Antique pomanders (perforated container for perfume)

The pomander was the forerunner to the vinaigrette of the Victorian era, and its use can be traced back to the Middle Ages. A pomander was a small ball made up of perfumes such as musk, and was worn or carried in a container also called a pomander. The containers were worn around the waist or suspended from a chain or around the neck. They were of one or two compartments with a pierced silver or gold grill to allow the fragrance of the costly solid perfume or aromatic inside to be dispersed. The substances carried inside pomanders were valued for their medicinal and protective powers against plague and other diseases. They also assisted in masking unpleasant odours.