We recently acquired this tiny 16th century nail cleaner and ear scoop to add to our collections. This small item, approximately 4cm in length, would probably have been attached to a larger ring which may also have carried tweezers and a tooth pick. It is silver and was probably owned by someone fairly wealthy.
Toiletry items such as this one had been around since at least Roman times. The endurance of such an item over time suggests that it would have been a fairly common possession for those who could afford it.
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