Scarce sterling silver ‘watch case’ vinaigrette with the maker’s mark of Joseph Willmore, Birmingham 1832.
In the 18th and early 19th century both men and women carried vinaigrettes. Usually sterling silver with a gilded interior to protect against acidity, they were worn around the neck, put in a pocket or hung from a chatelaine. Their size and portability allowed perfumes to be carried with ease when travelling.