Pendant / vial of fragrant salts in shell, vintage French online of the 19th century. Cap and bottom in punched silver.

Pendant / vial of fragrant salts in shell, vintage French of the 19th century. Cap and bottom in punched silver.
Punch under the online ram
. Inside the container is intact, ammonia salt (very toxic) was used to bring back to consciousness someone who was unwell. Odorous salts, also known as hartshorn spirit or volatile salts. Used since Roman times and are mentioned in Pliny's writings as Hammoniacus sal. There is evidence of use in the 13th century by alchemists. In the 17th century, the distillation of an ammonia solution from horn chips and deer hooves. They were widely used in Victorian Britain in the nineteenth century and in France. This bottle is rare!

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#victorien #victorianlifestyle #smellingsalts