<I>Bouquet holder, vine and leaf motif</I>

ca.1830-1920

Silver bouquet holder with straight handle. The funnel-shaped vase is comprised of a pierced design of interlacing wires with leaves hanging from the open lozenges by curly vines. The neck, which connects the vase to the handle, is a smooth sphere with two short lengths of chain are attached to the side of the vase. The first attaches to a floral pin, which would be inserted through the vase to pierce the stems of a bouquet in order to secure the flowers inside the holder. The second chain would have terminated in a ring. The ring 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 straight handle is also pierced with same design as the vase.