Vinaigrette
William Lea & Co. British
Not on view
A vinaigrette in the form of a satchel or wallet with a simulated fold-over flap bears the hallmark of William Lea & Co and the date letter for 1816. The firm focused on small novelty items.
The exterior is engraved to resemble a sturdy material with illusionistic bands at the edges. The reserve on the lid, which could have been engraved with a name or initials, has been left blank. The hinged gilded grille is pierced with a floral and trellis motif.
The interior retains the sponge which would have been dipped in aromatic vinegar.
A vinaigrette was intended to hold a tiny sponge dipped in aromatic vinegar. Its interior Is gilded to protect the silver from oxidation caused by the acidity of the vinegar. A hinged and decoratively pierced inner lid or grille kept the sponge in place while its perforations allowed the odor to waft through. A whiff of the vinegar might revive someone from a fainting spell. Such vinaigrettes were worn around the neck, on a chatelaine suspended from the waist, or carried in a pocket.
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