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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;Shangas, post: 154127, member: 360&quot;]I don&#039;t think the silver item is a vinaigrette. It doesn&#039;t look like the right shape, and at any rate - the lack of proper sealing (the three holes) would dry up the vinegar-perfume solution really fast, wouldn&#039;t it?</p><p><br /></p><p>I would tentatively suggest that the item is actually an antique stamp-moistener and envelope-sealer. The sponge (or whatever it is) was soaked in water, and inside the tube was a spring.</p><p><br /></p><p>You pressed the item onto the underside of the stamp. The spring compressed the sponge, which forced water through the holes onto the stamp, making it adhesive, and it was then stuck onto the envelope. A similar process would&#039;ve been used to seal the envelope itself (that is, if sealing-wax itself wasn&#039;t used).</p><p><br /></p><p>Remember that ladies would&#039;ve sent a lot of correspondence in those days. To husbands, sweethearts, relations, children, etc. And in an age when disease was somewhat more prevalent than it is today - it would probably be seen as unhygienic (to say nothing of unsightly) for a lady to lick her own stamps and envelopes. </p><p><br /></p><p>Here&#039;s one made by Tiffany &amp; Co, which looks similar to what you have:</p><p><br /></p><p><img src="https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/2e/8b/84/2e8b841e91a6bafb1f32af3e1bdc2b9c.jpg" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" />[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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