Fluted silver posy holder, shaped as a cornucopia, set with cabochon turquoises and fitted at one side with a hinged bifurcated stand. Gilt metal chain and pin attached.

Queen Victoria owned numerous porte-bouquets. They originated at the court of Versailles during the reign of Louis XIV and continued throughout the nineteenth century, gaining in popularity in other European courts. Designed to retain the perfume and freshness of flower posies and to protect fine dress fabrics from staining, some, such as this one, are fitted with stands to allow them to be placed upright on a table. They were used on social occasions as part of a lady’s grande toilette, usually at dinner, the theatre or at balls.

An early visual record of her use of bouquet holders is the sketch by E.T. Parris (1793-1873) of the Queen at Drury Lane Theatre shortly after her accession in 1837. The provenance of the present example is not certain but Garrards 1896 inventory lists ‘a bouquet holder, gold, studded with turquoises’ presented in 1845 by the Honourable Society of Lincoln’s Inn. Although this example fits the description closely, it is made of silver rather than gold and is of a later date.

Hallmarks for London, 1854–5 and maker’s mark of William Nichols

Text adapted from Victoria & Albert: Art & Love, London, 2010