Bidders on the scent of a segmented pomander
The term pomander derives from the French pomme d’ambre, meaning ‘apple of amber’, a reference to the aromatic substances – ambergris, musk, civet, and spices – once formed into small balls and carried as protection against disease.
By the 16th and 17th centuries the word came to denote not only the scented mixtures but also the o…