I am not saying that "period" would does not relate to historical items/clothes etc. The problem is with using "period" here, is that within general usage, it is usually used to describe things when the context is present, but the actual time period being discussed is dated. For example, "Titanic memorial cruise: passengers dress in period costume on the MS Balmoral"
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/history/titanic-anniversary/91957...This is why we often say "a period drama" for example, because we are in this century, looking back to that period. (And I am not trying to discredit other respondents to your question - it just sounds odd to an English ear).