Rosewater sprinkler 1845 - 1855

This is a Rosewater sprinkler, crafted from glass with a silver lid by F. & C. Osler, though the exact date remains unknown. These sprinklers, delicate as they appear, speak volumes about the social and cultural practices of their time. Likely manufactured in 19th-century Britain, this object points to the Victorian era's obsession with hygiene, fragrance, and the ritualized presentation of self. Rosewater, with its delicate scent, was used for personal cleansing, scenting linen, and as a symbol of hospitality. Osler, a prominent glass manufacturer, catered to the burgeoning middle and upper classes, who sought to emulate aristocratic lifestyles through consumer goods. The sprinkler's design, with its intricate diamond-cut patterns, reflects both technological advancements in glassmaking and the Victorian penchant for ornamentation. These objects served as a status symbol. To understand this piece better, we would delve into Victorian etiquette manuals, trade catalogs, and social histories of hygiene and consumerism. Such research reveals the Rosewater sprinkler not just as a functional object but as a cultural artifact.