rnate label with border of flowers and birds. Personal appearance is one of the final frontiers in reenacting: buying the “right stuff” only takes money; but altering the way you look is quite a different affair. Not all of us—much as we might like—can wear period facial hair (although a lot more of us should than do); but something we can do without too much trouble is to oil our hair. They did: not many of us do. Not only does it change the way you look—and leave its mark on your caps and hats, a subtle but telling detail—it also changes the way you smell. Olfactory authenticity is just as important as any other kind….but is rarely considered. Rose Hair Oil is still available commercially,  but if you wish to make your own, here is a mid-19 century recipe: “

Take 1 quart olive oil, 2 ½ ozs. alcohol, 1 ½ oz. rose oil; after this tie 1 oz of chipped alkanet root in 3 or 4 little muslin bags, and let them lie in the oil until a pretty red is manifested, then change them to other oil. Do not press them.”