A Gentleman's Rest was once used primarily in the Victorian era when clothing was thicker and heavier.
As a Gentleman went about his business, he would find that his more intimate areas would become sweaty.
To avoid chaffing and sweat rash, a Gentleman would go to the 'airing cupboard' (which was a small well ventilated room within the
house) to make use of his 'Gentleman's Rest' which consisted of a long
stick, atop of which was a decorated shelf.
In
America they used to refer to this room as the 'Rest Room' and is where the modern
day term originates.
The Gentleman would remove his little Gentleman from his garments and rest himself upon this shelf to
air himself out and naturally dry away the sweat.
Common decorations for the 'shelf' include Mermaids, Ophelia'
s arm, a slender
female leg and Persephone's pony-tail.
Though popular at the time, only a known handful have survived to this day and are highly collectible in the
art world and is commonly confused in its appearance with that of the common walking
stick.
The earliest known example dates back to 1874 and whilst it is in poor condition it is still a beautiful piece.
