The holding device has a bracket consisting of bracket portions connected to one another via ball and socket joints (3) so that the bracket portions can pivot with one another. The joint is provided with a bearing shell (9) and a pivot ball (7), the ball pivoting in the shell between a position that releases the joint and a position that blocks the joint. The bearing shell is of rigid configuration and the ball can be secured by clamping in the shell by a blocking element (12). The bearing shell has recesses (11) into which a corresponding blocking element can be inserted in the joint such that the blocking element presses the pivot ball to block the joint by claming against the bearing shell. The shell consists of an upper bearing shell (9a) and a lower bearing shell (9b), with the recesses provided at the periphery of the lower bearing shell.
