Snuff box containing the pubic hair of King George IV’s mistress.

Delicious article in Slate: Hellfire Holidays, on one of my all-time favorite topics, the Hellfire Club.

A flood of wealth from the budding empire allowed the leisured classes to fulfill their carnal fantasies without restraint. And perhaps the most striking feature of the age was the explosion of British sex clubs, where a colorful array of rakes, libertines, courtesans, and aristocratic adventuresses dressed up in outrageous outfits for kinky ceremonies.

See also: The Pervert’s Grand Tour.