This is a novelty ceramic scent bottle in the shape of a mermaid. Ceramic scent bottles like this were popular throughout the 18th and 19th centuries. They came in many shapes and styles from animals and figures through to those with ornately painted decoration. All the major ceramic manufactures, such as Chelsea, Wedgewood and Royal Worcester, made perfume bottles with many types of hand-painted decoration on them. During the Victorian period there was a fascination with novelties in the shape of other items and many scent bottles like this one were produced.