In addition to hearts and cupids, love could be expressed through many other symbols: flowers, hands, anchors, knots, and as here, by a musical instrument. The maker, Auguste Perette is described as making " bijouterie argent" or silver jewellery. In France, there was a distinction at this time between jewellers who used precious stones (joailler) and those that did not (bijoutier). There was no such distinction in England.