Victorian Gentleman's Toilette Case

The Victorian Gentleman's Toilette Case was the answer to the perfect gift. It was an appreciated gift by Victorian gentlemen. Women enjoyed giving them because not only were they were so practical they were also easy to make and allowed the women to showcase their needlework.

Click on picture to see more detail.

A Gentleman’s Toilette-case

Originally published in Cassell's Household Guide: being a complete encyclopaedia of domestic and social economy and forming a guide to every department of practical life, 1869. It has been edited for online use.

For more Victorian Tasty Trifles, see complete list at bottom of page.

Take a piece of moiré antique of a maroon shade and a piece of silk the same colour and size. Run from end to end a piece of inch wide elastic the same colour. Stitch it down at the right intervals, to contain the fittings.

Put on the pocket, binding the mouth and the curved edge of the flap. This pocket may be embroidered round the edge. Tack the lining now to the moiré antique back.

If this is to have any initials on it, they should be worked first on the part which will form the back when rolled up.

Surmount the monogram or initial with a crest or coronet, if the gentleman for whom the case is designed has either. They can be worked in silk or gold.

When these two pieces are tacked together, cut the flaps of silk, bind three sides of them; lay them in the way they are to be folded when the case is closed; tack the raw edges to the edges of the case, and bind the whole with maroon-coloured ribbon all round, and long strings.

The contents should be a strop, a pair of ivory-mounted razors, a box brush in ivory, an ivory soapbox, a pair of nail-scissors, a penknife, a button-hook, an ivory tooth-brush case, an ivory nail-brush case, and a tongue-scraper.

A small housewife, with thread, needles, and buttons, and a scent-case of white silk, embroidered with the monogram in maroon silk, may also be placed in the pocket. A Havannah brown is a pretty colour also for a gentleman's razor-case.

Rolled up Victorian Gentleman's Toilette Case

Victorian Gentleman's Toilette Case Monogram

Fig. 6 represents the case when rolled up, and Fig. 7 the monogram.

Victorian Trifle – Victorian Woman’s Glove Case

Click on picture to see more detail.

Fig. 8 is a lady's glove-case, which may be constructed of similar materials.

For more Victorian Tasty Trifles, see:

A Victorian Spectacle Case

Victorian Key Bag

Victorian Hammock

Victorian Shoe Tidy

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