A case can be produced the range acted since the a great particularly curated site regarding sexual memories, similar to good trophy case, linking Tennent so you can their roguish prior as the good ‘harum scarum youth’. Just like the Meghan Roberts has actually demonstrated in her examination of inmates into the revolutionary France, everyday stuff (such butter foods) was imbued with ‘enormous affective power’, transporting the fresh imprisoned emotionally into ‘safe embrace’ of its family members and you will home. 74 I would believe the same procedure is at play right here. 75 Actually, while the Maya Wassell Smith provides contended, the newest operate out of handmaking is actually ‘mentally transformative’ since it invests things ‘having social and emotional agency’. 76 Whenever males created stuff, these were maybe not ‘only thought owing to while making, however, impression owing to making too’. 77 Tennent’s type of hair is going to be realize when you look at the a similar means. As he may have obtained such stuff as an element of an effective courtship custom, their then curation of them changed not merely their meaning, in addition to their meaningfulness. Including notches towards an excellent bedpost, this new Tennent range provides a particular understanding of exactly how one-man knew and you can reported their sexual sense. 78

Just like the Siegl highlights, the brand new sexual things created by some one, out-of whittled data in order to pornographic leaflets, let us know far on how someone ‘told reports about sexuality in their own personal idiom’

One to Tennent returned to it type of tokens find links while the passports so you can his bachelorhood is recommended by labelling and you may real state from some of the situations. Such as, the brand new secure out-of tresses related to Skip Catharine Louisa Lawless features started curiously revised and also make obvious the real reception go out: ‘Tresses regarding Catharine Louisa Lawless, 1820, Dublin November 101,820 or rather ten o’clock early morning endment is made. You to definitely chance is that the phrasing acted since an excellent veiled indication you to Tennent retrieved the hair on your head new early morning immediately following every night-date tryst. The new modification is established in the same ink while the initially time is not crossed out: the newest phrasing draws focus on the new passage of the day. It may also just reflect a desire to listing new framework of your own present accurately for posterity. Whatever the need, the amendment implies an aspire to very carefully checklist the fresh situations the new hair are gotten. A correct curation of the items is obviously important to Tennent. Your range was applied as an easy way off reconnecting in order to earlier thoughts can certainly be suggested on physicality of one’s facts. Tokens had been rubbed, stroked and smelled by the the citizens, tactilely hauling them to metropolitan areas, occurrences and other people one to kept cherished thoughts. It is entirely possible you to definitely some of the misshapen and you will immature hair off hair regarding the collection is actually head consequences off a lot of contact. Your hair away from Catharine Louisa Lawless, including, may have after come molded into a nice plait.

Like the pieces of home made and you will selfmade pornography studied by Lisa Siegl, Tennent’s range brings an unique insight into your own narrative off sexual experience

A further concern we might query of one’s collection is the use. While it is unlikely the new range try ever assembled given that a beneficial ‘gift’ to some other, was it curated only to own private have fun with? How is it possible one other people might have been privy to its lifetime? Considering Eliza McCracken’s ideas into the storage out-of courtship gift ideas and you may tokens mentioned before, it’s highly likely that Tennent kept the existence of this range off the lady find. A better check of the things that indicates that at the least a couple hair regarding tresses had been inserted on range in one time he had been courting his partner. While goods 9 about collection branded ‘Tresses out-of Lucretia Belfast’ was old 13 December 1826, item 15, belonging to Ellen Lepper, is actually old twenty six June 1827. 80 Hair could potentially stay because proof Tennent’s roving eye and you will/otherwise unfaithfulness – matters we are able to suppose he would must save yourself from his wife.