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Post by spence on Jan 21, 2020 20:22:38 GMT -7
One of my fun things to do with primary documentation is read through them looking for interesting terms of which I don't understand the meaning. Here are a few from one single advertisement, in Philadelphia, 1774, listing items recently imported and for sale. Can anyone explain any of them for us? It will be more interesting than silently staring at our belly buttons, I promise.
quadril pools
sword rattans
shot belts and pouches
razor cases of a new construction; and shaving powder [after shave?]
ladies ivory scratchers [back scratchers?]
the new invented lamps, which, when burning, resemble wax candles, and are supported at a quarter the expence of tallow candles
Spence
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coot
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Post by coot on Jan 21, 2020 20:47:16 GMT -7
I believe that a "sword rattan" is what today we would call a "sword cane".
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Post by spence on Jan 21, 2020 21:14:41 GMT -7
Good idea, that never occurred to me.
Spence
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Post by brokennock on Jan 21, 2020 23:55:35 GMT -7
I'm thinking the "shot belts," are what we call, or similar to what we call, "shot snakes," and hold loose shot for bird and small game shooting. Maybe worn differently?
"Shaving powder," could be an "after shave," type product as you opined. Or, much like "tooth powder," could be like a powdered shaving cream/soap. Add some water, whip it with the brush, apply, and shave. Have styptic handy.
Great idea for a post Spence. Maybe we should start a forum glossary of period words and terms.
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Post by brokennock on Jan 22, 2020 0:00:51 GMT -7
Can you give the context in which you found "quadral pools?" Quadral is hip in Portuguese I believe, or haunch, something like that.
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Post by spence on Jan 22, 2020 7:50:36 GMT -7
All the terms are from one ad of items for sale. Ads are a great source of info about the material culture of the time. This particular one is quite long, about 2 1/2 pages, with probably hundreds of items in many different categories, from guns to patent asses skin.
It was the custom in that time for speculators to import a big bunch of material and just have a sale until it was gone. The didn't always have a store, frequently sold from a home, theirs or some other. As a result you get a list of everything in the shipment, with descriptions as necessary.
Spence
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Post by brokennock on Jan 22, 2020 9:57:12 GMT -7
What year?
Want to make sure we aren't looking at an ad for some "hip pools" to go with our "quadril" bell bottoms, and groovy round glasses, man. Lol.
I'm with you on the ladies ivory scratcher being a back scratcher. I seem to recall seeing an ivory back scratcher, very nicely carved, quite ornate, somewhere. My mind goes in the gutter for ideas other than that, I'm sorry to say.
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Post by spence on Jan 22, 2020 11:04:19 GMT -7
What year? Want to make sure we aren't looking at an ad for some "hip pools" to go with our "quadril" bell bottoms, and groovy round glasses, man. Lol. 1774. Spence |
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Post by artificer on Jan 27, 2020 16:23:57 GMT -7
I don't have anything to document this to our period, but I wonder if "shaving powder" was actually "shaving soap powder" that was sold well into the first couple of decades in the 20th century? I well remember my Grandfather, a WWI era soldier, talking about shaving powder.
Gus
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Joe
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Post by Joe on Jan 28, 2020 13:33:21 GMT -7
the new invented lamps, which, when burning, resemble wax candles, and are supported at a quarter the expence of tallow candles Spence Do you have a time frame for that quote ? Lamp technology was always evolving. They could be talking about Franklin's gas lamp, whale oil lamps, kerosene lamps or even the addition of stearic acid. magnesia , chalk or arsenic to candles as a hardening agent. Explorers literally searched the world over looking for things that could be made into candles. They could also be referring to something like the Palmer lamp or Palmer candle.  |
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Post by spence on Jan 28, 2020 13:37:29 GMT -7
The ad was published in 1774.
Spence
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Joe
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Post by Joe on Jan 28, 2020 19:53:26 GMT -7
The ad was published in 1774. Spence Location ? |
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Post by spence on Jan 28, 2020 20:25:18 GMT -7
Check the original post and all will become clear.  Spence |
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Joe
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Posts: 170
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Post by Joe on Jan 28, 2020 20:53:19 GMT -7
Thomas Newell wrote about installing street lamps in 1774, they were thought to have been glass and tin lanterns with small whale oil lamps inside. John Hancock was on the committee to install them.
Perhaps Your reference makes a comparison to such community improvements.
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Post by spence on Jan 28, 2020 21:27:57 GMT -7
Perhaps Your reference makes a comparison to such community improvements. I suppose it could be, but I didn't get that impression from the way the ad was presented. It seems to me an ad directed at the general public, with an extremely assorted group of items. The lamp item is mixed in with dozens/hundreds of other items, and I took it to mean they were for personal use. "....swan neck silver plated spurs, and other sorts; furniture for coffin makers; gun locks; the new invented lamps, which, when burning, resemble wax candles, and are supported at a quarter the expence of tallow candles; decanter corks; cork screws for the pocket or cellar;...." Spence |
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