This necessaire is idiosyncratic of the 18th century taste for small hand-held refined objects, created by dealers or 'toymen' such as Mrs Chenevix (d.1755), they often brought together different craftsmen such as goldsmiths, gem cutters and glass and porcelain producers, to create pieces which would appeal to and amuse their affluent clientele.
This very complete example includes two small cut glass scent bottle with porcelain finials, probably produced by Charles Gouyn (d.1785) at his St James's factory. Formerly working with Nicolas Sprimont at the Chelsea porcelain factory, around 1748 he moved to new premises in St James's founding his own soft paste porcelain factory specialising in small scale sculptural and useful ware as well as these fashionable 'toys'. Often playing to their patrons love of nature, such animal finials were a staple of their production. However, whilst bird finials are relatively common at St James's and their rival Chelsea, the pug is rare and would have played to the 18th century consumers fascination with the breed, as well as its symbolic connotations of loyalty and links to freemasonry.