A vessel for something fleeting.
The scent bottle brings together container, closure and the intimate act of use. Glass, metal and a fitted outer case can give a small object considerable visual and material complexity.
From the Archive / Form and closure
A rectangle.
A sphere.
A flat-sided body gives way to a rounded cover: two simple forms, brought together in one personal object.
Livrustkammaren describes thick glass, a rectangular cross-section, a threaded neck and a spherical silver-gilt cover. It dates the bottle to 1877–1878 and catalogues it under W. Leuchars, as part of Crown Prince Gustaf’s travelling service.
The contrast between glass and metal invites a closer look at proportion, light and the meeting of container and closure. Its original contents are not established here; the bottle is a reference for the wider dressing ensemble.
- Height
- 100 mm
- Museum date
- 1877–1878
- Collection
- Livrustkammaren
The dressing ensemble
Each object.
Its own place.
A bottle is one part of a larger private world. Other surviving components of Crown Prince Gustaf’s travelling service bring glass, metal and fitted interiors into the same story.
Light and surface.
A broad metal cover gives this vessel a different outline from the spherical-capped bottle above. Clear glass and reflective metal make their contrast visible before any explanation.
Explore materials & details
Contents and container.
Blue velvet gives the implements a defined place. The fitted case shows another aspect of travelling equipment: the attention given to what surrounds an object as well as to the object itself.
Explore dressing casesBoth photographs: Livrustkammaren/SHM, CC BY 4.0. Read the service record and attribution. These are surviving components, not a reconstruction of the original packing arrangement. The contents once held by the glass vessels are not established here.
Keeping an original
Care begins with the object.
A surviving stopper does not establish that a historic bottle is sealed or suitable for filling. Residues, fragile surfaces and later repairs call for individual assessment. Seek appropriate advice before opening, cleaning or filling; preserve the object’s marks and evidence.
Care & maintenanceThe campaign opening is an imagined scene within the Leuchars world. Historical objects and their sources are identified in the Archive. Availability, materials and condition of any offered piece are stated in its individual description.
Look closer
A particular object.
A personal question.
For an enquiry about a case, an object or a mark, begin with the details you can see.
