Vinaigrette in the form of a handbag

Silver vinaigrette, in the form of a rectangular handbag or satchel, with perforated hinged inner lid, stamped with the initials J.L., which probably indicate the makers are John Lawrence & Co and hallmarked in Birmingham, 1817

Vinaigrettes were small containers used for holding fragrant substances, often dissolved in vinegar, which were popular amongst wealthier sections of the British population from the late 18th century through the mid-19th century. Many were designed in silver, within which a tiny piece of sponge, soaked in the pungent scent, was contained beneath a grill or perforated cover.

Originally carried by both sexes, though latterly mainly women, they could be kept in a pocket or at the end of a chain and be quickly accessed in the wearer encountered some of the foul smells that would be a familiar part of life during those times – particularly in urban areas. In an era when disease was thought to been carried in the air via foul-smelling ‘miasmas’, vinaigrettes were also seen as having protective properties. Accessed via a hinged lid, the scent might also be inhaled if the wearer was feeling ill or faint – much like smelling salts.

The J.L. stamp probably indicates it was made by silversmiths John Lawrence & Co, who were based in Frederick Street and then later in Mount Street, Birmingham from the early 19th century. The city was the country's main centre of vinaigrette manufacture, accounting for around 90% of those made in the UK.