Scent bottle
Unknown
Late sixteenth–early seventeenth century, enamelled gold, opals, opaline chalcedony, diamonds, rubies, pink sapphires and spinels
Anna’s household accounts from 1605–7 record that she employed, not one, but two perfumers - James Freeland and Thomas Sheppard. This bejewelled bottle is indicative of the type of bottle that would have contained the perfume used by the queen. Designed to sit on its base or to be hung from a neck chain or girdle it was filled with exotic scents. Oils and essences including lavender, cinnamon, musk, rose and violet were commonly used. Fragrances not only shielded the wearer’s nose from undesirable smells, but it was believed that some scents had medicinal or magical properties protecting the wearer from maladies such as convulsions, melancholy or even plague.
Account of the Prince's Apothecary
Unknown author
28th April 1622, ink on paper
It was not only female members of the royal court that required perfumes and fragranced toiletries. This account details the types of waters and powders that were ordered for Prince Charles by his apothecary Jolliff Lownes. The account includes ‘sweete and damaske powders for his Highnes’, ‘to the pages of the bedchamber perfumes and rose waters for a moneth’, and ‘to the laundresse of bodie sweets for his Highnes linen.’