Tussie-Mussie

Originally a term used in the early 1400's Europe, "tussie-mussie" referres to a small bouquet of herbs and flowers with symbolic meanings.

(language of the flowers)

In later centuries it became customary to wear these bouquets on one's person to portray a mood or feeling, a thought or even to have a pleasant scent around one's body when bathing was at one time, a once or twice a year event!

Of all the various tussie-mussie holders out there (silver, gold, ivory, wood & everything else in between), the smaller painted porcelain ones are my most favorite of all, such as these beauties which date from the Victorian era to the 1920's.