<I>Bouquet holder, rosebud motif</I>

ca.1830-1920

Silver bouquet holder with looped handle. The vase of the holder is comprised of three repeats of flowers, leaves, and twigs having both shiny and matte surfaces. Near the lip of the vase is a hole for the floral pin which is connected to bouquet holder by a short length of round-link chain at the base of the vase. This pin would be used to pierce the stems in a bouquet to secure the flowers inside the holder. A second length of chain attaches at the same point and is connected to a ring. This feature would allow the bouquet holder to be worn from the finger or on a chatelaine at the waist to free the lady's hands while dancing. The curved handle is formed from two stamped repeats of a scrolling foliage design that flares off the main body of the handle. It has a closed loop the reaches the midpoint of this ornate handle.