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

Bouquet Holder, Tussie Mussie. An elegant ball flower holder with a turned mother-of-pearl handle. The small gilt metal vase is decorated with four putti heads and three porcelain flowers—a fourth, now missing, originally completed the set. Two chains connect the vase and handle to the pin for securing the flower and to the ring for attaching it to a finger. Length: 6,49 inches. French work, circa 1850.

Note holders: The use of flower 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, flower 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 flower holders. The bouquet holder consists of a vase extending into a handle, sometimes with a chain attached to a ring. This ring is fastened to a finger or a chatelaine and holds the holder in place. A system is used to secure the bouquet within the vase; the simplest is a pin for securing the bouquet. Source: Catalogue of the "Bouquet Holders" exhibition at the Cognacq-Jay Museum in 2005.