Domestic splendours in old Polish inventories of movables

Abstract

Inventories, registers, dowry lists or wills which include descriptions of movables of everyday and personal use owned by nobility, are more and more frequently used by contemporary researchers. They are an excellent basis for analysing not only the standard of living, lifestyle itself and household facilities, but also the mentality of people living in past centuries. The structure of inventory corresponded to the value of individual artefacts. The top of the list was usually occupied by the most precious items which were considered “domestic splendours”, such as jewels and gems, gold and silver jewellery and items, costly weapons with armour, clothing and decorative fabrics. They were followed by interior furnishings, household equipment and tools. In this case, the value of a particular item corresponded to the material which it was made of, mainly silver, tin, copper, iron and occasionally glass, china or crystal. Sometimes, the last positions of the lists were reserved for books, paintings, clocks, and even vehicles, which, due to their cultural, educational and material value, were supposed to be registered in other documents, that is, for example in “valuables”.