“Bon! Bon!” cried the ladies of the rococo period when first sampling the sweet titbits. “Bon! Bon!“ thus immediately became the name for the new delicacies. The “bonbon”, or praline, rapidly became a hit among the master confectioners. And the name bonbon eventually gave rise to the name “bonbonnière”. The bonbonnières in the exhibition, used to hold valuable goods, feature a remarkable range of subjects: suitcases, sailor’s hats, various fruits, all kinds of baskets, furniture, musical instruments, ships, shoes… to mention but a few. 

Also on show are wonderful animal bonbonnières, some of them covered with fur or mohair, as well as charming dolls whose designs were predominantly based on the fashions prevailing at the time. What is surprising and remarkable about this collection - the most comprehensive in the world - is not simply the incredible diversity; the opening mechanisms for these colourful tins and containers are every bit as diverse and complex as the themes.