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Secrets of Aromatic Jewelry

Flammarion; Annette Green; Linda Dyett

Synopsis:
Fragrance has been borne in and dispensed from beautiful objects since ancient times. From the hollowed-out jewels crafted by the Etruscans to Tang period censers suspended from neck chains, to the breathtaking creations of master craftsmen and world-famous jewelry houses such as Tiffany, Boucheron, Faberge, and Lalique, to today's microencapsulated scent-strip wristlets, aromatic jewelry has played a fascinating and revealing role in our social and cultural history, and in the stimulation of our sensory imaginations. This beautifully illustrated book traces the story of perfume as ornamentation -- worn by both men and women across the ages. Jewelry forms were created as portable storehouses for solid or liquid scent, or were themselves made of fragrant materials: resinous beads, pomanders, pendant flacons, spice boxes, bouquet holders, vinaigrettes -- the intricate craftsmanship of these objects reflecting and enhancing the development of the arts of perfume making, glass making and metalwork. While glass and porcelain perfume bottles have long been prized collectors' items, this book shows that aromatic jewelry has always had a dynamic of its own, reinventing itself according to the fashion and fragrance needs of each era: rings, lapel pins and pendants, necklaces, bracelets, earrings, and even lorgnettes and whistles have all carried perfume, and bear witness to the continuing importance of an intimate relationship between fragrance and the forging of a personal image. Written by two specialists in the history of perfume and jewelry, Secrets of Aromatic Jewelry is an accessible and fascinating introduction to the traditions, practices, and crafts which surround the use andenjoyment of this unique species of adornment.

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Other editions: Hardcover - 1997, Hardcover - 1997, Hardcover - 1997, Hardcover - 1997, Hardcover - 1997, Hardcover - 1997, Hardcover - 1997, Hardcover - 1997, Hardcover - 1996