Society found it necessary to have Crown Lavender Salts with them at all times and Thomson accommodated them with a square “Pocket Salts” bottle, which fit nicely into a shirt or skirt pocket without an obtrusive bulge. When placed in a sterling silver holder, it became a stylish accessory on a desk or writing table. Pocket Salts were available in England about 1893 and in the United States in 1895.
3.5″ / 9 cm
U.S. Patent 565,373 August 4, 1896
In 1895, The Crown Perfumery Company began selling the Pocket Salts purse. William Sparks Thomson had received a patent for a combined bottle and case to securely protect a small watch-shaped bottle with its crown shaped stopper from injury. The purse also acted as a display stand, for when fully opened it would hold the bottle in an upright position without the use of additional support. This became his Pocket Salts purse, made of genuine kid leather or grey suede.
There were small and large watch-shaped bottles, which is very misleading when the bottles measure 2” and 3”. Perhaps petite and small are better descriptive terms. Crown would describe these as glove and purse sized bottles.
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