Culpeper believed that if medicinal plants were to be effective, they had to be collected (or sown) at specific times; these times were dictated by the position of the planets and celestial bodies. Consequently, each block print shows a plant contained within a circle - suggestive of its governing planet or celestial body - underscored with a ribbon containing the name of the plant and associated planet, etc.
In the mid 1600s - Culpeper’s time - the sun and moon were known about. However, only five of our seven planets (not including Earth) had been discovered: Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn. Consequently, the coat’s lining has a total of 7 block prints of medicinal plants, each with a different governing planet, the sun and the moon.
We have mirrored this number in the amount of buttons on the coat; 3 at the front and 2 on each cuff. As a nod to the undiscovered planets - Uranus and Neptune - and our own Earth, there are three spare buttons, sewn inconspicuously onto the lining.
As with all our garments, the ‘Culpeper’ is entirely handmade in rural England - lead time is approximately 6 weeks. Please note that we do accept payment in up to three instalments at no extra charge.
*Horehound, a remedy for chest infections and coughs, is positioned opposite the lungs; motherwort, a cure for melancholy and heartache, sits opposite the heart; viper’s bugloss, a treatment for back pain and kidney problems, is located opposite the spine; sage, an antidote for leg cramps, is positioned opposite the shin; mustard, a remedy for ailments of the spleen, sits opposite the upper abdomen; fleawort, a cure for sciatica, is located opposite the back of the thigh, and purslane, a treatment for stomach pain, is positioned opposite the belly.
If you’d like to order a coat or have any questions, feel free to email (workshop@bonfieldblockprinters.com) or telephone 01460 30268
