Early 19th c Carnelian Scent Bottle

An early 19th c scent bottle, the shell shaped body carved from a solid piece of banded carnelian, with hanging chain and cap fittings in solid rose gold. Color variations in the carnelian charmingly mimic the pigmentation of natural shells, lending the piece verisimilitude. Scallop shells, a symbol of Venus and fertility, are favored motifs in late Baroque and Rococo design. Scent bottles in the form of scallop shells emerged around the same time. Though made from glass, a similarly shell shaped scent bottle by Bernard Perrot is dated as early as c. 1700 (British Museum 1877,0515.13). During the early 19th c, this shell form bottle design again enjoyed a period of resurgence and popularity. Carnelian was the material of choice due to its shell-like coloring. However, examples in other hardstones such as bloodstone heliotrope also survive (see Christie’s lot 300, 9 Dec 2002). 18th and early 19th c scent bottles were functionally closer to vinaigrettes and pomanders than to modern perfume bottles; rather than hold a significant amount of perfume for spray or application, scent bottles had relatively limited interior capacities, designed to hold a small perfume-soaked sponge only. As suggested by its name, scent bottles were meant for the scent— the wearer could open the cap for a whiff of pleasant aroma, especially if feeling faint in a crowded assembly room or disturbed by the odor of public streets.
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