THE ANTIQUE
Pot Pourri Jars
Dried rose petals, lavender and rosemary sprigs, cinnamon sticks and cloves are the ingredients for a sweet-smelling pot pourri; a pure and natural way to scent your home. It was the ever-stylish French who invented specific containers to hold pot pourri in the 1700s. These lidded vessels were produced in porcelain, metal, lacquer and hardstones, and were pierced with small holes to allow the floral-herbal fragrance to waft out. The French fashion soon spread across Europe and by the 19th century pot pourri vases were part of the household inventory. Some came to the West from Japan and China, while many were made at the top British pottery factories, such as Wedgwood and Worcester, and the form stayed popular well into the 20th century. Now, antique pot pourri vases and jars can be truffled up for under £100 at auction, rising to several thousand
