About this objectPerfume case designed to look like a book, containing five phials of perfume padded by wool in a hinged box. "FN" embossed on the lid and "QUINTE ESSENZA" on the spine. (inside case cover) FONDERIA DI S.MARIA NOVELLA DI FIRENZE.
This object is on display in the Gilded Cage section of the museum.
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A personalised set of glass scent bottles placed in a book-shaped case, early nineteenth century.
Florence Nightingale was born on 12 May 1820 in Florence, Italy and was named after her birthplace. She travelled to Italy several times and purchased this perfume at Perfume and Pharmaceutical Officine of Santa Maria Novella during her visit to her birth town in the 1840s. The origin of Perfume and Pharmaceutical Officine of Santa Maria Novella was the Dominican friar’s church founded in 1221, where monks compounded the medicine from plants and herbs from their garden, and now known as the oldest pharmacy in the world. The first record of scented water dates back to 1381, in the middle of the Black Death pandemic, and rose water was used as a sanitiser and medicine to drink with wine or in pills (ref1).
Nightingale genuinely enjoyed perfumes, and there is a record of her favourite fragrance. This was Floris’ White Rose fragrance. Nightingale wrote a letter to Mr Floris in 1863 and thanked him for ‘beautiful sweet-smelling roses cheering her at sick bed’ (ref2).
Ref1: Santa Maria Novella Our Story, https://uk.smnovella.com/pages/story
Ref2: THE FLORENCE NIGHTINGALE WHITE ROSE APPEAL May 12 2020 FLORIS LONDON, https://www.florislondon.com/blogs/news/the-florence-nightingale-white-rose-appeal
Object research undertaken by Minami Nakanishi, Digital Research Volunteer 2022.
Period19th Century
Place MadeItaly
Medium and MaterialsWood, metal and leather
Inscription and Marks(inside case cover) FONDERIA DI S.MARIA NOVELLA DI
FIRENZE.
