent tarnishing.

Ownership & Use
The dressing case contains 17 pieces fitted into a very small space. Their arrangement is quite ingenious and would have been tricky to pack: it depends on inserting the items in the right order as well as in the right place. Undoubtedly many of the men who owned fitted cases like this would be used to having a servant pack for them and keep all the pieces clean when not in use.

Object details

Categories
Object type
Parts
This object consists of 24 parts.

  • Dressing Case
  • Brush
  • Brush
  • Tooth Brush
  • Tooth Brush
  • Nail Brush
  • Shaving Brush
  • Hair Brush
  • Razor
  • Razor
  • Strop
  • Scent Bottle
  • Bottle Cap
  • Stopper
  • Toilet Box
  • Lid
  • Mirror
  • Button Hook
  • Corkscrew
  • Scissors
  • Tweezers
  • Holder
  • Key
  • Key
Materials and techniques
Case: tooled leather, lined with watered silk and metal foil Brushes: wood and bristle Toothbrushes: ivory and bristle Razors: steel blade, with bone handle Strop: wood and leather, with paper cover Scent bottle, lid and stopper: glass and metal Toilet box and lid: glass and metal Mirror: glass, leather and watered silk Button hook: steel and ivory Corkscrew: metal and ivory Scissors: steel Tweezers: steel Holder: card, leather and watered silk Keys: metal
Brief description
Man's dressing case with accessories, Wilson, Walker & Co., ca. 1850
Physical description
Man's dressing case, leather, lined with watered silk and metal foil, containing three wooden brushes (for clothes/shoes and hair), two 'Napoleon' cut throat razors, one strop (razor sharpener), four ivory handled brushes (one shaving brush, one nailbrush, two toothbrushes), mirror, glass scent bottle with glass stopper and metal cap, kit consisting of four items (scissors, button hook, corkscrew, tweezers) on a fitting, round metal topped glass pot (possibly for toothpaste powder) and two keys.
Dimensions
  • Dressing case height: 16.8cm
  • Dressing case width: 6.1cm
  • Dressing case depth: 2.4cm
  • Brush [1] height: 15.6cm
  • Brush [1] width: 4.7cm
  • Brush [1] depth: 1.9cm
  • Brush [2] height: 10.6cm
  • Brush [2] width: 2.5cm
  • Brush [2] depth: 2.5cm
  • Toothbrush [1] height: 15.5cm
  • Toothbrush [2] height: 15.5cm
  • Toothbrush [2] width: 1.5cm
  • Toothbrush [2] depth: 1.8cm
  • Nail brush height: 15.5cm
  • Nail brush width: 2.5cm
  • Nail brush depth: 2cm
  • Shaving brush height: 13.6cm
  • Shaving brush width: 2.4cm
  • Hairbrush height: 15.5cm
  • Hairbrush width: 5.7cm
  • Hairbrush depth: 2.2cm
  • Razor height: 15.7cm
  • Razor width: 2.7cm
  • Razors width: 10.7cm (with blade open)
  • Strop height: 16cm
  • Strop width: 2.5cm
  • Strop depth: 0.5cm
  • Scent bottle height: 15.5cm
  • Scent bottle width: 3cm
  • Scent bottle depth: 1.9cm
  • Toilet box depth: 1.7cm
  • Toilet box diameter: 5.5cm
  • Mirror height: 15.2cm
  • Mirror width: 7.6cm
  • Mirror depth: 0.4cm
  • Button hook height: 11.5cm
  • Button hook width: 1cm
  • Corkscrew height: 11.5cm
  • Corkscrew width: 1cm
  • Scissors height: 10cm
  • Scissors width: 4.6cm
  • Tweezers height: 8cm
  • Tweezers width: 0.5cm
  • Holder height: 15.3cm
  • Holder width: 7.5cm
  • Holder depth: 0.5cm
Dimensions checked: Measured; 29/06/2000 by ET
Gallery label
(27/03/2003)
British Galleries:
The dressing case was a vital accessory for fashionable men as well as women. A man's case contained razors, a shaving brush and a small brush, if necessary, for tidying his moustache. The glass pot was probably for oil or pomade to grease back his hair.
Summary
Object Type
Dressing cases had been in use at least since the 18th century, but were particularly popular during the 19th. Their contents vary: basic requirements at this time would normally include at least one razor with a leather strap to sharpen it, a pair of scissors, a toothbrush, a mirror and a hairbrush.

Material & Making
The case is thought to have been made by Wilson, Walker & Co. of Leeds for the Great Exhibition of 1851. It is a luxury product, elaborately finished with tooled decoration on the outside. It shows the use of a number of materials, including a lining of metal foil in some compartments to prevent tarnishing.

Ownership & Use
The dressing case contains 17 pieces fitted into a very small space. Their arrangement is quite ingenious and would have been tricky to pack: it depends on inserting the items in the right order as well as in the right place. Undoubtedly many of the men who owned fitted cases like this would be used to having a servant pack for them and keep all the pieces clean when not in use.
Collection
Accession number
AP.621:1 to 21

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Record createdMarch 27, 2003
Record URL
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