Featured Vinaigrettes...

Many here know that I have a weakness for spoons, collecting them for decades, but I do have other silver pieces as well - and what I have long admired, but haven't had as part of my silver collection, are Scandinavian and Dutch scent-boxes or vinaigrettes. So I decided to look for a Danish 'hovedvansaeg', specifically egg-form, a Norwegian 'luktevannshus', specifically heart-form, and a Dutch 'lodereindoosje', specifically basket-form - and succeeded, but in the process, somehow ended up with seven other pieces as well, and thought I'd share them...


In the back is the Danish piece, mid 19th century, small red glass 'stone' set in the top, and the Norwegian piece, also mid 19th century, each measure about 2-3/4" tall.

The five boxes in the center, dating from 1860 to 1868 and ranging from 1-5/8" to 1-7/8" tall, are all Dutch, the basket-form piece likely missing a chain and ring.

The cast 2" scent-heart at bottom left is probably an early 20th century piece, maybe Scandinavian, but I'd guess German, the unmarked 1-1/4" lathe-turned egg (riechei) at bottom right, which unscrews into three pieces, and probably had a separate grille as well, is most likely 18th century German, and the 1-1/4" wide vinaigrette at bottom center is Birmingham, 1810.











~Cheryl

 

splendid.......indeed !!

 

Lovely.

 

A beautiful collection!! Thank you so much for sharing with us

 

Another beautiful collection.

I will say again though, that your spoons are the most outstanding of any spoon collection that I've ever seen.

 

Delightful & charming. Thank You for sharing sharing with us. I was instantly reminded about a so-called "Expert" on tv who said: "The Victorians used vinaigrettes to keep vinegar in..." Yeah, too right they did! LOL
It makes me cringe when I hear some of these "experts" speaking absolute tosh.

 

A gorgeous collection, Cheryl, thank you for showing us.
The Danish piece at the back is a shape I have never seen before, unusual and stylish. It looks like the shape could have originated in the 18th century?

 

Isn't that they way!
Scent boxes? I've heard of scent bottles. Did people keep powder or crystals in them? They look like they were intended to be portable. Was it a thing to carry them around and bring them out when in company to be admired? Each is scrumptious in its own way. It looks like some of them had a place for monograms. Did you search for ones that were not engraved or wasn't it a practice ever though the designer allowed for it. I think I like the egg that separates in three places the best, but I wouldn't mind having anyone of these!

 

Ooh. "luktevannshus"= luckenbooth, almost!

 

Awww, thank you, Judy! While I appreciate the compliment, my spoon collection is pretty modest compared to some...

Glad you like them! Vinegars were one of the various aromatic liquids used in vinaigrettes, hence the name, and the gilt interiors protected the silver...

Thank you, AJ! It was sort of unintentional, really just wanting to find the three examples mentioned, but kept running across hard to resist pieces - still keeping an eye out for a bargain priced cabinet-form lodereindoosje...

The hovedvansaeg is a bit unusual, but I wanted one in a reasonably realistic egg shape, partially because the name includes 'egg' (would guess from those like the German egg), but also because it pleases my eye and I collect them, starting with a Limoges egg box Mom gave me for my 10th Easter, continuing the tradition with various types of eggs until just a few years before she passed (she also made me the best deviled eggs, knowing my weakness for them - if forced to eat only one food for the rest of my life, would be eggs). Some of the Danish pieces are so over the top, and often awkward in shape, but when I saw this one, it spoke to me, simple and elegant, even the rings, which are faceted, charmed me - they definitely date back to the 18th century, but don't believe I'm qualified to suggest the origin of this form (there are a couple of somewhat obscure reference books), this one was made by Peter Outzen Qvade, working in Maribo 1840-96.

By the way, do you happen to know who Dutch maker 'K10' might be? Have found other pieces, but they were also unidentified.


~Cheryl

 

I have to go now, but will check some Dutch sites later.

 

They were carried in pockets or bags, or hung from a chatelaine or watch chain, their intended use to provide a scent to clear one's nose of the noxious odors of the times - the scent would be applied to a bit of sponge or wadding, and the boxes close tight. The Scandinavian pieces became a popular gift for ladies, and sometimes had a compartment on the base that could hold a small coin - they were often personalized, and I wouldn't have minded it in the least, but only one of the Dutch boxes, the one with engraved decoration, is prick-engraved with 'AKW' on the base.

The 18th century egg is quite nice, substantial and heavy, I'm pleased that it retains it's decoration, many are very worn from handling - it feels nice in the hand, and imagine it was fondled by many fingers over the years...

~Cheryl

 

Cheryl, those are, each and every one, OH SO GORGEOUS!!!! Beautiful Collection!!

 

Thanks! Certainly no rush, not really all that important, just curious...

~Cheryl

 

What a way to start the day! Beautiful!

 

Now I understand. Sponges! I wouldn't have recognized one of these as a vinaigrette. I'm so happy you showed these to us.

 

Cheryl, smelling-salts were also used on occasion, but yes, perfumed oils and fragrances were the norm. Sewerage was a huge and ongoing problem during the times when vinaigrettes were used, and as only the rich societies could afford such luxury many examples were produced in solid silver and also in Gold. Even musical examples were produced in places like Vienna.

 

Couldn't find it, sorry.

 

Tight corsets too. Those ladies needed something to keep them from passing out.