The plate associated with the bedroom is known from inventories to have existed at least from the 15th century, but items such as shaving bowls and jugs do not survive in any numbers until the 18th century.

The most prestigious plate associated with the bed chamber continued to be the toilet service. Although items of toilet plate where made for gentlemen, such as shaving plate 'oatmeal boxes and plates' and hand powder boxes, the full service was the perquisite of the lady of the house and was as much a reflection of her status as the display plate in the dining room was of her husband's. The finest of them are therefore composed of a large number of pieces, often with very elaborate decoration. Most were presented on the occasion of marriage (note 1).

silver toilet set comprising table mirror, casket, boxes and brushes. London 1699

In 1690 John Evelyn wrote this poem titled 'Mundus Muliebris: or the ladies dressing-room unlock'd and her toilette spread':

A new Scene to us next presents, The Dressing-Room and Implements, Of Toilet Plate Gilt, and Emboss'd, And several other things of Cost, The Table Miroir, one Glue Pot, One for Pomatum, and whatnot? Of Washes Unguents and Cosmeticks, A pair of Silver Candlesticks; Snuffers and Snuff-dish, Boxes more, For Powders, Patches, Water Store, In silver Flasks, or Bottles, Cups Cover'd or open to wash chaps.

P. William Tomkins (London 1760-1840): engraving from a painting of Charles Ansell

Pietro Longhi - Venice 1701-1785 The toilet of the Lady

In the 18th century the pieces of the toilet service grew in number, following the ever increasing complexity of lady's cosmetic devices available on the market. The largest known toilet service was made in 1708 by Benjamin Pyne for the Duke of Norfolk, and consisted of 34 pieces. A little smaller is the set of Dunham Massey, done for the daughter of George Booth, second Earl of Warrington, that includes 28 pieces (note 4)

French silver toilet set, about 1820

	Until mid 19th century the silver toilet set was reserved to noblemen and to the highest rank in the society. At the end of the 19th century the use of silver toilet items spread to the middle class, adopting less expensive shapes, largely appreciated by the new and numerous female customers.
Sterling Silver 'Love & Dream toilet set' 1904 Unger Brothers catalog

The new fashion marked the end of the use of pitchers, basins and lighting devices (candlesticks, snuffers), while button hooks, glove stretchers, shoe horns, hair curling irons and a wide range of manicure tools were introduced. The mirrors were reduced to the dimension of a small oval shape with a short handle, while the heavy silver boxes and vases were replaced by glass or crystal containers with a light silver lid.

'Floral Toilet Set: Narcissus' Daniel Low & Co.- Salem - 1901 catalog

But the silver toilet set 'season' was at its finish, and, likely, the primary cause was the end of its status as an 'elite' object, reserved to a social class close to vanishing.
The spread of industrial production of cosmetics, the introduction of new shapes of dresses and the change of female habits and preferences quickly led, in the past century, to the abandonment of the use of the silver toilet items.
These surviving collectibles are a precious witness of a feminine world that, for most aspects, has now disappeared.

Whiting Manufacturing Co.	Daniel Low	Unger Brothers

silver toilet set: Italy first quarter of 20th century hair curling iron, glove stretcher, shoe horn, button hook, mirror, brushes and crystal vases with silver lids

Endnotes

(1) Timothy Schroeder: English Domestic Silver - Penguin Books ? 1988, p. 162
(2) Italian translation by Renata Camozzi
(3) Charles Oman: English Domestic Silver - Adam & Charles Black - London - 1968,
      pp. 189/190
(4) Timothy Schroeder, pp. 165/166  

a selection of silver toilet items

(private collection - www.silvercollection.it)

Webster Company - North Attleboro:	crystal vases with silver lids

	silver lids embossed with daisies

Webster Company - North Attleboro:	brush with silver cover

silver flat brush made in Germany at the beginning of 20th century

German hallmarks and date (24.XII.1911)	Noble's coronet and PS monogram

silver brush Birmingham (England) 1908:	silversmith WJM & Co.

detail of silver brush embossing	hallmarks and butterfly

button hook Birmingham 1912 - silversmith C & N

button hook Birmingham 1912: silver handle	button hook: silver hallmarks

French glove stretcher - end of 19th century - silversmith VB

French glove stretcher: silver handles	French glove stretcher

silver shoe horn/button hook: Sheffield 1908 - silversmith GWF

silver shoe horn/button hook: Sheffield 1908	Sheffield 1908 and silversmith GWF hallmarks

nail beautifier: Italy - 800/1000 silver

nail beautifier - Italy

silver nail buffer: Birmingham 1918 - silversmith L & S

silver nail buffer: Birmingham 1918	Birmingham 1918 and silversmith L & S hallmarks

eye brow tool: Birmingham 1928 - silversmith LS & Co

silver eye brow tool	Birmingham 1928 and silversmith LS & Co hallmarks

silver handled hair curling iron - silversmith Mulholland Bros Inc.

silver handled hair curling iron	curling iron with MOP button

hair curling iron	silversmith hallmark Mulholland Bros Inc. - Aurora, IL - 1915-1932

travel burner for hair curling iron	travel burner for hair curling iron

silver and mother of pearl folding pocket botton hook Sheffield 1897 - silversmith AS

folding button hook	mother of pearl with floral decorations

folding button hook	closed button hook

silver hallmarks: Sheffield 1897 - silversmith AS

	Tiffany & Co silver talc bottle

Tiffany & Co. hallmark 1907-1947

crystal perfume bottle with silver top	silver top: silversmith Vitali Bruno - Padua - Italy

crystal perfume bottle with silver top	crystal engraving and silver top (Italy - 2nd half 20th century)

Giorgio Busetto - © 2004 -
www.silvercollection.it
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