Object and its origins
This is a gold pomander in the form of a snail shell. It is hinged on one side with a simple locking pin on the other. The letter E is inscribed on the inner lid.
The term “pomander” derives from the French term“pomme d’ambre” (apple of amber). It signfied a firm mass, as well as an ointment-like preparation. In Medieval times, it was common practice to wear scents such as musk and amber, in small cases around the neck.
The pomander has its origins as a receptacle for containing scents in the orient. This is evidenced by a container from Mesopotamia dating to 3500 BC. There is also written evidence in the form of an Egyptian papyrus from the 16th century BC, which contains a formula for the preparation of a perfume.
The Roman author Pliny the Elder (23-79AD) wrote about the scents of Parthian kings, in particular the many perfumes that were necessary for the preparation of “pomme d’ambre”.
Gold Pomander/Metal, Gold/17th century AD/The Hunt Collection/PD
Uses
From the Medieval Period, pomanders were used to ward off plagues and sanitise the air. One important ingredient used in preparing pomanders was cinammon. Spices were valued at this time; it was widely believed that their strong scents had protective, medicinal value. The spices also helped to keep foul odors at bay. When we consider that early modern towns and cities would have been permeated by unpleasant smells, such as from sewage, we can understand their purpose.
Other ingredients included rosewater, cloves, laudanum and sandalwood.
Wealthy people wore pomanders as a status symbol- they appointed goldsmiths to make them. Pomanders were worn like jewels attached to a necklace or belt, or carried in the hand. They were also often used as pendants on rosaries.
In the 20th century, the pomander received a new lease of life when it was produced in a spherical form made of bone china by the prestigious English firm, Floris London.
Portrait of Mary Dudley by Hans Eworth, National Trust, Petworth House. Public Domain.
Portrait of Mary Dudley by Hans Eworth, National Trust, Petworth House. Public Domain.
Sources
Rodini, Elizabeth. “Functional Jewels.” Art Institute of Chicago Museum Studies, vol. 25, no. 2, 2000, pp. 76–106. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.2307/4113065. Accessed 2 Sept. 2024.
Schmitz, Rudolf. “The Pomander.” Pharmacy in History, vol. 31, no. 2, 1989, pp. 86–90. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/41112489. Accessed 2 Sept. 2024.
