Bouquet Holder, Tussie Mussie, Mother-of-pearl Handle, Napoleon III Period

Bouquet holder, Tussie Mussie with a mother-of-pearl handle. The vase is made of gilded metal, inlaid with four blue stones. It is finely stamped, chiseled, and cut. It is decorated with leaves, scrolls, and scallops. A bouquet-fixing needle is used to hold the bouquet. The bouquet holder measures 6,69 inches high, the vase approximately 1,57 inchesin diameter. Circa 1850-1860.

Note on bouquet holders: The use of bouquet holders appeared at the court of Versailles during the reign of Louis XIV and developed throughout the 18th century. Flowers were then worn on clothes and in hair. To keep the flowers fresh and fragrant, bouquet holders took the form of bottles hidden in bodices or worn on clothing. In the 19th century, the custom of carrying flowers led manufacturers to create new types of bouquet holders. The bouquet holder then consists of a vase that extends into a handle on which there is sometimes a chain connected to a ring. The latter is attached to the finger or to a chatelaine and allows the bouquet holder to be held. A system allows the bouquet to be fixed in the "vase", the simplest being that of the bouquet fixed needle. Sources: Catalogue of the "Porte-bouquets" exhibition at the Cognacq-Jay Museum in 2005.