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Medicine Chest, England, c. 1830

This medicine chest was one of the most popular types that open like a trunk. They were made during end 18th, first half 19th century. It has a lifting lid and one drawer. A brass retaining rod keep the drawer closed when the chest is closed and locked. Some early examples, as this one, there are sliding covers over part of the drawer. The bottles with the labels are original and one is missing. There are also hand hold scale with weights, mortar and pestle(glass).

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The LOWER DECK. One level down the main ladderway. The Senior Officers’ Cabin and Messes are aft of the ladderway and the Forecastle or “Fo'c'sle” is forward where the rest of the men sleep and eat. The Sick Bay is at the bow of the ship, forward of the Galley.

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Full dress uniform of a french capitaine de corvette, 1830-48

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Medicine chest made of rosewood, England, 19th century

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Cabins decoration

When we look at cabins on museum ships today, we see either very plain cabins or quite decorative cabins. Generally, the gunroom and cockpit were kept very simple, unless their occupants took the decoration into their own hands and made it nice. The wardroom, on the other hand, could have painted canavases as cabin dividers, a table with a ceiling and even a fancy carpet. By the beginning of the 18th century, however, captains and admirals’ cabins were as ornate as their ships themselves.

The rather simple Admiral’s cabin aboard HMS Victory, by graceewhite

Lined with the finest persian carpets, porcelain plant pots or even fish pots (a kind of aquarium, that is, a porcelain pot with water and goldfish in it), paintings, wood carvings, curtains, candelabra, tapestries made of canvas and even marble sculptures. However, as this was a great danger when the ship was attacked and the interior could be thrown through the ship, these things were banned until 1719. And one should also have the focus on the service and not be distracted by luxury. However, it was still allowed to have a carpet and curtains. everything else was then rather small things like small paintings, scrimshaws, weapons and telescopes. In other words, all the things that could be quickly grabbed and put away. In the end, one could say that the decorations were more simple and elegant.

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A dry card compass, by D. Cohen, Newcastle, c. 1840

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Medicine chest, 19th century

This is an English domestic medicine chest, manufactured in London in 1836 and probably brought to Australia in the mid to late 19th century. It appears to still contain most of its original bottles and pharmaceutical equipment.

This type of home medicine chests was also purchased and used by ship's surgeons, so such use cannot be ruled out.

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Votive ship, Storkyrkan, Stockholm

In the church's north aisle hangs a ship, a so called votive ship. The ship is an exact copy of a votive ship (votive ships are gifts to churches from shipbuilders or sailors, usually either to request good fortune, or to give thanks for survival of some difficult seagoing episode.) that previously hung in the Cathedral but is now in the National Maritime Museum. The original is in very bad shape, so in the 1950s a shipping company donated a copy to the church. The ship type is an Elizabethan galleon from the late 1500s. The original was probably built around 1600.

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Elbe pilot cap

The Elbe pilot cap is a traditional sailor's cap that was originally worn by Elbe pilots – pilots who navigated ships safely through difficult waters on the Elbe River. It belongs to the category of skipper caps or pilot caps and is part of typical North German or maritime workwear.

Different types of sailor caps

Features of the Elbe pilot cap:

Flat, round shapeStiff, usually shiny peakWide, wraparound band (‘cap band’) often with decorative trim (e.g. cord, buttons)Often made of dark cloth or leather

This cap style later became popular outside the piloting profession – among fishermen, sailors and even in civilian fashion, especially in northern Germany. Variations of the Elbe pilot cap were also worn in youth culture (e.g. in the 1960s/70s).

When was it designed?

It is difficult to determine the exact date of the Elbe pilot cap's design, as it developed in the 19th century from the practical workwear of pilots. It is related to other boatmen's caps and peaked caps that were worn at the same time in many European port cities.

This type of cap has been in use since at least the mid-19th century, especially along the Elbe, e.g. in Hamburg, Cuxhaven and Glückstadt.