A Parlour in 1695

Posset is a hot milky and spiced alcoholic drink, which was thought to have medicinal benefits, due to the stimulating effects of the spices and alcohol. It was often served from posset pots at special occasions, which were passed around from guest to guest.

A Posset Pot, dated 1695, Object number: 185/2015

Cane chairs were affordable, stylish and lightweight. They could be easily moved around the room as needed and were often placed at the side of the room when not in use. They were the most common chair in middle-class homes from the 1690s to the 1720s.

Cane Chair, made in England c.1685-1700, Object number: 46/2006-1

This print was drawn from a live elephant that was brought to London in 1675. The public would have been fascinated by this strange animal from a distant land.

Etching of an Elephant, printed in England in c.1675 by John Dunstall, Object number: 39/1994-12