perfumes-msg - 9/28/03

Medieval perfumes and pomanders. Recipes.

NOTE: See also the files: cosmetics-msg, handcream-msg, aphrodisiacs-msg, 
spices-msg, herbs-msg, lavender-msg, rose-water-msg, Handcream-art, Perfumes-
bib, incense-msg.

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back to 1989, some may be as recent as yesterday.

This file is part of a collection of files called Stefan's Florilegium. These 
files are available on the Internet at: http://www.florilegium.org

I  have done  a limited amount  of  editing. Messages having to do  with 
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Thank you,
    Mark S. Harris                  AKA:  THLord Stefan li Rous
                                          Stefan at florilegium.org
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From: jacquetta at aol.com (Jacquetta)
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Re: help with perfumes and fragrences
Date: 28 Aug 1994 17:49:01 -0400

pat at lloyd.com (Pattie McGregor) writes:

>I would like some info on period perfume making and such.  If anyone
could help
>me I would appreciate it a lot.  Thanks.

My lady, may I suggest you contact an excellent (and professional) source
on perfumery, Lady Gabrielle Von Nisselrode, a lady in House Von Halstern.
 Gabrielle has written (Scents Appeal - Gabrielle J. Dorland, Wayne
Dorland Publishers) and lectured on period perfumery.  If you E-mail me, I
will send you her mundane address or you could request her book at your
local library - the ISBN is 966-3250-4-2.  Gabrielle is in my household,
that's how I happen to have the information handy, I'm not much of an
expert in the field.  Best of luck,
Lady Jacquetta de Mehun


From: jacquetta at aol.com (Jacquetta)
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Re: Info needed on Perfumes
Date: 20 Nov 1994 12:15:17 -0500

CCRACHEL at mizzou1.missouri.edu writes:

<<<I would like to make some period perfume using violets.  Anyone out
there have any period recipes or book ideas?  Thanks!>>>

My lady, 
I have taken the liberty of forwarding a copy of your post to HRH
Gabrielle  of the East.  She has recently published a book on scents and
perfumes called "Scents Appeal" by Gabrielle Dorland.  I'm sure that you
will hear from her with some ideas.  Good luck!

Lady Jacquetta de Mehun


From: Honour Horne-Jaruk (4/3/95)
To: Mark Harris
Period perfumes

markh at sphinx.sps.mot.com (Mark Harris) writes:
> I'm curious what information you have on period perfumes. I've
> wondered how they might be different, but have never researched it
> myself. You state that they were heavy, penetrating, multi-note, etc.
> I can see where this could become one of those well known fables
> without real evidence. I am by no means saying this is the case, though.
> 
> Do you have any further info? Perhaps some idea of where I can find
> more info?
> Stefan li Rous

	Respected friend:
	Tournaments Illuminated, issue #73, winter A.S. XIX, has an exellent
article on pomanders and pouncet-boxes which includes descriptions of (and one
barely OOP recipe for) exactly the kind of perfumes I described. I _think_
the CA on cosmetics also covered scents.
	I suggest checking with you local library for a copy of the 
_encyclopedia of the middle ages_. It's not perfect, but it will give you the 
basics on an amazing variety of topics- and they give sources.
	Good hunting!
				Honour/Una/Alizaunde


Date: Thu, 21 Aug 1997 14:51:36 +1000
From: rmcgrath at nfsa.gov.au
To: sca-arts at raven.cc.ukans.edu
Subject: Arabic Perfume Distillation

For those who asked me about Arabic perfumes, etc.

Ya'qub ibn Ishaq al-Kindi - "Book on the Chemistry of Perfumes and
Distillation"
A translated edition of this was published, K. Garver, Leipzig, 1948.
Following is an example quoted in Martin Levey's "Early Arabic
Pharmacology", 1973, Leiden: EJ Brill
ISBN 90 04 03796 9

In al-Kindi's book the full method of distillation is given, complete with
a diagram and explanation of the apparatus.

This is (according to Levey) a typical recipe

"61: Preparation of another wonderful aromatic oil
You take one or two ratls of the best jasmine oil, pour it into a glass
bowl and pour on it for every mana of jasmine oil three ratls of purified
naduh [some kind of aromatic].  Then citron, apple peel, pieces of quince
purified of the seeds, pulverized sandalwood, dry red roses, fresh myrtle
tops, leaves of wild thyme, leaves of "Ocimum" dried or fresh, and pulp of
the citron or its juice are added and it is covered, then stirred once
every day.  When you widh, you renew the ingredients every five days.  It
is very sharp and aromatic.  Filter it into a flask and throw in two grains
of musk.  It will give you a wonderful aromatic."

Sorry, I don't know what a ratl is.


Date: Thu, 21 Aug 1997 15:15:30 +1000
From: rmcgrath at nfsa.gov.au
To: sca-arts at raven.cc.ukans.edu
Subject: Akkadian Perfumery

For those who are interested in perfume distillery.
BTW, did my previous 'recipe' come thru to the list, the "wonderful
aromatic oil"?

In the third millennium BCE, the Babylonians conquered the Sumerians who
lived in lower Mesopotamia.  These people spoke Akkadian.

Some Akkadian texts on perfumery still exist.   At the time, aromata were
very important items for medicine preparations.

Following is a description of such a preparation, from M. Levey's ""Early
Arabic Pharmacology".

"If you prepare flowers, oil, and calamus as a salve, and you have tested
the flowers [of the calamus and its green parts], you set up ... a
distillatory.  You put good potable water ... [into a hariu pot].  You heat
tabilu and put it in.  You put 1 qa (about half a litre) hamimu, 1 qa
iaruttu, 1 qa of good, filtered myrrh into the hariu pot.  Your standard in
this is the water taken and divided.  You operate at the end of the day and
the evening.  It remains overnight.  It becomes steeped.  You filter this
solution ... with a filter cloth into a hirsu pot at dawn, on the rising of
the sun.  You clarify from this hirsu pot into another hirsu pot.  You
discard the residue.

You use 3 qa of purified 'Cyperus' [species unknown] in the solution with
the aromatics.  Discard the inferior material.  You put 3 qa myrrh, 2 qa
pressed and filtered calamus in the solution with these aromatics in a
hirsu pot.  You measure 40 qa of this solution which remained overnight
with the aromatics ... 1 1/2 pure gullu ... two beakers ... small beakers
... You filter ... kanaktu in a sieve.  You decant oil in the hariu pot ...
in the solution.

[You rub that which was with the solution overnight.]  [You examine] the
comminuted material.  You remove [its bad part].  You filter this solution
which [you clarified into a distillatory] ... 3 qa ... [You throw] ...
balsam into this solution in [a hirsu pot].  [You kindle a fire].  When the
solution is heated for admixture, [you pour in the oil].  You agitate with
a stirrer.

[When the oil, solution, and aromatics] continue to dissolve, [you raise]
the fire... You cover the distillatory on top.  [You cool] with [water].
When the sun [rises], [you prepare] a [container for]the oil, solution, and
aromatics.  You allow the fire under the distillatory to die down.  You
remove the distilled and sublimed substances from [the trough of the
distillatory ...].

When the sun [rises], [if] they continue to dissolve in one another and
[the fire rises], you cover the [top] of the distillatory.  You cool.  You
prepare a flask for the calamus oil.  You put a filter cloth over the
flask.  You filter the oil with a filter cloth into the flask.  You remove
the dregs and residue left in the distillatory.

This is the preparation of flowers, oil, and calamus for [salve] for the
king according to the recipe of Tapputi-Belatekallim, the perfumeress.

The twentieth of Muhur-ilani, Limmu of Qatnu-gardu".

(This would be approx 1200 BCE).

Regards
Rakhel Petrovna


Date: Tue, 30 Sep 1997 08:26:58 -0400
From: Philip & Susan Troy <troy at asan.com>
Subject: Re: SC - Re: Questions

Kathleen M Everitt wrote:
> What are grains of Muske?

Musk is any of various animal sex-attractant, pheromonal secretions.
They were, in period, and are, now, very common in perfumes. They used to
be taken and processed from glands of the musk deer or several other
mammals. Essentially they were used to add an exotic perfume to foods.
 
Adamantius


Date: Sun, 4 Oct 1998 20:17:13 EDT
From: <SNSpies at aol.com>
To: sca-arts at raven.cc.ukans.edu
Subject: Re: Period Perfumes

<< There is a new lady to the SCA in my shire who would love to learn more
 about period perfumes and scents.   >>

The current issue of "National Geographic" has a great article on perfume
which includes two scratch-and-sniff patches of two reconstructed perfumes,
those used by Cleopatra and by Napoleon.  Amazing odors!

My favorite book on perfumes is by John Trueman and entitled "The Romantic
Story of Scent," (London:  Aldus Books, 1975).

Nancy (Ingvild)


Date: Mon, 5 Oct 1998 12:17:32 -0600
From: "Barbara & Donal" <ceolron at enetis.net>
To: <sca-arts at raven.cc.ukans.edu>
Subject: Re: Period Perfumes

Greetings - This is one of my areas of study, and I would agree there is
very little info out there.  This volume of the following book, which I was
able to obtain through Interlibrary loan had (interestingly enough) both an
article on cosmetics, including quite a bit on classical and pre-classical
perfumes/perfumed oils etc. and an article on pigments and dyes.  Much of
this technology was available to, and used by later western European
cultures.  Here is the book:

Forbes, R J, Studies in Ancient Technology, Vol 3, pp 1-47, 187, 210-257, E.
J. Brill, Leiden, Netherlands.

  I would love to know what the articles in the other volumes contain, if
anyone has access to the entire set.  Liadan


Date: Tue, 6 Oct 1998 09:32:59 -0400 (EDT)
From: Jenne Heise <jenne at tulgey.browser.net>
To: "sca-arts at raven.cc.ukans.edu" <sca-arts at raven.cc.ukans.edu>
Subject: Re: Period Perfumes

On Fri, 2 Oct 1998, Jeane Watson wrote:
> Anyone out there have good sources to recommend to this lady?

A few modern sources that have information of interest:

_Green Enchantment_ by Rosetta Clarkson, includes information on pomanders
and scents.
_Perfumes, Splashes, and Colognes_ (out of Storey Publishing, can't
remember the author right now) has a section on history of perfumes
_Jeanne Rose's Herbal_ by Jeanne Rose, has some period recipes for
pomanders.

Also try Kenneth Digby... who also has recipes for scents.

Jadwiga Zajaczkowa (Shire of Eisental; HERMS Cyclonus), mka Jennifer Heise
jenne at tulgey.browser.net


Date: Wed, 7 Oct 1998 09:01:41 -0400 (EDT)
From: Jenne Heise <jenne at tulgey.browser.net>
To: sca-arts at raven.cc.ukans.edu
Subject: Re: SCA-ARTS digest 545

On Wed, 7 Oct 1998, Marg Henley wrote:
> I am interested in information regarding early pomanders, the type
> made of cloved fruit. I have found oodles of information on later
> pomanders but would like info on their more primitive forbears: any
> dates, how they were attached, who wore them, slung from belts,
> necks?, types of fruit? etc.

Cloved fruit pomanders appear to have been a late development of the
pomander.  Early pomanders were made with a combination of gums, resins,
and (often) dirt or clay. These pomanders were kept in cases, often of
metal, with pierced sides to hold them. The cases were carried, worn on
chains or ribbons about the neck, attached to walking sticks, and worn on
the belt. Later in period, pomander cases (which could include
compartments for a number of different scents) also came to include
compartments for sponges soaked in aromatic vinegar.

Scented beads (rose, violet, etc.) made from flower petals were also made.

I don't have my resources right to hand, but the best discussion of this
that I know of is Rosetta Clarkson's, in _Magic Gardens_.

Jadwiga Zajaczkowa (Shire of Eisental; HERMS Cyclonus), mka Jennifer Heise
jenne at tulgey.browser.net


Date: Wed, 07 Oct 1998 08:30:26 -0700
From: Thea & Jeff <tsand at pacbell.net>
To: sca-arts at raven.cc.ukans.edu
Subject: Re: SCA-ARTS digest 545

Jeanne Roses Herbal, which I believe is still in print, has some lovely
rose and spice bead recipes as well as some pomanders as well. Some of
these do have period references provided. The still room section of
Martha Washington's Book of Cookery edited by Karen Hess (and available
in paprback!) also has some delightful recipes. Thea of Midvale


Date: Wed, 07 Oct 1998 09:17:21 -0400
From: Susan Evans <woofie at gte.net>
To: sca-arts at raven.cc.ukans.edu
Subject: Period Perfumes

Other sources for period (pre-1700) perfumes includes some cookbooks of the
time - they have several recipes in them.

A book devoted to perfume is "French Perfumer", published in 1696.  Has
directions for powders, essences, oils, scented waxes, pastes and waters.
Instructions on coloring and scenting gloves and fans.

"Polygraphice" was published in 1673 and one of the books (out of 4 in the
set) is on cosmetics and perfumery.  (Also has directions on making sealing
wax and marbelizing paper).

Both available in facsimile edition.

Sue


Date: Wed, 7 Oct 1998 17:14:26 -0400 (EDT)
From: Carol Thomas <scbooks at neca.com>
To: sca-arts at raven.cc.ukans.edu
Subject: Re: Period Perfumes

Rose Recipes from Dover also has some relevant information, I think.  Don't
have a copy handy at the moment.
Lady Carllein


Date: Wed, 7 Oct 1998 23:45:19 EDT
From: <SNSpies at aol.com>
To: sca-arts at raven.cc.ukans.edu
Subject: Re: Period Perfumes

<< Rose Recipes from Dover also has some relevant information, I think.  >>

Yes, it does, some 16th century recipes.

Nancy (Ingvild)


Date: Sat, 10 Oct 1998 22:54:44 -0400
From: rmhowe <magnusm at ncsu.edu>
To: sca-arts at raven.cc.ukans.edu
Subject: Pomanders and Scent

I sometimes share notes I take off Arts with my friend Ezekial,
the chemist, he likes jewelry and metalwork, he wrote back:
...........
8 Oct 1998   "D. Scott Snyder" <dss10 at acpub.duke.edu>

     I read this just as I was considering making another pomander.
I'm not good enough at metalworking to try the opening fruit kind so
I was going to try for a kind of spangen pomander, either hinged or
with a type of  screw opening.  One of the best period pictures I
have seen on pomanders is of the opening fruit kind.  It is in Robert
Lightbown's "Medieval European Jewelry"  published by the Victoria
and Albert Museum, truly a great resource*.  As for what to put in
it, one of my favorite tricks is to use dried rose petals dabbed with
rose oil.  The scent is strong enough to be detectable at several feet
but is pleasant and not overpowering.  I also have several period
recipies if anyone is interested.

Best Regards,
Scott Snyder, (Ezekiel the Slightly Demented)

*It has an entire chapter on pomanders including their history.
............
I've seen, have pictures of the pomander he is referring to as the
opening kind. It is hinged at the base like the opening parts of
a citrus fruit when the top cover is lifted.
He's right about that being an excellent source. I've seen it too.
It's OOP and was about $200 shortly before it went out.

Scott is not on the SCA-Arts list. I thought you'd like the resource
citation.

Magnus


Date: Fri, 15 Jan 1999 09:34:53 -0500
From: Melanie Wilson <MelanieWilson at compuserve.com>
To: "INTERNET:sca-arts at raven.cc.ukans.edu" <sca-arts at raven.cc.ukans.edu>
Subject: Perfume book

After the discussions on perfume I found this book in a catalogue  that
might be of interest: Perfumery with Herbs, by Ivan Day, Perfumes in
History, natural perfume materials and their extraction. 100s of recipes
some historical for pomanders, beads, incense, washballs etc

Mel


Date: Thu, 18 Feb 1999 14:24:39 -0500
From: "Elyse C. Boucher" <70521.3645 at compuserve.com>
To: sca-arts at raven.cc.ukans.edu
Subject: Potpourri & Dentifrice

Merouda here. Here I am, bein' naughty at work. :)
Amazon.com delivered today, and today's shipment
Brought _Martha Washington's Book of Cookery_! Yeehah!

This is a book of Elizabethan and Jacobean receipts that was at
one time in the possession of Martha Washington: the version I
obtained is transcribed by Karen Hess. As a Tudor persona, I
especially enjoy late and gray period "primary" sources, so this
one is a delight.

Anyway, I was flipping through my new book and noticed a number of
receipts for pommadors and soaps and so forth. The thing that
really caught my eye was this, however, from the _Sweetmeats_
portion of the book:

314. To make a perfume to stand in a room. Take 2 or 3 quarts of
roses buds or the leaves of damask roses, & put them in a pot with
bay salt, 3 or 4 grayns of muske, & as much of amberreece, 20 or
30 drops of oyle of rodium, a little benjamin & storeax & beat
together, & 2 or 3 spoonfuls of rosewater. put all these together
in a cheyney pot, or any other that is handsom, & keep it allwayes
close covered. but when you have a mind to have your room sweet,
you m{ay take off the} cover.

There you go, a potpourri basin from late period. This is as how
it was written, except I took the liberty of transcribing uncommon
abbreviations into modern spellings.

<snip of dental care notes>

Your Servant, Merouda Pendray


Date: Sat, 24 Apr 1999 16:37:05 EDT
From: LrdRas at aol.com
Subject: Re: SC - Ambergris?

meliora at macquarie.matra.com.au writes:
<< Now I know that ambergris comes from a whale and is therefore not
 readily available - but what is its function in these recipes and what
 do you guys use as a substitute?

 Thanks and regards

 Meliora >>

Often ambergris is found washed up on beaches and is still  an item of trade,
SFAIK, albeit as you say, rare. It imparts a wonderful perfumy, musky like
odor and subtle flavor when used in cookery.

Ras


Date: Sat, 24 Apr 1999 18:45:27 -0700 (PDT)
From: Laura C Minnick <lainie at gladstone.uoregon.edu>
Subject: Re: SC - Ambergris?

On Sat, 24 Apr 1999, Meliora & Drake wrote:
> I have been reading a few late period marmalades and preserves recipes
> that call for the use of a few grains of ambergris.
> Now I know that ambergris comes from a whale and is therefore not
> readily available - but what is its function in these recipes and what
> do you guys use as a substitute?

The stuff comes from the whale as a waxy secretion, and is found floating
or washed up on beaches. Before it is cleaned up it is kinda gross, but
once washed and filtered, is smooth, off-white to light gray, and with a
deep scent similar to muck but somewhat sweeter. (I love the stuff myself,
for perfume.) Occasionally it is found in fossilized chunks, and since
your recipe calls for grains, I would suspect the fossilized stuff is what
you want. I would suggest checking out an Asian pharmacy, a perfumerie or
someplace that carries a lot of incense. Sometimes they carry it with
frankincense and myhrr.

'Lainie
- -
Laura C. Minnick
University of Oregon
Department of English


Date: Sun, 25 Apr 1999 21:24:00 -0700
From: "David Dendy" <ddendy at silk.net>
Subject: Re: SC - Ambergris?

>>  Anybody know how to extract musk? I've just run into a trapper who'll give
>>  me all his carcasses. Ras-ma-tas, can you say, "Muskrat Stew"?
>
>errr, hmmm, I never heard of extracting musk from muskrats.  I thought it was
>extracted from musk deer, and members of the civet family.
>
>Mordonna

"Sometimes natural substitutes for musk are used, such as the scent glands
of the common American muskrat. The scent of this creature (which is not a
rat but a near relative of the beaver) has almost the identical odor of the
substance obtained from the musk-deer but it lacks the fixative qualities of
the latter." pp. 263-4, A. Hyatt Verrill, *Perfumes and Spices . . ."
(Boston: L.C. Page and Co., 1940). Castoreum, the scent glands of the
beaver, is also used, so ask your trapper friend if he gets beaver as well.

Francesco Sirene


Date: Mon, 26 Apr 1999 00:28:00 -0700
From: Vicki Strassburg Eldredge <taltos at primenet.com>
Subject: Re: SC - Ambergris?

Alderton, Philippa wrote:
> Anybody know how to extract musk? I've just run into a trapper who'll give
> me all his carcasses. Ras-ma-tas, can you say, "Muskrat Stew"?

Well, umm, actually, yes. I used to have ferrets that had not been descented,
and my male had to be "milked" on a fairly regular basis. Assuming the same
procedure as for a ferret (and relying on many years of fuzzy memory): Step 1 -
get gloves, a small bowl and a nose plug. Step 2 - wait for a day with enough
breeze that your nose can be upwind of your hands. Step 3 - feel for a small
lumpy gland right at the base of the tail. (once you have found one, it's easy
to recognize it again.) Step 4 - inhale and hold your breath. Step 5 - Gently
stroke and squeeze the gland with an outward motion. (and this is how you can
tell if you found it - if you get musk, you succeeded, if not, wrong lump.) 
Good luck. :-)

~Maedb
of the many talents LOL


Date: Mon, 26 Apr 1999 20:43:30 EDT
From: LrdRas at aol.com
Subject: Re: SC - Re: Ambergris and Musk

alysk at ix.netcom.com writes:
<< Greetings!  When I was trying to reproduce some Tudor confections
 calling for ambergris, I was informed that it was not legal in the US
 to sell any.  Anyone found anything to the contrary?

 Alys Katharine >>

Found this on the web at
http://www.netstrider.com/documents/ambergris/summary/

"Trade in ambergris has been banned worldwide for years by treaty and by
various national marine mammal protection acts. The romance of ambergris is
now only a distant memory. Once it was eaten with eggs for breakfast at the
tables of Dutch burghers and English squires. Now that sperm whales are
returning to our seas a curious beachcomber may once again hope to find a
lump of ambergris some day. "

Of course this doesn't mean that you won't find it in a back out of the way
place. Although the ban apparently is in place, it does not apply to supplies
that were in existence before the law took affect. :-) Quote- "It is said
that a single drop of tincture of ambergris applied to a paper and placed in
a book will remain fragrant after 40 years and that once handled, the fingers
will smell of it even after several days and several washings."

Ras


Date: Mon, 26 Apr 1999 09:43:52 -0500
From: Jennifer Carlson JCarlson at firstchurchtulsa.org
Subject: SC - RE: Ambergris and musk

If you are using an essential oil instead of the whole item, please make
sure that it is not synthetic ambergris or musk - the synthetics are not
necessarily food grade.  Also, perfume oil is not the same as essential oil- - 
it may be adulterated with chemicals you don't want to put in food.  I have 
found some excellent synthetic oils that I use in my perfumery, but I won't use 
in cooking.   Also, the essential oils of the real thing are quite pricey. While 
ambergris can still be found washed up on shores, I have not heard that anyone 
has developed a new way of collecting musk - cutting off the gland of the male 
musk deer.  Farmers in Asia have begun raising herds of musk deer to provide 
glands to perfumery, making money and at the same time protecting the wild musk 
deer from overhunting. Civet is used more for its fixative properties than its 
scent.  Civet and skunk both produce strongly scented secretions that are famous 
for their staying power.  The base material of the secretions, separated from 
the nasty scent chemicals, is used as a fixative in perfumes.  I presume this 
substance can be obtained from ferrets and other similar creatures. Ambergris, 
in addition to having its own scent (which is indeed quite pleasant), is also a 
fixative, which is why it is so valuable in perfumery. Orris root, from a kind 
of iris, is also a fixative, and is used in potpourri today, and was used in 
making scented stuff for the home inperiod - but because it is a plant 
substance, it is useful more for dry perfuming, as in potpourri and sachets and 
powders.

Talana


From: "Polkinghorne" <polkyfam at inreach.com>
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: smelly and slightly interesting
Date: Thu, 23 Mar 2000 23:03:14 -0800

This was posted to an aromatherapy list - "Perfumes for the Period Scent"
http://www.costumes.org/pages/perfume.htm

Thought some of you might find it interesting...
Geraldine


Date: Sat, 8 Apr 2000 00:35:46 -0400
From: "Robin Carroll-Mann" <harper at idt.net>
Subject: Re: SC - Catalan Recipes

And it came to pass on 7 Apr 00,, that Brian Songy wrote:
> A XIVth century perfume recipe!?  I've been looking for such a thing!!  If
> it is not too much trouble, would you be willing to type that one recipe
> in?  English, modern Spainish or Catalan.

Here it is, in Catalan.  Although the title says "perfume", it appears to 
be solid pellets which are used as we would use incense.  I hope that it 
is still of interest to you.

Source: _LIbre de Totes Maneres de Confits_ (Catalan, 14th century)

CAPITOL XXX.  PER FER UN PERFUM MOLT MERAVELLOS

Per fer perfum molt meravellos, tu prendras guoma dregant .ii. oz. e sia 
remullada dos dies ab ayguas fines e benjuhi mige ll. e almesc una 
draume e ambre una drauma e estorac .ii. oz.  E sia be molt, e puys 
pendras una poca de siveta, e, com tot aso sia prest, tot ho pesteras e 
com sia pestat be, ab un cano de canya o ab so que volras que sia ben 
lis tu ho pleneras liscant liscant fins que tu conexeras que romaqua de 
bona cruxa.  E com ho auras aplenat, auras un guanivet e fer n as 
tauletes, e, com n auras fetes tauletes, aredonir les as en forma de 
panets axi fet com mig cruant.  E con  ne volras perfumar, pendras del 
panets e fer n as trosets e axi lansar n as sobre lo bresquet e 
perfumeras so que voldras.  E si pahvets ne volras fer en lo pestar, 
metras lo terchs de carbo de salser e fer n as los dits pahvets.

Lady Brighid ni Chiarain
Settmour Swamp, East (NJ)


Date: Sat, 8 Apr 2000 22:36:42 -0400
From: "Robin Carroll-Mann" <harper at idt.net>
Subject: SC - OT: Catalan Perfume Recipes

And it came to pass on 8 Apr 00,, that Seton1355 at aol.com wrote:
> My high school Spanish is not up to snuff.  Do you be chance have this in
> English? Many thanks! P. Seton

I don't, but I can take a stab at a paraphrase.  (I don't dare call it a 
translation, but it should provide the relevant info.)
 
>  Here it is, in Catalan.  Although the title says "perfume", it appears to
>  be solid pellets which are used as we would use incense.  I hope that it
>  is still of interest to you.
> 
>  Source: _LIbre de Totes Maneres de Confits_ (Catalan, 14th century)
> 
>  CAPITOL XXX.  PER FER UN PERFUM MOLT MERAVELLOS
> 
>  Per fer perfum molt meravellos, tu prendras guoma dregant .ii. oz. e sia
>  remullada dos dies ab ayguas fines e benjuhi mige ll. e almesc una draume
>  e ambre una drauma e estorac .ii. oz.  E sia be molt, e puys pendras una
>  poca de siveta, e, com tot aso sia prest, tot ho pesteras e com sia
>  pestat be, ab un cano de canya o ab so que volras que sia ben lis tu ho
>  pleneras liscant liscant fins que tu conexeras que romaqua de bona cruxa.
>   E com ho auras aplenat, auras un guanivet e fer n as tauletes, e, com n
>  auras fetes tauletes, aredonir les as en forma de panets axi fet com mig
>  cruant.  E con  ne volras perfumar, pendras del panets e fer n as trosets
>  e axi lansar n as sobre lo bresquet e perfumeras so que voldras.  E si
>  pahvets ne volras fer en lo pestar, metras lo terchs de carbo de salser e
>  fer n as los dits pahvets.

To make a very marvelous perfume, you will take 2 ounces of gum 
dragon and it shall be soaked for two days in fine waters, and half a 
pound of bezoin and a drachm of musk and a drachm of amber and two 
ounces of storax.  And it shall be very good and then take a little of 
civet, and when all this is ready, (grind? powder?) all this and when it is 
well (ground? powdered?), with a cane of reed or whatever you wish, let 
it be quite smooth, you will flatten it very smoothly until you know that 
(?).  And when you have flattened it, take a knife and make slices, and 
when you have made slices, round them into the form of little rolls made 
like half a (?).  And when you wish to perfume, take the little rolls and 
make little pieces and leave them upon the (?) and you will perfume as 
you wish.  And if (?) you don't wish to make it in the (mortar?), put the 
(?) of coal for (incense??) and make the said (?).


As I said, I can't really call this a translation.  I don't know Catalan; I'm 
working with a couple of dictionaries and my knowledge of Spanish and 
French.  However, I think this would be a decent starting place for 
someone who is familiar with scent-making.

Lady Brighid ni Chiarain
Settmour Swamp, East (NJ)


Date: Sun, 07 May 2000 04:58:05 MST
From: martin <me at aromamedical.demon.co.uk>
Subject: re perfumery books
To: "Mark.S Harris (rsve60)" <rsve60 at email.sps.mot.com>

Recently I have seen some your compilations of messages from the
pefumery newsgroup.
I have put onto CD a magnificent work on fragrance  called 'The Scent of
Flowers' (circa 1928), some of your group may be interested in this.  I
was going to scan my first edition of 'The Art of Perfumery', but it is
a nightmare to do and existing sales make it uneconomic.  All details on
my web site.

Regards Martin Watt, UK. http://www.aromamedical.demon.co.uk
(Link updated 9/20/03 ŠStefan)


Date: Fri, 09 Jun 2000 18:25:12 -0500
From: Hollie Hoffman <hhoffman at networktel.net>
To: sca-arts at raven.cc.ukans.edu
Subject: Looking for book review - Scents of Time

Can anyone give me an informed review/opinion of this book.

Scents of Time: Perfume from Ancient Egypt to the 21st Century
by Edwin L. Morris
112 pages Bk&Acces ed (March 2000), Bulfinch Pr
Metropolitan Museum of Art
ISBN: 0821226355

Description:
"For more than 4,000 years, perfumery has never lost its allure. This gift
set demonstrates why. In the 112-page full-color book, fragrance historian
Edwin Morris traces perfume's story from its origins in Babylonia to the
most recent global trends. Each page is illustrated with works of art drawn
from the collections of The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Packaged with the
book are eight fine fragrances, specially blended by the perfumers of
Givaudan Roure to capture the most influential scents in history:
Frankincense, representing Egypt and the ancient Near East. Rose, the
favorite scent of the classical world. Sandalwood-Jasmine, a blend
reflective of the Islamic world and India. Orange Blossom, which originated
in East Asia. Spice, a blend of aromatics emblematic of the Renaissance.
Eau de Cologne, a refreshing fragrance first used in eighteenth-century
Europe. Millefleurs, a floral blend with twentieth-century aldehydic
chemistry. Sportif, a fresh citrus fragrance anticipating trends of the
twenty-first century. Open the book and discover how perfume has influenced
the art of living in every culture. Open the bottles and be transported to
the world of Cleopatra, Caterina de Medici, Madame de Pompadour, Napolon
Bonaparte, Paul Poiret, and the icons of today."

I am considering giving it as a birthday gift to an SCAer whose dream job
is to be a perfumer.

Thank You,

Lady Ananda Barineau Valiant da Firenze
Hollie Hoffman
Pensacola, FL
hhoffman at networktel.net


Date: Sun, 11 Jun 2000 10:24:04 -0700
From: Rose <rose at santiagosmagic.com>
To: sca-arts at raven.cc.ukans.edu
Subject: Re: Frankincense

Natural Magick has a whole chapter on perfumes, but frankincense isn't
mentioned at all.  Delights for Ladies, I believe, also has some perfume
recipes in it, but I don't remember any of them including frankincense,
either.  Off the top of my head, musk, ambergris and civet are the usual animal
scents, roses, lavender, spikenard and labdanum are the most common floral
scents, and cloves are the usual spice scent.

Interestingly, I have found very little about scents being applied to your
person -- most perfumes come in the form of pomanders and sweet powders or oils
to be worn or applied to your clothing, instead.

Now, if somebody can get their hands on the perfume book of Caterina Sforza,
I'd love to see a copy of that!

Rose :)


From: lilinah at earthlink.net
Date: Fri, 25 May 2001 17:35:09 -0700
To: sca-cooks at ansteorra.org
Subject: Re: [Sca-cooks] Help in translation?

>     A friend is having a problem with the following pomander recipie.  Could
>someone help her out?
>Olaf
>
>----- Original Message -----
>>  I'm doing some research on Elizabethan costuming.I came across this recipe
>>  for a pomander on page 86 of Handbook of English Costume in the Sixteenth
>> Century by C. Willet Cunnington. Plymouth State has this out of print book. I
>> didn't get the source this quotation was from but here is a great recipe for
>> a pomandor if you can figure it out. The quote is word for word including the 
punctuation:
>>
>> "Make a pomander under this manner. Take a lapidanum iii drammes, of wodde
>> of Aloes one dram, of amber of grece ii drames and a half; of nutmeg, of 
storax
>>  calamite of eche a dram and a halfe;confect all together with Rose-water,
>>  and make a ball"
>>
>>  Looks like the translater had handwiting to try to decipher.I'm assuming
>>  "dram" and "drame" are the same thing."Half" and "halfe" must be too. I
>> assume "amber of grece" is ambergris. "Storax calamite of eche" puzzles
>> me as does "wodde of Aloes".The manufacture of woad makes me think that it
>> doesn't smell that good but I could be wrong.It is probably something else.
>> Nutmeg and rosewater, I know. Now all I need to find out is how
>> much a lapidanum is.
>>
>> Roberta Bromley

First, orthography was not standardized until rather recently, so
it's hardly surprising that the spelling of dram  and half vary
within an Elizabethan recipe. After all, Shakespeare apparently
didn't sign his name the same way twice. It has nothing to do with
anyone's handwriting. Printed books of the time could have one word
spelled several ways on one page.

lapidanum - is labdanum, that is cistus or rock rose. It is NOT a
weight or measurement. The recipe calls for 3 drams of it. I have
some that someone made for me out of home grown plants. This is NOT
the same as "laudanum" which is a poppy derivative.

wodde of aloes - is aloes wood. It's hard to find in the US, but
sometimes very fine, high level Japanese shops that supply a Japanese
connoisseurship have some. It is an ancient ingredient in incenses -
i believe it is called for in the Bible for the temple incense. It
does smell wonderful. I don't own any because of the high price. It
has absolutely NOTHING to do with "woad" or with the succulent plant
known as aloe.

amber of grece - is ambergris. This is generally not available as it
comes from endangered sperm wales. I'm not sure how good the various
synthetics are. Some make me sneeze. A synthetic would be the only
recourse, unless you happen to find some excreted from a sperm whale
on a beach.

of nutmeg, of storax calamite of eche a dram - well, that means a
dram each of nutmeg and storax. I'm not sure about the calamite...
Anyone know: Is storax calamite a form of storax or is calamite a
separate ingredient? I have storax here. It's rather interesting
stuff.

So, i'd translate it as:
  "Make a pomander in this manner: Take 3 drams of labdanum, one dram
of wood Aloes, 2 and 1/2 drams of ambergris; a dram and a half of
nutmeg and of storax calamite. Confect all together with Rose-water,
and make a ball"

Anahita


Date: Sat, 26 May 2001 11:20:07 +0200
From: tgl at mailer.uni-marburg.de
To: sca-cooks at ansteorra.org
Subject: Re: [Sca-cooks] Help in translation?

<< I came across this recipe for a pomander on page 86 of Handbook of
English Costume in the Sixteenth Century by C. Willet Cunnington.
Plymouth State has this out of print book. I didn't get the source this
quotation was from ... >>

It seems to me that it is from Andrew Boorde's Dietary of Health (1542):

"(...) Or els make a
pomemaunder vnder this manor. Take of Lapdanum
.iii. drammes, of the wodde of Aloes one drame, of amber
of grece .ii. drames and a half; of nutmegges, of storax
calamite, of eche a drame and a half; confect all these
<<291>>
togyther with Rose-water, & make a ball. And this
aforesayd Pomemaunder doth not onely expell contagyous
ayre, but also it doth comforte the brayne, as
Barthelmew of Montagnaue sayth, & other modernall
doctors doth afferme the same: (...)"
(Andrew Boorde's Introduction and Dyetary ... Ed. F.J. Furnivall. London
1870, EETS E.S. 10, page 290-91).

It seems to me that _labdanum_ both means:
-- the plant: "Hills green with flowering shrubs, and in particular with
labdanum." (OED, quot. from 1775)
-- the resin of the plant: "Labdane, Labdanum; a fat, clammie,
transparent, and sweet-smelling Gumme." (Cotrgrave 1611; OED)

storax calamite:
"1694 Pechey Compl. Herbal 333 The resin of Storax, which is sold in the
Shops is two-fold, dry and liquid. The dry is called Storax-Calamite
because it is put up in Reeds." (OED)

Th.


From: "Decker, Terry D." <TerryD at Health.State.OK.US>
To: "'sca-cooks at ansteorra.org'" <sca-cooks at ansteorra.org>
Subject: RE: [Sca-cooks] Help in translation?
Date: Tue, 29 May 2001 08:32:27 -0500

Calamite can mean "reed" or "reed-like," so in this case I would probably
translate it as storax reed.  Storax is a general term for the snowbell
(Styrax japonicus) but can also refer to the resin of various members of the
Styrax and has been used to refer to the resin of various members of the
Liquidambar, especially L. orientalis.  I haven't see any of the plants, so
I can't tell you which resembles a reed.

Bear

> of nutmeg, of storax calamite of eche a dram - well, that means a
> dram each of nutmeg and storax. I'm not sure about the calamite...
> Anyone know: Is storax calamite a form of storax or is calamite a
> separate ingredient? I have storax here. It's rather interesting
> stuff.
>
> So, i'd translate it as:
>   "Make a pomander in this manner: Take 3 drams of labdanum, one dram
> of wood Aloes, 2 and 1/2 drams of ambergris; a dram and a half of
> nutmeg and of storax calamite. Confect all together with Rose-water,
> and make a ball"
>
> Anahita


From: jenne at fiedlerfamily.net
Date: Mon, 11 Mar 2002 23:18:00 -0500 (EST)
To: SCA-Cooks maillist <sca-cooks at ansteorra.org>
Subject: Re: [Sca-cooks] pomander

> It was asked:
> > Looking for documentation on pomanders...looking to make one for an upcoming
> > A&S competition and having problems finding documentation...
> >
> > Anyone have an idea?

I kept hoping that someone would come up with more info. The best single
secondary source I know of is the chapter on pomanders and scents in
Rosetta Clarkson's _Magic Gardens: A Chronicle of Herbs and Savory Seeds_.
There are recipes in Eleanor Sinclair Rohde's _A Scented Garden_.  I have
some recipes online in:
http://www.lehigh.edu/~jahb/herbs/scentedrecipes.html
http://www.lehigh.edu/~jahb/herbs/scents.html

-- Jadwiga Zajaczkowa


From: jenne at fiedlerfamily.net
Date: Thu, 1 Aug 2002 18:08:42 -0400 (EDT)
To: "SCA-Cooks (E-mail)" <sca-cooks at ansteorra.org>
Subject: Re: [Sca-cooks] Feast Ambience - incense 

If you want to make your own alcohol-less perfumes (or synthetic-fragrance
-free perfumes) or have those around you make them, there's a good book
called _Perfumes, Splashes and Colognes_ out there on how to do it.

At the risk of sounding like Stefan, 've got notes on the relation of such
to period practice, on the web here:
http://www.Lehigh.EDU/~jahb/herbs/oil&water.html

> Though actually if we got people to wear period scents to feasts they
> wouldn't have alcohol in them would they? Wasn't that an C.18th innovation?
> Jadwiga?

Welll..... that's a tricky one. Alcoholic perfumes may well date back to
period, though we don't have a lot of info about when distilled 'waters'
became the carrier of choice for scent. Myth says distilled alcohol
perfumes date back to the late 1300s but there are no surviving docs that
I can find. On the other hand, they wouldn't be terribly similar to what
we think of as perfumes. (I hope to enter rosemary boiled in wine in the
Pennsic A&S, which is a skin wash that dates back to 1525.)

-- Jadwiga Zajaczkowa

<the end>
Edited by Mark S. Harris	perfumes-msg