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

A bouquet holder, tussie mussie with a pretty turned mother-of-pearl handle. The vase is composed of eight finely stamped, chiseled, and cut metal strips. A pin secures the bouquet. The ring is missing. The bouquet holder measures 5,9 inches long. 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 clothing and in the hair. To preserve the freshness and fragrance of the flowers, bouquet holders took the form of small bottles concealed in bodices or worn on clothing. In the 19th century, the custom of wearing flowers led manufacturers to create new types of bouquet holders. The bouquet holder then consisted of a vase extending into a handle, sometimes with a small chain attached to a ring. This device is attached to a finger or a chatelaine and holds the bouquet holder in place. A system allows the bouquet to be secured in the "vase," the simplest being a pin-fixing device. Source: Catalogue of the "Bouquet Holders" exhibition at the Cognacq-Jay Museum in 2005.