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Hampshire Museums Service

Collection highlights

Embroidered casket 1655
This 17th century casket is a superb dated example of a specific type of female dressing table and travelling box. It was used to store personal possessions and treasures, for a girl who lived a life of some luxury in Oliver Cromwell's Commonwealth.
More information on the Embroidered casket 1655
Beetle Wing Teacosy, 1885-90
The extraordinary, iridescent 'sequins' on this Victorian teacosy are actually the wing cases of beetles, carefully hand sewn in place and then trimmed with gilt metal thread embroidery.
More information on the Beetle Wing Teacosy
Eric Gill Hampshire Hog, c1915
British artist and typeface designer Eric Gill sculpted this to advertise workshops in Hampshire Hog Lane, west London. The workshops were part of a scheme designed to aid and educate the working-class population of Hammersmith.
Sack-back polonaise gown and petticoat c1770-75
A glorious, hand-sewn, 18th century late rococo gown in the form of a sack-back dress, styled as an open robe, with its own original matching outer petticoat.
More information on the polonaise gown
Wooden Doll, c1750
She is wearing a complete set of original clothes, including a 'sack-back' silk robe; a 'hoop' (to give shape to the dress); and separate pockets. Dressmakers sometimes used dolls like this to show off the latest fashions.
More information on this doll
Ignis
This small earthenware figurine thought to have been manufactured in London, dated 1679
More information on Ignis
Wedding Cake, 1898
A remarkable survival story. The cake was displayed in the window of C H Philpott bakery, Basingstoke until it closed in 1964. It was moved to the loft and remained there until 1996 when it was donated to us. We have recently repaired a large crack in the icing, believed to be the result of wartime bombing.
More information on the Wedding Cake
Album of a World War Two evacuee, April 1940
During the Second World War, the six-year-old Clifford Stark kept this album during his stay in Penton Mewsey, where he had been evacuated from Southampton in March 1940.
The Tichborne Spoons, 1592
This set of twelve spoons once belonged to the Tichborne family of Tichborne Park near Alresford. Such spoons are most often topped by figures of the Apostles, but uniquely this set depicts Christ, St Peter, Queen Elizabeth I and a group of historic and legendary heroes known as the Nine Worthies.
More information on the Tichborne Spoons
The Alton Buckle, late 6th - 7th century Saxon Jewelled Buckle
Is this a Saxon heirloom? This expensive Saxon buckle would have been made for a wealthy and important person. It has signs of wear, tear and ancient repair showing it was worn by many generations.
More about the Alton Buckle
Heywood Sumner tapestry, 1908
This tapestry of a romanticised Medieval hunting scene is in the Arts and Crafts style. It was inspired by the artist's love of the New Forest and features local birds and animals in the border.
More information on the Heywood Sumner tapestry
Dolores Bronze Sculpture, 1923
A bronze sculpture modelled on a woman known as Dolores, by Sir Jacob Epstein (1880-1959), the American sculptor, and dating to 1923, on display at the Allen Gallery, Alton.
More about the Dolores sculpture
Jim Keeble K3, 1980s
A three wheeler prototype car for a planned production run of forty cars, that could achieve 125mph.

We can't fit it in the gallery, but it is a favourite from our collections and a real star item!