Tussie-Mussies: 10 Things You Didn’t Know
Small bouquets of flowers, tussie-mussies and the decorative posy holders they were held in were a popular fashion accessory in Victorian times, and are now sought by collectors.
In medieval times, foul odors were thought to carry diseases. Because the streets smelled so bad from garbage and sewage, many women carried around small pomanders and vinaigrettes filled with bouquets of fragrant herbs and spices to offset the rank aromas.
By the 18th century, new decorative deodorizers arrived in the form of small vases, which could be pinned to clothing or held in the hand so that one’s nostrils were never far from a fragrant bouquet of sweet-smelling posies.
In the 19th century, these posy holders still had the practical use of protecting from unpleasant odors. However, the Victorians also romanticized them as a popular fashion accessory for young ladies to hold flowers brought by courting gentlemen callers. These small bouquets of flowers, called tussie-mussies (or tussy mussy), were a popular gift and carried by matrons, debutantes, and girls. By the 1830s, using decorative holders to contain these small bouquets became an established fashion trend.
Here are 10 things to know about tussie-mussies and collectible posy holders:
1. They Have Medieval Roots
A “tussie” is a nosegay, a Middle English word for a small group of flowers held together in a little bouquet that was held at nose level; “mussie” refers to the moss that was moistened and put around the stems of the flowers to keep them from wilting. Hence the name “tussie-mussie.”
2. They Were Popularized by Queen Victoria
The term tussie-mussie (also tussy-mussy) dates back to the reign of trend-setter Queen Victoria (1837-1901), who was fond of carrying these little floral bouquets wherever she went. When the fashion of carrying hand bouquets in decorative holders caught the fancy of the wealthy and middle class, holders were copied and mass-produced in various sizes, materials, and embellishments.
3. They Went Hand in Hand with Floriography
Tussie-mussies also became important vehicles for floriography (the language of flowers), one of the Victorians’ favorite preoccupations that they elevated to an art form. Different flowers had different meanings, and these “talking bouquets” held secret messages that did not dare be said out loud in polite society. Great care was taken to combine flower selections in such a way that their meanings were accurately expressed. Not only did a certain flower have significance, but colors also expressed intent or emotions.
4. They Were a Popular Gift for Courtship
At the beginning of a relationship, it was common practice for the gentleman to give the lady a tussie-mussie. She had to be careful about how she wore the flowers on her dress: If she pinned it to the “cleavage of bosom,” that would be bad news for him since that signified friendship; tussie-mussies held pointing downward were also a sign of rejection. But if a woman pinned it over her heart, her suitor could breathe a sigh of relief, as that was “an unambiguous declaration of love” or at least the green light for him to pursue away.
5. They Were Worn in Posy Holders
Posy holders were created to keep delicate and expensive silk dresses and other pieces of clothing protected from water droplets when wearing a tussie-mussie. The handle of the posy holder collected the wet stems of the flowers together, preventing any water from escaping. The holder would be pierced-decorated (like a doily) or crafted in decorative floral shapes with a piece of moist moss wound around the base of the bouquet stems. The floral bouquet was pinned into the holder and then, for a formal occasion, would be suspended from her hand using a chain so that she was free to dance or could climb out of a carriage or hold a railing while walking downstairs.
6. Posy Holders Came in Different Varieties
Different types of posy holders were developed. The simplest shapes – cornet and cornucopia designs – were the most common. More unique, flower-shaped examples can also be found, and there were also some pieces with built-in tripod legs to prevent the floral arrangement from being crushed on a flat surface.
7. Some Holders Were Pretty Flashy
The designs of posy holders could be surprisingly ornate and elaborate for such a tiny accessory. Made of gold, silver, ivory, and silver plate, they were adorned with precious metals, glittering stones, pearls, shells, mirrors, and miniature paintings. They were flashed around Victorian England and the courts of Versailles, Imperial Russia, and 19th-century China.
8. Bigger Bouquets Pushed Them Out
Bouquet holders reached the peak of their popularity between the 1830s and 1880s. They began to dwindle as bouquets of long-stemmed flowers (the latest horticultural development) loosely tied with ribbons surpassed the tussie-mussie style. They were not totally out of fashion until the Roaring Twenties, when such objects became regarded as trivial and useless, according to the Smithsonian.
9. Posy Holders Are a Popular Collectible
The diversity of styles and mechanisms of posy and tussie-mussie holders is evidence of their longevity as a fashion accessory, and collectors clamor for them today. They can be found at auctions, antique shops, and online shops. Although some can be found for under $100, prices at RubyLane.com, 1stDibs.com, Etsy.com, and eBay.com are currently typically ranging from $200 to several thousands of dollars for gold and silver examples, especially when embellished with pearls or gemstones.
10. There Are Books to Help You Learn More
If you want to learn more, there are several good guides on tussie-mussies and posy holders. Books by Geraldine Adamich Laufer and Chip Jamison, Tussie-Mussies: The Victorian Art of Expressing Yourself in the Language of Flowers (1993) and Tussie-Mussies: The Language of Flowers (2000), explain the symbolic meanings of flowers and herbs and teach you how to make your own “talking bouquets.” Laufler also shows how to make them here, with step-by-step instructions. Tussie-Mussies: A Collector’s Guide to Posy Holders (2016) by Irene Deitsch, who has been collecting them for more than 25 years, showcases more than 100 posy holders organized by their materials, as well as their styles and shapes, such as bosom bottle vs. three-legged tripod, and handheld vs. lapel pin.
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