A pomander, from French pomme d'ambre, i.e. apple of amber, is a ball made of perfumes, such as ambergris (whence the name), musk, or civet. The pomander was worn or carried in a vase, also known by the same name, as a protection against infection in times of pestilence or merely as a useful article to mollify bad smells. The globular cases which contained the pomanders were hung from a neck-chain or belt, or attached to the girdle, and were usually perforated and made of gold or silver. Sometimes they contained several partitions, in each of which was placed a different perfume. Pomanders were used in the late Middle Ages through the 17th century. - from Wikipedia
Although not that common today there are still some examples of pomanders around. Now people would usually place some cotton wool, or the like, scented with some essential oils inside the pomander.
Below are a few pics of an example of a pomander that I sometimes have in my stock at
qtsilver.com;
You will notice the solid design of the front of the piece, but the perforated back design to allow the perfume to filter from inside.
If you are interested in the look of the pomander please feel free to check out this piece on our website;
http://www.qtsilver.com/Marcasite-&-Silver-Pomander-/-Locket-with-Sapphire/1091.htm
