Description
Silver Vinaigrette by Thomas Willmore hallmarked in Birmingham in 1805.
This piece is in a very good condition with hinges to the lid and grid cover perfectly intact. The inside of the vinaigrette is gilded and the pierced grid is beautifully decorated.
These objects were often used by the gentry to disguise the unpleasant smells around them as hygiene practice was minimal back in those days. There would have been a cologne-soaked sponge beneath the grid and by opening the lid, it would be held discreetly to the owner’s nose.
Vinaigrettes are highly collectable objects and becoming rarer to find.