Condoms
There's been a bunch of talk about this first image on the Beau Monde loop this week (this is a yahoo group for Regency Romance writers). As the image doesn't appear to be available online, and I own Sex in Georgian England by A.D. Harvey, I thought I'd share it (sadly it's just a phone pic, as my scanner doesn't work with my new computer and I haven't got around to buying a new one).
Quality control at the condom warehouse, c.1744.
The man behind the table is a clergyman, who is apparently blessing the wares. The girl is blowing them up, looking for leaks.
Period condoms were made of sheep gut (intestine) and were sold in envelopes, inside boxes. They were dry, and had to be soaked in water before use (not exactly spontaneous) and they were not normally used to prevent pregnancy, but by men who didn't want to contract a disease from the whores they slept with.
The
length of intestine was closed at one end with thread, and was held in place on the man's "yard" by a ribbon. They were expensive, and frequently were washed, dried, and reused (*shudder*).
Other tidbits: The English called them "French letters", but the French called them "English overcoats".
Quality control at the condom warehouse, c.1744.
The man behind the table is a clergyman, who is apparently blessing the wares. The girl is blowing them up, looking for leaks.
Period condoms were made of sheep gut (intestine) and were sold in envelopes, inside boxes. They were dry, and had to be soaked in water before use (not exactly spontaneous) and they were not normally used to prevent pregnancy, but by men who didn't want to contract a disease from the whores they slept with.
The
length of intestine was closed at one end with thread, and was held in place on the man's "yard" by a ribbon. They were expensive, and frequently were washed, dried, and reused (*shudder*).Other tidbits: The English called them "French letters", but the French called them "English overcoats".
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