History of housekeeping, household antiques, domestic objects

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"> <html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> <head id="Head1"><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="application/xhtml+xml; charset=UTF-8" /><link rel="Alternate" title="Old and interesting" type="application/rss+xml" href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/oldandinteresting" /><link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="/css/html1.css" /><link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="/css/layout1.css" /><link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="/css/extra.css" /><link rel="shortcut icon" href="/images/favicon.ico" /><meta name="msvalidate.01" content="9748B384C6E6EE7407E24B2966B1E143" /> <style type="text/css"> .style1 { font-family: Georgia; font-size: 1em; font-weight: bold; } .style2 { font-size: x-small; } </style> <title> History of housekeeping, household antiques, domestic objects </title></head> <body> <div id="content"> <div id="header"> <div id="title"> </div> <a href="/default.aspx"> <img src="/images/bg/lefttitle.jpg" alt="old and interesting" class="left" id="top" /></a> <img src="/images/bg/righttitle.jpg" alt="history of domestic objects, household antiques in use" class="right" /> </div> <div id="mainMenu"> <ul class="floatRight"> <li><a href="/default.aspx" title="Home"><strong>home</strong></a></li> <li><a href="/books.aspx" title="Books, writers, bibliography"><strong>books</strong></a></li> <li><a href="/contact.aspx" title="Contact by email"><strong>contact</strong></a></li> </ul> </div> <div class="colmask threecol"> <div class="colmid"> <div class="colleft"> <div class="col1">  <h2> Washing machine, ancient and modern</h2> <p> <a href="http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Fr%C3%BChe_Miele-Waschmaschine_2.jpg"> <img class="floatLeft" alt="vintage German washing machine" title="Miele washing machine, early 20th century" src="images/early Miele washingmachine.jpg" width="250px" /></a>This washing machine from the early 20th century was powered by the latest "high tech" electricity, but the tub was assembled with the age-old methods of traditional <a href="/coopers-buckets.aspx"> coopers</a> who could make watertight buckets from wooden staves. Manufactured by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miele"> Miele</a>, it's not all that different inside from the very <a href="/history-washing-machines.aspx"> early washing machines</a> of the 1700s. "Machines" with wooden rods for beating and stirring the clothes were popular in Germany for more than a century, while the original inspiration was probably the English <a href="/washing-dollies.aspx"> washing dolly</a>. The <a href="http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Fr眉he_Miele-Waschmaschine_1.jpg"> motor is under the tub</a>. </p> <h2> All the articles on this site...</h2> <p> ...are illustrated (<a href="/sitemap.htm">complete sitemap here</a>), and I like to think they're original, informative, and different from what you'll find elsewhere. The newest is about <a href="/tinderbox.aspx">tinderboxes</a>. Here are links to some of the most-visited pages: </p> <div class="custard"> <ul class="mine"> <li class="mine"><a href="/history-of-laundry.aspx">History of laundry</a> - a unique set of pages about laundry methods and tools, including histories of <a href="/antique-irons-smoothers-mangles.aspx"> ironing</a>, <a href="/washboards-history.aspx">washboards</a>, <a href="laundry-starch-history.aspx"> starch</a> and <a href="/laundry-blue.aspx">bluing</a>.</li> <li class="mine"><a href="/kitchen-antiques.aspx">Kitchen antiques</a> directory for the best online resources on culinary equipment, cooking and eating tools.</li> <li class="mine"><a href="/communal-bread-ovens.aspx">Baking</a>, <a href="/butter-crocks-history.aspx"> butter</a>, and other traditional and historic <a href="/sitemap.htm#food">food preparation</a> pages</li> <li class="mine">Beds and bedding - <a href="/history-feather-beds.aspx">featherbeds</a> and <a href="/bed-warmers.aspx">bed warmers</a> for comfort, or simple <a href="/straw-mattresses.aspx"> straw mattresses</a> and rustic <a href="/box-beds.aspx">box beds</a>.</li> <li class="mine">One-off pages on topics from <a href="/besoms-brooms.aspx">brooms</a> to <a href="/meat-hastener.aspx">meat screens or hasteners</a> to <a href="/scrubbing-stones-sand.aspx"> cleaning with stone and sand.</a></li> </ul> </div> <h2> Waste not want not? </h2> <p> <a href="/laundry-blue.aspx"> <img class="floatLeft" alt="plucking, saving feathers" title="Anna Ancher painting 1904, Plucking the Christmas Goose" src="/images/plucking geese.jpg" width="250px" /></a>Can we learn from our ancestors about cutting down on waste? "Leftovers" from food production used to supply <a href="/straw-mattresses.aspx">straw mattresses</a>, <a href="http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/Fballs.htm"> footballs</a>, <a href="/tallow-candles-snuffers.aspx">candles</a> and more. I once thought <a href="/history-feather-beds.aspx">featherbeds</a> were a good example of not wasting any part of an animal reared for meat. One of my favourite Victorian novelists, George Eliot, implied that the feathers in mattresses, duvets, comforters came from dead geese: <em>"...as for the spare feather-beds.....they were as plentiful as might naturally be expected in a family that had killed its own geese for many generations."</em> But I'm afraid that many living geese had their down "harvested" up to three times a year - painful, and banned today in some countries. Domestic advice expert Maria Rundell was very matter-of-fact about it in 1806: <em>"...old geese may indeed be plucked thrice a year without inconvenience, at an interval of seven weeks."</em> </p> <blockquote class="palesquash"> Click for a <a href="/sitemap.htm">complete list of all articles</a> arranged by topic.</blockquote> <blockquote class="palesquash"> <a href="/archives.aspx"><strong>Archived home page snippets</strong></a></blockquote> </div> <div class="col2">  <blockquote class="palesquash"> <img src="images/2ndleaf.gif" style="border: none" />  Antique household equipment, furnishings, utensils - housekeeping as part of social history. Domestic life, household management - how people ran their homes and did the daily chores. Yesterday's everyday objects are today's antiques or museum pieces, making us curious about past ways of life.<br /> <br /> <i>Old & Interesting</i> takes a look at how these everyday things were used, how people managed their home life - and more. Click for <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/oldandinteresting"> RSS feed</a> or <a href="http://www.feedburner.com/fb/a/emailverifySubmit?feedId=918986&loc=en_US"> email</a> to hear about new articles and blog posts.</blockquote> <blockquote class="palesquash"> <a href="/sulphur-matches.aspx"> <img alt="street seller" title="Brimstone match seller" src="images/brimstone matches.jpg" width="159" /></a><br /> <strong style="font-size: small; color: #CC0000">New ~ </strong>all about the <a href="/sulphur-matches.aspx">sulphur matches</a> (brimstone matches) that made striking a light with <a href="/tinderbox.aspx">tinderboxes</a> a little bit easier. Pictures of old matches and match sellers. </blockquote> <blockquote class="palesquash"> <img alt="woman ironing" title="Laundrymaid ironing, Henry Morland, c1775" src="images/laundrymaid.jpg" width="159" /><br /> Washerwomen had a tough life, sometimes working in <a href="/lye-bucking.aspx">boiling heat</a> or <a href="/washing-ice-hole.aspx">icy cold</a>. If they were lucky they worked <a href="/french-washboards.aspx">alongside friends</a>. Would it be better or worse to be a high class laundry maid? Would your skills in careful <a href="/starching-muslin.aspx">starching</a> and <a href="/fluting-goffering-irons.aspx">fine ironing</a> of fancy clothing be appreciated? </blockquote> <blockquote class="palesquash"> <span class="style1">Quick pick</span> <br /> <b><a href="/history-of-washing-clothes.aspx">Laundry in the 1800s</a> ~ <i>popular</i><br /> <a href="/rushlights.aspx">Rushlights</a> ~ <i>cheap lighting</i><br /> <a href="/victorian-garden-frames.aspx">Garden frames</a> ~ <i>Victorian gardening</i></b><br /> </blockquote>  </div> <div class="col3">  <h5 class="hidden"> </h5> <h5> What is it?</h5> <p> <a href="/medieval-watering-pot.aspx"> <img alt="watering pot" title="Mystery item" src="images/watering pot holes.jpg" width="160" /><br /> </a>Click on the picture to find out what this was used for.</p> <h5> <a href="http://www.homethingspast.com/">Home Things Past</a></h5> <p> <a href="http://www.homethingspast.com/foot-warmers/"> <img class="floatLeft" alt="ceramic bed bottle" title="Foot warmer" src="images/footwarmer.jpg" width="80" /></a>It may be spring in the northern hemisphere but our <a href="http://www.homethingspast.com/">sister site</a> has been talking about stoves and warmers. <a href="http://www.homethingspast.com/tiled-stoves/"> Tiled stoves</a> and <a href="http://www.homethingspast.com/foot-warmers/">foot stoves or foot warmers</a> are for cold weather - <a href="http://www.homethingspast.com/hand-warmers-muff-warmer/"> hand warmers</a> too. And don't forget <a href="http://www.homethingspast.com/spoon-warmers/"> spoon warmers</a>. </p> <h5> Did you know?</h5> <p> <a href="/sugar-nippers.aspx"> <img class="floatLeft" alt="mortar and pestle" title="Mortar and pestle as used for sugar" src="images/mortar pestle.jpg" width="80" /></a> Refined sugar used to be a luxury. You may already know about <a href="/sugar-nippers.aspx">cutting loaf sugar with nippers</a>, but that wasn't all. After cutting a lump, you had to pound it in a mortar and pestle, then sift it. If you wanted sugar for desserts you would "clarify" it<em>: <span class="style2">"Put four quarts of water into a preserving-pan, put into it the white of an egg, whisk it well with a whisk till it is a strong froth; put in twelve pounds of sugar, set it over a stove ; when it boils put in a little cold water; let it boil up three or four times, and continue each time to put in a little cold water till the scum rises very thick; take it from the fire, let it settle, then take off the scum, run it through a wet napkin, and keep it for use."</span></em> (Charlotte Mason's advice in 1777). </p> <br /> <p> <iframe src="http://www.facebook.com/plugins/like.php?href=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.oldandinteresting.com&layout=standard&show_faces=false&width=450&action=like&font=verdana&colorscheme=light&height=35" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" style="border: none; overflow: hidden; width: 450px; height: 35px;" allowtransparency="true"></iframe> <br /> <a href="http://www.stumbleupon.com/submit?url=http://www.oldandinteresting.com/default.aspx&title=Old and Interesting"> <img alt="StumbleUpOnlogo" src="images/stumbleuponlogo.jpg" style="border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-bottom: medium none" title="StumbleUpon button" /></a>  <a href="http://www.delicious.com/save"><img alt="Delicious" src="images/deliciousicon.jpg" style="border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-bottom: medium none" title="Delicious" /></a> </p>  </div> </div> </div> </div> <div id="container5"> <div id="container4"> <div id="container3"> <div id="container2"> <div id="container1"> <div id="col1">  <blockquote class="palefullwidth"> <center> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1439112894?ie=UTF8&tag=oldint-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1439112894"> <img border="0" src="z medieval england.jpg"></a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=oldint-20&l=as2&o=1&a=1439112894" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" /> <br /> Ian Mortimer, <i>The Time Traveler's Guide to Medieval England: A Handbook for Visitors to the Fourteenth Century</i> from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1439112894?ie=UTF8&tag=oldint-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1439112894"> Amazon.com</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=oldint-20&l=as2&o=1&a=1439112894" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" /> or <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1845950992?ie=UTF8&tag=oldint-21&linkCode=as2&camp=1634&creative=6738&creativeASIN=1845950992"> Amazon UK</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.co.uk/e/ir?t=oldint-21&l=as2&o=2&a=1845950992" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" /> </center> </blockquote>  </div> <div id="col2">  <blockquote class="palefullwidth"> <center> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0807853712?ie=UTF8&tag=oldint-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0807853712"> <img border="0" src="z beecher stewart.jpg"></a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=oldint-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0807853712" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" /><br /> <em>From Catharine Beecher to Martha Stewart: A Cultural History of Domestic Advice</em> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0807853712?ie=UTF8&tag=oldint-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0807853712"> from Amazon.com</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=oldint-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0807853712" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" /><br /> or <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/0807853712?ie=UTF8&tag=oldint-21&linkCode=as2&camp=1634&creative=6738&creativeASIN=0807853712"> Amazon UK</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.co.uk/e/ir?t=oldint-21&l=as2&o=2&a=0807853712" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" /></center> </blockquote>  </div> <div id="col3">  <blockquote class="palefullwidth"> <center> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0060912510?ie=UTF8&tag=oldint-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0060912510"> <img border="0" src="z everyday life2.jpg"></a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=oldint-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0060912510" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" /> <br /> David Hawke, <em>Everyday Life in Early America</em> from  <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0060912510?ie=UTF8&tag=oldint-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0060912510"> Amazon.com</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=oldint-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0060912510" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" /><br /> or <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/0060912510?ie=UTF8&tag=oldint-21&linkCode=as2&camp=1634&creative=6738&creativeASIN=0060912510"> Amazon UK</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.co.uk/e/ir?t=oldint-21&l=as2&o=2&a=0060912510" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" /> </center> </blockquote>  </div> <div id="col4">  <blockquote class="palefullwidth"> <center> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0884483088?ie=UTF8&tag=oldint-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0884483088"> <img border="0" src="z americas kitchens.jpg"></a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=oldint-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0884483088" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" /><br /> Nancy Carlisle, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0884483088?ie=UTF8&tag=oldint-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0884483088"> <i>America's Kitchens</i></a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=oldint-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0884483088" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" /> from Amazon.com</center> </blockquote> <br />  </div> <div id="col5">  <blockquote class="palefullwidth"> <center> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0852636482?ie=UTF8&tag=oldint-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0852636482"><img border="0" src="z laundry bygones.jpg"></a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=oldint-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0852636482" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;" /><br/> <i>Laundry Bygones</i> by Pamela Sambrook, from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0852636482?ie=UTF8&tag=oldint-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0852636482"> Amazon.com</a> or <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/0852636482?ie=UTF8&tag=oldint-21&linkCode=as2&camp=1634&creative=6738&creativeASIN=0852636482">Amazon UK</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.co.uk/e/ir?t=oldint-21&l=as2&o=2&a=0852636482" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;" /> </center> </blockquote>  </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="colmask fullpage"> <div class="col1">  <h3> Each of the books above was chosen to fit in somewhere with our history of housekeeping and household articles theme.</h3> <br />  </div> </div> </div> <div id="footer"> <div id="width"> <span class="floatRight"><a href="/default.aspx" title="Homepage">home</a> <span class="brown">|</span> <a href="/privacy-policy.aspx" title="Privacy policy">privacy</a> <span class="brown">|</span> <a href="/about.aspx" title="About and FAQ">about</a> <span class="brown">|</span> <a href="/books.aspx" title="Books">books</a> <span class="brown">|</span> <a href="/photocredit.aspx" title="Image and copyright details"> photo credits</a> <span class="brown">|</span> <a href="/sitemap.htm" title="Guide to website"> sitemap</a> <span class="brown">|</span> <a href="/folk-museums-uk.aspx" title="Folk Museums"> Folk Life and Social History Museums</a></span> <br /> <p align="left"> <strong>Disclaimer</strong>: We cannot guarantee the accuracy of the information provided on this website, even though it has been carefully researched. You should not rely on it for making decisions which could affect you financially or in any other way.</p> <p align="left"> Text 漏 OldandInteresting.com     <br /> Text rights reserved - please ask if you would like permission for re-use.<br /> Photograph licensing as described <a href="photocredit.aspx">here</a>.</p> </div> </div> </body> <script src="http://www.google-analytics.com/urchin.js" type="text/javascript"> </script> <script type="text/javascript"> _uacct = "UA-1596903-1"; urchinTracker(); </script> </html>

CINXE.COM

History of housekeeping, household antiques, domestic objects