02

Caring for the body

What did you do when you woke up this morning? Each of us care for our body using tools designed for a specific purpose, like toothbrushes or hair wraps. The V&A collects objects used in daily rituals as they give us insights into how cultures treated the body across time.

We can transport ourselves into the past when we imagine the sensations of these objects: how would it feel to scrape one of these ceramic bath rasps across your skin? Would that comb glide or stick in your hair?

Written by: Georgia Haseldine, Senior Curator of V&A East Storehouse
Published: May 2025

Collecting Stories

Museum Number
M.205:1 to 3-1926
Title/Description
Ewer, strainer and basin
Date
early 19th century
Object information
Museum Number
CIRC.16 to B-1966
Title/Description
Sola bathroom suite
Artist/Maker
Stanley Ellis, E
Date
20th century
Materials/Techniques
Ceramic
Object information
Museum Number
1781-1855
Title/Description
Dish
Artist/Maker
Unknown
Location
Urbania
Date
ca. 1540
Materials/Techniques
Earthenware, Tin glaze, Painting
Object information
Museum Number
02377(IS)
Title/Description
Comb
Object information
Museum Number
02379(IS)
Title/Description
Comb
Object information
Museum Number
02380(IS)
Title/Description
Comb
Object information
Museum Number
02382(IS)
Title/Description
Comb
Object information
Museum Number
02384(IS)
Title/Description
Comb
Object information
Museum Number
02385(IS)
Title/Description
Comb
Object information
Museum Number
02386(IS)
Title/Description
Comb
Object information
Museum Number
02387(IS)
Title/Description
Comb
Object information
Museum Number
02391(IS)
Title/Description
Comb
Object information
Museum Number
02392(IS)
Title/Description
Comb
Object information
Museum Number
02393(IS)
Title/Description
Comb
Object information
Museum Number
02400(IS)
Title/Description
Comb
Object information
Museum Number
02407(IS)
Title/Description
Comb
Object information
Museum Number
02408(IS)
Title/Description
Comb
Object information
Museum Number
957-1852
Title/Description
Comb
Object information
Museum Number
959-1852
Title/Description
Comb
Object information
Museum Number
IS.10-1902
Title/Description
Double comb
Date
early 18th century
Object information
Museum Number
728-1901
Title/Description
Mirror
Location
Japan
Date
19th century
Materials/Techniques
Bronze, Rattan, Casting
Object information
Museum Number
729-1901
Title/Description
Mirror
Artist/Maker
Fujiwara
Location
Japan
Date
19th century
Materials/Techniques
Bronze, Casting
Object information
Museum Number
M.447-1956
Title/Description
Mirror
Artist/Maker
Shigenaga
Location
Bizen
Date
19th century
Materials/Techniques
Bronze, Cast, Silvering
Object information
Museum Number
M.449-1956
Title/Description
Mirror
Artist/Maker
Yoshitsugu
Location
Tokyo
Date
19th century
Materials/Techniques
Bronze, Casting, Silvering
Object information
Museum Number
1929(IS)
Title/Description
Razor
Location
Shache
Date
ca. 1873
Object information
Museum Number
1930(IS)
Title/Description
Razor
Location
Shache
Date
ca. 1873
Object information
Museum Number
1931(IS)
Title/Description
Razor
Location
Shache
Date
ca. 1873
Object information
Museum Number
06093(IS)
Title/Description
Razor
Object information
Museum Number
9149(IS)
Title/Description
Razor
Object information
Museum Number
06094(IS)
Title/Description
Clasp knife
Object information
Museum Number
06095(IS)
Title/Description
Clasp knife
Object information
Museum Number
06100(IS)
Title/Description
Barber's knife
Object information
Museum Number
1067C-1876
Title/Description
Rasp
Artist/Maker
Unknown
Location
Iran
Date
1690-1725
Materials/Techniques
Fritware
Object information
Museum Number
2476B-1876
Title/Description
Rasp
Artist/Maker
Unknown
Location
Iran
Date
1690-1720
Materials/Techniques
Fritware, Painted, Glazed
Object information
Museum Number
443-1874
Title/Description
Rasp
Artist/Maker
Unknown
Location
Iran
Date
1690-1720
Object information
Museum Number
2474-1876
Title/Description
Bath rasp
Artist/Maker
Unknown
Location
Iran
Date
1650-1700
Materials/Techniques
Fritware, Glazed, Painted
Object information
Discover more
- Iranian bath rasps: ASMR
Museum Number
HMC.383
Title/Description
Rasp
Object information
Museum Number
1027-1883
Title/Description
Bath rasp
Artist/Maker
Unknown
Location
Iran
Date
17th century
Materials/Techniques
Fritware, Moulded, Slip-trailed, Glazed, Pierced
Object information
Museum Number
1147-1883
Title/Description
Bath rasp
Artist/Maker
Unknown
Location
Iran
Date
18th century or 19th century
Materials/Techniques
Fritware, Glazed
Object information
Museum Number
652-1889
Title/Description
Bath rasp
Artist/Maker
Unknown
Location
Iran
Date
1650-1700
Materials/Techniques
Fritware, Painted, Glazed
Object information
Discover more
- Iranian bath rasps: ASMR
Museum Number
656-1889
Title/Description
Bath rasp
Artist/Maker
Unknown
Location
Iran
Date
1650-1725
Materials/Techniques
Fritware, Painted, Glazed
Object information
Discover more
- Iranian bath rasps: ASMR
Museum Number
C.112-1927
Title/Description
Bath rasp
Artist/Maker
Unknown
Location
Turkey
Date
13th century
Materials/Techniques
Earthenware, Moulded
Object information
Museum Number
C.84-1957
Title/Description
Rasp
Artist/Maker
Unknown
Location
Asyut
Date
middle of 19th century
Materials/Techniques
Earthenware, Burnished
Object information
Museum Number
W.7-1973
Title/Description
Toilet mirror
Artist/Maker
Salvin, Anthony
Location
England
Date
1838
Materials/Techniques
Oak, Glass, Brass (alloy), Carving, Incising
Object information