Quinta das Cruces

This is an elegant 19th century mansion, now a museum, furnished as a wealthy sugar merchant’s house:

A circular sewing box:

A shaving dish, shaped to fit round the gentleman’s neck:


An embroidered bedcover in Chinese style:

On the ground floor are examples of furniture made from mahogany packing cases in the 17th century. These would have been used for shipping sugar before being turned into chests and cupboards when the sugar trade moved to Brazil in the 18th century… says my guide book.