Mantilla
A black lace mantilla scarf, triangular in shape. The scarf has black floral embroidery and lace attached to the bottom edge.
Michael Drayton, Polyolbion, 1613 - Musicmakers by the River Severn - plate between p.54 & p.55
Country music making in Shakespeare's time.
Queen Elizabeth I was skilled on the virginals, (a keyboard instrument, popular for accompaniment of singers), and all classes of society were encouraged ...
Miniature bucket pendant
An individual miniature bucket pendant. Each one was made of three pieces of bronze.
AD 410 - AD 600
Mrs Bray
Mrs Bray from a daguerrotype. Cara Bray (nee Hennell) was one of Mary Ann's free-thinking friends.
Note: George Eliot (born Mary Ann Evans) was a local authoress based in the Coventry and Nuneaton ...
Over-dress
A blace lace over-dress with a long skirt, wide sleeves and hook and eye fastenings to bodice.
Panel
A large fabric panel for the front of a long full length skirt. It has a floral pattern and is made of black silk with black embroidery and encrusted with beads.
Pendant
This pendant show the image of a gypsy girl painted on ivory and mounted in an oval gold frame. It belonged to George Eliot who may have bought it in Seville, in March 1867.
George Eliot (born Mary ...
Petticoat
A long white cotton petticoat which is trimmed with tucks and lace. The petticoat has white lace to the top and black lace along the skirt hem in tiers. It has a fitted bodice and buttons on the front....
Petticoat
A white silk full length petticoat with crocheted silk panels to the bodice. The petticoat has crocheted straps.
Plastic Doll
In the 1950's, new plastics (polyethylene, or 'vinyl') gave manufacturers a soft and flexible material for producing dolls.
This doll has a hard plastic body and legs, with soft plastic head and arms.
The ...
Plastic Doll
This plastic fashion doll, called 'Little Miss Vogue', comes with the original box and several fashionable outfits from the early 1960's.
The head is made from soft plastic, with the hair inserted ...
Portrait of Minnie Gibbs (Nee Whitehead) and Children
Minnie Gibbs (nee Whitehead) with her son, Geoffrey, and her daughter in an artist's studio. Minnie was the sister of the Leamington Spa born artists Elizabeth and Frederick Whitehead. It is possible ...
Prize Bull and Prize Cabbage
This is an oil painting on panel depicting a prize bull and prize cabbage, as well as a house, dog and a woman. It is signed and dated in the bottom left corner, 'Williams 1802' and it is likely this ...
Purse
This is a West African woman's purse. It is made from red and black leather. The purse has internal pockets and a decorative tassle. The red leather strap allowed the purse to be worn around the neck. ...
Rag Doll
For hundreds of years rag dolls were made at home, using old scraps of material and trimmings.
Factory-made rag dolls date from the mid 19th century.
This one has been printed onto cotton sheets ...
Railway Poster - France
A poster from Paris advertising rail travel to the coast and ports. It depicts a port with yachts through an archway. There are two women in traditional costume beside a quay wall carrying baskets, 1928....
Raphael Holinshed, The... Chronicles, 1577 - harvest woodcut, 'History of Scotland', p. 232.
A harvest scene, from a book known to Shakespeare.
Shakespeare’s parents both came from farming families so he knew well that everyone in country districts would help with cutting and sheaving ...
Raphael Holinshed, The... Chronicles, 1577 - Macbeth and Banquo, woodcut, 'History of Scotland', p.243, detail.
Shakespeare's source for Macbeth's meeting with the weird sisters.
This woodcut, from Holinshed's first edition of 'The Chronicles of Scotland' shows the meeting of Macbeth and Banquo with the three ...