<I>Bouquet holder, octagonal handle</I>

ca. 1830-1920

Silver funnel bouquet holder with straight handle. The vase is comprised of hand-engraved, machine-cut scrolling foliate designs and three progressively smaller curlicues are repeated toward the base. The lip of the vase is scalloped with engraved decoration that continue down the two seams. A hole in the middle of these engraved vertical bands is for the insertion of a floral pin. This feature secured the bouquet in place by piercing the stems in the bundle of flowers. The urn-shaped neck of the bouquet holder is unadorned with one visible seam. The handle is octagonal and made from a single sheet of metal. Each panel is engraved in an alternating pattern of ways and leaf motifs. A two-part stamped ball caps the bottom of the handle and connects to a looped round-link round link chains ending in a floral pin, the tip of which is broken off. There are also the remnants of second chain which would have attached to a ring that allowed the bouquet holder to be worn from the finger or on a chatelaine at the waist to free the lady's hands while dancing.