label: Date

content: ca. 1879-1962

content: Victorian (1837-1901)

content: Victory over death is rooted in the tenants of the Christian faith, and in the nineteenth century this concept was magnified. Death and eternity in heaven were seen as the victory of faithfulness. Symbols of victory reminded the Christian that whatever pain and suffering one may endure, they would come out on the other side into glory and heaven. In addition to symbolic shapes, references to victory were made through the “Language of Flowers” by using palm, laurel, or nasturtium. As they alluded to the reward at life’s end, set pieces in the form of victory symbols were especially suited to funerals, but they might also be used at other religious events and occasions. The cross and crown was a popular combination for flower frames in Christian funerals. This mourning iconography was meant to remind the survivors that after the trials and tribulation of life (the cross), the Christian dead would be rewarded in heaven (the crown). When combined with the cross, the crown also implied the sovereignty of the Lord and His power and authority. This symbol was also used to denote a member of the York Rite Masons.

content: Set pieces or set designs were among the most popular floral arrangements in the second half of the nineteenth century. The term set piece is a usually applied to designs in a wide variety of forms, which are often symbolic in character. Shapes that expressed an overall theme for an occasion were very fashionable, such as designs made to depict the profession, associations, or hobbies of an individual. These flower arrangements were ordered for special celebrations, holidays, weddings, and funerals. Typical of the Victorian style, these designs were elaborate and massive, but unlike other forms of flower arrangement, the set piece was exclusively made by the professional florist.

content: Set pieces were usually made up on wire frames in the desired shape, which acted as a foundation for the floral arrangement. Commercially produced, heavy-gaged wire frames, fabricated from either plain or copper-plated wire, became available for flower arrangements between 1860 and 1864. The retail florist business was enhanced considerably by the high demand for arrangements on flower frames in the nineteenth century, and wire frames quickly became the basis of the retail florist’s inventory. The frames could be obtained for little cost to the florist, and if he managed to retrieve the skeleton after the occasion, it could be reused. Wire frames came in both straight and curved outlines and either as a box (three-dimensional frame) or flat frame. Most designs came in several sizes and could be hung or placed on a stand or were free-standing. Standard forms in wire works catalogues ranged in size from 10 to 60 inches. Outside of the standard frame designs offered in wireworks and florist’s supplies catalogues, designs could be made for almost any occasion, with some large enough to make life-sized reproductions.

content: Over the course of the nineteenth and twentieth century floral fashions changed. Some set pieces faded in popularity by the early 1900s, but some remained favorites well into the 1940’s. Many of these same designs are still used today, but the wire frames have been replaced by shapes made from more modern materials to save the florists’ time in making up the arrangement, as well as providing water to the flowers allowing for greater longevity.

content: emblems (symbols)

content: Floral frames

content: frame components

content: wire

content: associations

content: ceremonies

content: crowns (costume components)

content: crowns (headdresses)

content: decorations

content: Floral Accessories

content: Floral decorations

content: floral designers

content: Flower arrangement

content: funerals

content: funerary objects

content: holidays

content: secret societies

content: societies

content: symbols

content: weddings

content: wirework

content: Horticultural Artifacts Collection

content: Smithsonian Gardens

label: Accession number

label: Type

content: Floral frames

label: Restrictions & Rights

content: Wire

content: 47 × 18 × 18 in. (119.4 × 45.7 × 45.7 cm)

topic:
Funerary objects
Frame components
Floral designers
Floral decorations
Floral frames
Wire
Associations
Floral Accessories
Secret societies
Weddings
Rites and ceremonies
Decorations
Holidays
Wirework
Funeral rites and ceremonies
Flower arrangement
Crowns (costume components)
Emblems
Crowns (headdresses)

content: <I>Wire frame, crown & cross on stand</I>

title_sort: <I>WIRE FRAME, CROWN & CROSS ON STAND</I>

label: Thumbnail Image


unitCode: HAC

type: edanmdm

label: Period

content: Victorian (1837-1901)

label: Description

content: Gilded metal bouquet holder with curved handle. The openwork vase is comprised of large violet flowers above ornate Rococo revival motifs. On the back of the vase of is a looped clip feature that would allow this bouquet holder to be worn hooked onto one’s garments. The handle is made from a single sheet stamped with a scaly pattern produced by seven encircled dots and terminates with a large ball finial. At the curve of the handle a short length of chain is connects to a ring. The ring would allow the bouquet holder to be worn from the finger or on a chatelaine at the waist to free the lady's hands while dancing.

label: Label Text

content: Flowers used for personal adornment were a popular, almost mandatory, fashion accessory in the nineteenth century. Small bouquets, called nosegays, posies, or tussie mussies were carried by debutantes, matrons, and girls, and they were a popular gift in the mid to late 1800s among friends and suitors. They were typically created in concentric rings of flowers, tightly wound together, and were often tied with ribbon or placed in a bouquet holder depending on the tastes and fashions. By the 1830s carrying small bouquets of flowers in decorative holders was an established fashion accessory of the upper class and royalty of Europe. These small accessories, also known as posy holders, ‘porte-bouquets’, and ‘bouquetiers’ were both decorative as well as useful. By providing a water source in the bottom of the receptacle, they were able to keep the flowers fresh throughout an occasion, and they also protected the wearer’s gloves or clothing from being stained by the plant pigments. Queen Victoria helped popularize the bouquet holder, and she is seen holding one in her portrait “Queen Victoria at the Drury Lane Theatre, November 1837” painted by E.T. Parris. When the fashion of carrying hand bouquets in decorative holders caught the fancy of the wealthy and middle class, holders were copied and mass produced in a variety of sizes, materials, and embellishments. During the second half of the nineteenth century, holders might be commissioned or purchased from the stock at a jeweler or florist shop. Few were made in the United States, instead they were usually imported from Europe and Asia. They were often given as a commemorative memento of historic encounters or events by the royalty and courts of Europe, but they were also used to celebrate and commemorate important, though less prestigious, events of the wealthy and middle class. Bouquet holders reached the peak of their popularity between the 1830s and 1880s, but it began to dwindle as bouquets of long-stemmed flowers (the latest horticultural development) loosely tied with ribbons surpassed the posy bouquet style. They were not totally out of fashion until the “Roaring Twenties,” when such objects became regarded as trivial and useless. The diversity of styles and mechanisms of bouquet holders is evidence of their longevity as a fashion accessory.

label: Origin

content: Birmingham, England, possibly

label: Topic

content: bouquet holders

content: bouquetiers

content: porte-bouquets

content: porte-fleurs

content: Posy holders

content: tussie-mussies

content: costume accessories

content: decorative arts

content: fashion

content: Victoriana

label: See more items in

content: Horticultural Artifacts Collection

label: Credit Line

content: Smithsonian Gardens, Horticultural Artifacts Collection. Gift of Frances Jones Poetker.

label: Data Source

content: Smithsonian Gardens

content: Bouquet holders

label: Medium

content: Gilded metal

label: Dimensions

content: 4 1/4 × 1 1/2 in. (10.8 × 3.8 cm)

label: Style

content: Rococo Revival

place: England Birmingham

topic:
Tussie-mussies
Porte-fleurs
Decoration and ornament
Bouquet holders
Costume accessories
Victoriana
Posy holders
Fashion
Bouquetiers
Porte-bouquets

type: City

content: Birmingham

type: Country

content: England

label: Title

content: <I>Bouquet holder, violet motif</I>

unit_code: HAC

title_sort: <I>BOUQUET HOLDER, VIOLET MOTIF</I>

data_source: Smithsonian Gardens

type: Images

label: High-resolution TIFF

label: High-resolution JPEG

label: Screen Image

title: <I>Bouquet holder, violet motif</I>


content: Chinese fingernail shield turned into a posy holder. Silver with 6 multi-colored semi-precious stones (possibly cloissone enamel). Clasp added to back. Back is open with a flat panel of silver filigree (of a different pattern than front) covering part of back. Modern pin with catch.

content: Flowers used for personal adornment were a popular fashion accessory throughout the 1800s up to the mid-1900s. Carrying or wearing fresh flowers was an important aspect of not only fashion but of good breeding and refined tastes. Corsages worn by women and boutonnieres worn by men were essential elements of dress for the tasteful upper- and middle-class Americans and Europeans at social functions. Many wore flowers whenever they were in public, including President McKinley, who wore a carnation in his lapel every day. In 1840, Queen Adelaide, wife of King William IV of the Great Britain and Hanover, introduced the fashion of tucking a small posy into a high waistband or sash, and Queen Victoria popularized the bouquet holder as seen in her portrait at the opera painted by E.T. Parris in 1838. By the 1830s carrying and wearing small bouquets of flowers in decorative holders was an established fashion accessory of the upper class and royalty of Europe. These small accessories, also known as posy holders, ‘porte-bouquets,’ and ‘bouquetiers’ were both decorative as well as useful. By providing a water source in the bottom of the receptacle, they were able to keep the flowers fresh throughout an occasion, and they also protected the wearer’s gloves or clothing from being stained by the plant pigments. Some had a pin or clip attachment that allowed it to be worn on the clothing. These bouquet holders were usually light weight, so not to strain the garment. Similar holders were made for men to attach to their lapels and are often referred to as a boutonniere vase. Bouquet holders were copied and mass produced in a variety of sizes, materials, and embellishments. During the second half of the nineteenth century, holders might be commissioned or purchased from the stock at a jeweler or florist shop. Few were made in the United States, instead they were usually imported from Europe and Asia. They were often given as a commemorative memento of historic encounters or events by the royalty and courts of Europe, but they were also used to celebrate and commemorate important, though less prestigious, events of the wealthy and middle class. Bouquet holders reached the peak of their popularity between the 1830s and 1880s, but it began to dwindle as bouquets of long-stemmed flowers (the latest horticultural development) loosely tied with ribbons surpassed the posy bouquet style. They were not totally out of fashion until the “Roaring Twenties,” when such objects became regarded as trivial and useless. The diversity of styles and mechanisms of bouquet holders is evidence of their longevity as a fashion accessory.

label: Inscription(s)

content: Mark on back: SILVER.

content: bouquet holders

content: bouquetiers

content: brooches

content: porte-bouquets

content: porte-fleurs

content: silver

content: tussie-mussies

content: costume accessories

content: decorative arts

content: fashion

content: jewelry

content: Horticultural Artifacts Collection

content: Smithsonian Gardens

label: Accession number

label: Type

content: Bouquet holders

label: Restrictions & Rights

content: Silver

content: 3 × 1/2 in. (7.6 × 1.3 cm)

content: Renaissance Revival

topic:
Silver
Tussie-mussies
Porte-fleurs
Decoration and ornament
Bouquet holders
Costume accessories
Fashion
Bouquetiers
Porte-bouquets
Jewelry
Brooches

content: <I>Bouquet holder, fingernail shield</I>

title_sort: <I>BOUQUET HOLDER, FINGERNAIL SHIELD</I>


label: Date

label: Period

content: Victorian (1837-1901)

label: Description

content: Full formed silver vase and handle. The vase of the posy holder is made of silver that is designed in three panels. Each panel houses a prominent Greek key pattern that is surrounded by stylized botanical forms and scroll. The surface of the silver is ornamented with beadwork and engraved lines. A pin on a chain extends from the base of the bowl, which would be inserted through the vase, piercing the flowers in order to hold them in place. The silver handle is in the form of a spindle with swells and rings. Stylized leaf motifs in two repeats adorn the handle.

label: Label Text

content: Birmingham, England, possibly

content: bouquet holders

content: bouquetiers

content: key pattern

content: porte-bouquets

content: porte-fleurs

content: Posy holders

content: silver

content: tussie-mussies

content: costume accessories

content: decorative arts

content: fashion

content: Victoriana

content: Horticultural Artifacts Collection

label: Exhibition

content: Floral Fashions: From Bouquets to Buttonholes

label: On View

content: Smithsonian Institution, Quadrangle, S. Dillon Ripley Center

content: Smithsonian Gardens

content: Bouquet holders

content: Silver

content: 5 1/2 × 2 in. (14 × 5.1 cm)

content: Renaissance Revival

topic:
Silver
Tussie-mussies
Porte-fleurs
Decoration and ornament
Bouquet holders
Costume accessories
Victoriana
Posy holders
Fashion
Bouquetiers
Porte-bouquets
Key pattern

building: Quadrangle

content: Birmingham

content: England

content: <I>Bouquet holder, Greek key motif</I>

title_sort: <I>BOUQUET HOLDER, GREEK KEY MOTIF</I>

label: Thumbnail Image

title: <I>Bouquet holder, Greek key motif</I>


content: ca. 1860-1940

content: Victorian (1837-1901)

content: It was common for social or business organizations to send flowers to the funerals of deceased members in the late-nineteenth and early-twentieth centuries. Flowers were sent by friendly and fraternal societies, temperance leagues, social clubs, veteran’s organization, and worker’s unions, among others. The floral tributes were often set pieces patterned after the emblem of the organization or club with flowers and ribbons in their colors. Designs had to be recognizable, thus accuracy was important for the florist, each flower frame must be made to an exact shape and carefully arranged with flowers in the appropriate colors. Depending on the size of the floral recreation, elements might be added or subtracted while maintaining an accurate overall impression of the emblem. In addition to the organization’s emblem recreated on flower frames, many of their other symbols, or assemblages of multiple symbols were recreated out of wire frames for floral arrangements. Emblem set pieces were also used for organizational functions other than just funerals, such as private ceremonies or special events sponsored by the group. Organizational emblem frames often comprised a significant portion of floral frame trade catalogs. The Young People’s Society of Christian Endeavor is a nondenominational evangelical society founded in 1881 in Portland, Maine. The aim of the club was to promote a Christian life, make themselves useful to God, and increase fellowship. The emblem of the Christian Endeavor is a letter E within a circle.

label: Topic

content: emblems (symbols)

content: Floral frames

content: frame components

content: wire

content: associations

content: ceremonies

content: decorations

content: Floral Accessories

content: Floral decorations

content: floral designers

content: Flower arrangement

content: funerals

content: funerary objects

content: secret societies

content: societies

content: symbols

content: wirework

label: See more items in

content: Horticultural Artifacts Collection

label: Credit Line

content: Smithsonian Gardens, Horticultural Artifacts Collection.

label: Data Source

content: Smithsonian Gardens

content: Floral frames

label: Medium

content: Wire

label: Dimensions

content: 12 × 9 1/2 × 1 in. (30.5 × 24.1 × 2.5 cm)

topic:
Funerary objects
Frame components
Floral designers
Floral decorations
Floral frames
Wire
Associations
Floral Accessories
Secret societies
Rites and ceremonies
Decorations
Wirework
Funeral rites and ceremonies
Flower arrangement
Emblems

content: <I>Wire frames, Christian Endeavor emblem</I>

title_sort: <I>WIRE FRAMES, CHRISTIAN ENDEAVOR EMBLEM</I>


content: ca. 1860-1940

content: Victorian (1837-1901)

content: The Cross was one of the most frequently used floral frames in the nineteenth century, and it continues to be used today. Crosses could be large or small, and were free-standing, placed on a stand or placed on top of the coffin. Crosses were also commonly combined with other floral frames, such as a crown or star. This set design was popular for religious celebrations, holidays, weddings, and funerals. Dating back to early Christianity, the cross was often used as a standard and became the chief emblem of the Christian faith. For the funeral, the cross was suitable for all ages and genders depending on the color and flowers used. Inscriptions for the cross design were meant to both proclaim the faith of the deceased and provide comfort for the bereaved, such as “We Look Beyond the Cross,” “No Cross, No Crown,” and “Simply to Thy Cross I Cling.” These phrases often evoked the comfort of popular hymns and were reminders to have faith, hope, and trust in the Lord. Cross arrangements were also popular for church holidays and other special occasions. From the late nineteenth century to 1950, Easter was the single biggest holiday for floral designs, especially the cross set piece. A cross of callas or Easter lilies became an essential decoration for the church, as well as many homes and shop windows for the holiday, a custom which is still followed today.

content: Set pieces or set designs were among the most popular floral arrangements in the second half of the nineteenth century. The term set piece is a usually applied to designs in a wide variety of forms, which are often symbolic in character. Shapes that expressed an overall theme for an occasion were very fashionable, such as designs made to depict the profession, associations, or hobbies of an individual. These flower arrangements were ordered for special celebrations, holidays, weddings, and funerals. Typical of the Victorian style, these designs were elaborate and massive, but unlike other forms of flower arrangement, the set piece was exclusively made by the professional florist.

content: Set pieces were usually made up on wire frames in the desired shape, which acted as a foundation for the floral arrangement. Commercially produced, heavy-gaged wire frames, fabricated from either plain or copper-plated wire, became available for flower arrangements between 1860 and 1864. The retail florist business was enhanced considerably by the high demand for arrangements on flower frames in the nineteenth century, and wire frames quickly became the basis of the retail florist’s inventory. The frames could be obtained for little cost to the florist, and if he managed to retrieve the skeleton after the occasion, it could be reused. Wire frames came in both straight and curved outlines and either as a box (three-dimensional frame) or flat frame. Most designs came in several sizes and could be hung or placed on a stand or were free-standing. Standard forms in wire works catalogues ranged in size from 10 to 60 inches. Outside of the standard frame designs offered in wireworks and florist’s supplies catalogues, designs could be made for almost any occasion, with some large enough to make life-sized reproductions.

content: crosses (objects)

content: emblems (symbols)

content: Floral frames

content: frame components

content: wire

content: associations

content: ceremonies

content: decorations

content: Floral Accessories

content: Floral decorations

content: floral designers

content: Flower arrangement

content: funerals

content: funerary objects

content: holidays

content: secret societies

content: societies

content: symbols

content: weddings

content: wirework

content: Horticultural Artifacts Collection

content: Smithsonian Gardens

content: Floral frames

content: Wire

content: 18 3/4 × 11 3/4 × 1 in. (47.6 × 29.8 × 2.5 cm)

topic:
Funerary objects
Frame components
Floral designers
Floral decorations
Floral frames
Crosses (objects)
Wire
Associations
Floral Accessories
Secret societies
Weddings
Rites and ceremonies
Decorations
Holidays
Wirework
Funeral rites and ceremonies
Flower arrangement
Emblems

label: Title

content: <I>Wire frame, slanted cross, small</I>

title_sort: <I>WIRE FRAME, SLANTED CROSS, SMALL</I>

label: High-resolution TIFF

label: High-resolution JPEG

label: Screen Image

title: <I>Wire frame, slanted cross, small</I>


label: Date

content: Victorian (1837-1901)

content: Small, silver bouquet holder with pear shape. This unique holder has teeth around the interior to secure a bouquet inside. The exterior has fluting and is capped by spade decoration on the tip.

label: Mark(s)

content: "Patent" engraved on the back

label: Origin

content: Great Britain, possibly

content: bouquet holders

content: bouquetiers

content: porte-bouquets

content: porte-fleurs

content: Posy holders

content: silver

content: tussie-mussies

content: costume accessories

content: decorative arts

content: fashion

content: Victoriana

content: Horticultural Artifacts Collection

content: Smithsonian Gardens

label: Accession number

label: Type

content: Bouquet holders

label: Restrictions & Rights

content: Silver

label: Style

content: Aesthetic Movement

topic:
Silver
Tussie-mussies
Porte-fleurs
Decoration and ornament
Bouquet holders
Costume accessories
Victoriana
Posy holders
Fashion
Bouquetiers
Porte-bouquets

content: Great Britain

content: <I>Bouquet holder, pear-shaped</I>

title_sort: <I>BOUQUET HOLDER, PEAR-SHAPED</I>

title: <I>Bouquet holder, pear-shaped</I>


label: Period

content: Victorian (1837-1901)

label: Description

content: Small amethyst glass bouquet holder with copper acorn and oak leaf decoration. On the back is a clip that would allow it to be worn.

label: Label Text

label: Topic

content: bouquet holders

content: bouquetiers

content: porte-bouquets

content: porte-fleurs

content: Posy holders

content: tussie-mussies

content: costume accessories

content: decorative arts

content: fashion

content: Victoriana

content: Horticultural Artifacts Collection

content: Smithsonian Gardens

content: Bouquet holders

content: Copper, glass

content: Arts and Crafts

content: <I>Bouquet holder, acorn and oak leaf motif, amethyst glass vial</I>

title_sort: <I>BOUQUET HOLDER, ACORN AND OAK LEAF MOTIF, AMETHYST GLASS VIAL</I>

label: Thumbnail Image


content: ca. 1860-1940

content: Victorian (1837-1901)

content: It was common for social or business organizations to send flowers to the funerals of deceased members in the late-nineteenth and early-twentieth centuries. Flowers were sent by friendly and fraternal societies, temperance leagues, social clubs, veteran’s organization, and worker’s unions, among others. The floral tributes were often set pieces patterned after the emblem of the organization or club with flowers and ribbons in their colors. Designs had to be recognizable, thus accuracy was important for the florist, each flower frame must be made to an exact shape and carefully arranged with flowers in the appropriate colors. Depending on the size of the floral recreation, elements might be added or subtracted while maintaining an accurate overall impression of the emblem. In addition to the organization’s emblem recreated on flower frames, many of their other symbols, or assemblages of multiple symbols were recreated out of wire frames for floral arrangements. Emblem set pieces were also used for organizational functions other than just funerals, such as private ceremonies or special events sponsored by the group. Organizational emblem frames often comprised a significant portion of floral frame trade catalogs. Freemason emblems were the most frequently ordered flower frame designs from the florist. Freemasonry is the oldest and most influential fraternal society in the United States. Also known as the Masons, this society came to the United States in 1720, and many of America’s founding fathers were brothers in this fraternity. The mid-nineteenth-century Mason could also belong to many different auxiliary organizations such as the Knights Templars, the Shriners, and the Order of the Eastern Star each of which had flower frames representing their insignia. It was also the largest fraternal body in America and remains so to this day. The primary emblem of the Masons was the square and compass, said to be symbolic of the interaction between mind and matter, inside of which is the letter G, symbolic of either God or geometry. Additional designs for the Masonic ceremonies and funerals included the Maltese cross, Keystone, Masonic Bible, banner, and scroll of honor.

content: Over the course of the nineteenth and twentieth century floral fashions changed. Some set pieces faded in popularity by the early 1900s, but some remained favorites well into the 1940’s. Many of these same designs are still used today, but the wire frames have been replaced by shapes made from more modern materials to save the florists’ time in making up the arrangement, as well as providing water to the flowers allowing for greater longevity.

content: emblems (symbols)

content: Floral frames

content: frame components

content: wire

content: associations

content: ceremonies

content: decorations

content: Floral Accessories

content: Floral decorations

content: floral designers

content: Flower arrangement

content: funerals

content: funerary objects

content: secret societies

content: societies

content: symbols

content: wirework

label: See more items in

content: Horticultural Artifacts Collection

label: Credit Line

label: Data Source

content: Smithsonian Gardens

content: Floral frames

label: Medium

content: Wire

label: Dimensions

content: 16 × 16 × 4 in. (40.6 × 40.6 × 10.2 cm)

content: <I>Wire frame, Masonic emblem</I>

title_sort: <I>WIRE FRAME, MASONIC EMBLEM</I>

title: <I>Wire frame, Masonic emblem</I>


label: Date

content: ca. 1880

content: Victorian (1837-1901)

content: Wirework basket with scalloped edge. The base is a flat, oval and the sides are flared with pointed arches forming the rim. Commercially produced, heavy-gaged wire frames, fabricated from either plain or copper-plated wire, became available for flower arrangements between 1860 and 1864. The frames could be obtained for little cost to the florist, and if he managed to retrieve the skeleton after the occasion, it could be reused. Standard forms in wire works catalogues ranged in size from 10 to 60 inches. The retail florist business was enhanced considerably by the high demand for arrangements on flower frames in the nineteenth century, and wire frames quickly became the basis of the retail florist’s inventory. Wire frames came in both straight and curved outlines and either as a box (three-dimensional frame) or flat frame. Most designs came in several sizes and could be hung or placed on a stand or were free-standing. Outside of the standard frame designs offered in wireworks and florist’s supplies catalogues, designs could be made for almost any occasion, with some large enough to make life-sized reproductions.

content: Baskets for floral arrangements were made from a variety of materials and in multiple sizes and shapes. Baskets were extremely popular for floral designs as gifts, parlor decorations, sympathy tributes, and weddings. Baskets for displaying flowers and plants could be large or small, rounded or squared, and meant to be carried or to sit on the table or floor. In the 1800s, popular magazines and etiquette manuals suggested the use of baskets of flowers for decorating parlor tables and mantles that were in keeping with the aesthetic of their surroundings. For parlor decorations, high stands with or without branches, small pendant baskets, or hanging baskets of flowers, or of plants, were frequently used.

content: There were three categories of basket arrangements: plant baskets, flower baskets, and a combination of both. Baskets usually had full arrangements, giving the appearance that it was bursting with leaves and blossoms of one type or multiple varieties. Basket also suited the desire for loose graceful arrangements, which were fashionable in the late 1800s and into the 1900s. Because the basket designs allowed them to contain water in the base, plants and flowers inside stayed fresh longer. The variety and longevity of arrangements in baskets made them highly-favored by the customers.

content: Floral frames

content: frame components

content: wire

content: associations

content: ceremonies

content: decorations

content: Floral Accessories

content: Floral decorations

content: floral designers

content: Flower arrangement

content: funerals

content: funerary objects

content: holidays

content: weddings

content: wirework

content: Horticultural Artifacts Collection

content: Smithsonian Gardens

content: Baskets

content: Floral frames

content: Wire

content: 16 × 10 × 7 in. (40.6 × 25.4 × 17.8 cm)

topic:
Funerary objects
Frame components
Floral designers
Floral decorations
Floral frames
Wire
Associations
Floral Accessories
Weddings
Rites and ceremonies
Decorations
Holidays
Wirework
Funeral rites and ceremonies
Flower arrangement

label: Title

content: <I>Wire frame, basket</I>

title_sort: <I>WIRE FRAME, BASKET</I>

label: High-resolution TIFF

label: High-resolution JPEG

label: Screen Image

title: <I>Wire frame, basket</I>


content: ca. 1879-1962

content: Victorian (1837-1901)

content: It was common for social or business organizations to send flowers to the funerals of deceased members in the late-nineteenth and early-twentieth centuries. Flowers were sent by friendly and fraternal societies, temperance leagues, social clubs, veteran’s organization, and worker’s unions, among others. The floral tributes were often set pieces patterned after the emblem of the organization or club with flowers and ribbons in their colors. Designs had to be recognizable, thus accuracy was important for the florist, each flower frame must be made to an exact shape and carefully arranged with flowers in the appropriate colors. Depending on the size of the floral recreation, elements might be added or subtracted while maintaining an accurate overall impression of the emblem. In addition to the organization’s emblem recreated on flower frames, many of their other symbols, or assemblages of multiple symbols were recreated out of wire frames for floral arrangements. Emblem set pieces were also used for organizational functions other than just funerals, such as private ceremonies or special events sponsored by the group. Organizational emblem frames often comprised a significant portion of floral frame trade catalogs.

content: emblems (symbols)

content: Floral frames

content: frame components

content: triangles (polygons)

content: wire

content: associations

content: ceremonies

content: decorations

content: Floral Accessories

content: Floral decorations

content: floral designers

content: Flower arrangement

content: funerals

content: funerary objects

content: secret societies

content: societies

content: symbols

content: wirework

content: Horticultural Artifacts Collection

content: Smithsonian Gardens, Horticultural Artifacts Collection. Gift of H. Weber & Sons Company.

content: Smithsonian Gardens

label: Accession number

label: Type

content: Floral frames

label: Restrictions & Rights

content: Wire

content: 24 × 12 × 7 1/2 in. (61 × 30.5 × 19.1 cm)

topic:
Funerary objects
Frame components
Floral designers
Floral decorations
Floral frames
Wire
Associations
Floral Accessories
Secret societies
Rites and ceremonies
Decorations
Triangles (polygons)
Wirework
Funeral rites and ceremonies
Flower arrangement
Emblems

content: <I>Wire frame, open triangle on stand</I>

title_sort: <I>WIRE FRAME, OPEN TRIANGLE ON STAND</I>


label: Period

content: Victorian (1837-1901)

label: Description

content: This engraved silver bouquet holder has a hexagonal shaped vase. The peaked sides point inwards at the opening. The panels have alternating designs of scrolling arabesques and stylized geometric floral designs. The handle and vase portion meet at a rounded form, which a chain and ring extend from. This ring could be worn on the finger or used to attach the bouquet holder to a chatelaine about the waist. Additionally, a chain connected to a pin is attached to the holder which would have been used to pierce the stems of the bouquet and secure them in the vase. The straight five-sided handle is unadorned. It is tipped with metal work that culminates in a cone and capped with a silver bead.

content: Flowers used for personal adornment were a popular, almost mandatory, fashion accessory in the nineteenth century. Small bouquets, called nosegays, posies, or tussie mussies were carried by debutantes, matrons, and girls, and they were a popular gift in the mid to late 1800s among friends and suitors. They were typically created in concentric rings of flowers, tightly wound together, and were often tied with ribbon or placed in a bouquet holder depending on the tastes and fashions. By the 1830s carrying small bouquets of flowers in decorative holders was an established fashion accessory of the upper class and royalty of Europe. These small accessories, also known as posy holders, ‘porte-bouquets’, and ‘bouquetiers’ were both decorative as well as useful. By providing a water source in the bottom of the receptacle, they were able to keep the flowers fresh throughout an occasion, and they also protected the wearer’s gloves or clothing from being stained by the plant pigments. Queen Victoria helped popularize the bouquet holder, and she is seen holding one in her portrait “Queen Victoria at the Drury Lane Theatre, November 1837” painted by E.T. Parris. When the fashion of carrying hand bouquets in decorative holders caught the fancy of the wealthy and middle class, holders were copied and mass produced in a variety of sizes, materials, and embellishments. During the second half of the nineteenth century, holders might be commissioned or purchased from the stock at a jeweler or florist shop. Few were made in the United States, instead they were usually imported from Europe and Asia. They were often given as a commemorative memento of historic encounters or events by the royalty and courts of Europe, but they were also used to celebrate and commemorate important, though less prestigious, events of the wealthy and middle class. Bouquet holders reached the peak of their popularity between the 1830s and 1880s, but it began to dwindle as bouquets of long-stemmed flowers (the latest horticultural development) loosely tied with ribbons surpassed the posy bouquet style. They were not totally out of fashion until the “Roaring Twenties,” when such objects became regarded as trivial and useless. The diversity of styles and mechanisms of bouquet holders is evidence of their longevity as a fashion accessory.

label: Mark(s)

content: Country of Origin: Lion passant (England)

content: Makers Mark: 1P&_

content: Duty Mark: Queen Victoria in profile

label: Origin

content: England

content: bouquet holders

content: bouquetiers

content: porte-bouquets

content: porte-fleurs

content: Posy holders

content: silver

content: tussie-mussies

content: costume accessories

content: decorative arts

content: fashion

content: Victoriana

content: Horticultural Artifacts Collection

content: Smithsonian Gardens, Horticultural Artifacts Collection. Gift of Frances Jones Poetker.

content: Smithsonian Gardens

content: Bouquet holders

content: Silver

content: 5 1/4 × 1 in. (13.3 × 2.5 cm)

label: Style

content: Aesthetic Movement

content: England

content: <I>Bouquet holder, engraved medallions</I>

title_sort: <I>BOUQUET HOLDER, ENGRAVED MEDALLIONS</I>


content: Victorian (1837-1901)

content: Bouquet holder with a gilded brass vase and blue glass handle. The vase of the bouquet holder is formed by four stamped botanically-shaped repeats that are reminiscent of a pansy flower or the type of leaf seen on a vine. The surface is intricately detailed with smooth and textured lines projecting from the center. The tips of the pansies connect to band at the base of the vase portion. A floral pin on a round-link chain connects to the base of the vase. The pin would be inserted through the two small holes, disguised as the center of the flowers, in order to keep the posy in place. A band stamped with an alternating pattern of different textured chevrons wraps around the band that connects the vase and handle. The spindle-shaped blue glass handle is straight and slim. A ring and chain are attached with a plain gold band to the bottom of the handle. This would allow the bouquet holder to be worn on the finger or hung by a chatelaine at the waist to free the lady's hands while dancing.

label: Label Text

content: France, possibly

label: Topic

content: bouquet holders

content: bouquetiers

content: glass

content: porte-bouquets

content: porte-fleurs

content: Posy holders

content: tussie-mussies

content: costume accessories

content: decorative arts

content: fashion

content: Victoriana

label: See more items in

content: Horticultural Artifacts Collection

label: Exhibition

content: Floral Fashions: From Bouquets to Buttonholes

label: On View

content: Smithsonian Institution, Quadrangle, S. Dillon Ripley Center

label: Credit Line

content: Smithsonian Gardens

content: Bouquet holders

content: Gilded brass, glass

content: 4 1/2 × 1 1/2 in. (11.4 × 3.8 cm)

content: Naturalism

topic:
Tussie-mussies
Porte-fleurs
Decoration and ornament
Bouquet holders
Costume accessories
Victoriana
Glass
Posy holders
Fashion
Bouquetiers
Porte-bouquets

content: France

content: <I>Bouquet holder, leaves, blue handle</I>

title_sort: <I>BOUQUET HOLDER, LEAVES, BLUE HANDLE</I>

label: Thumbnail Image


label: Date

content: ca. 1860-1940

content: Victorian (1837-1901)

content: The Cross was one of the most frequently used floral frames in the nineteenth century, and it continues to be used today. Crosses could be large or small, and were free-standing, placed on a stand or placed on top of the coffin. Crosses were also commonly combined with other floral frames, such as a crown or star. This set design was popular for religious celebrations, holidays, weddings, and funerals. Dating back to early Christianity, the cross was often used as a standard and became the chief emblem of the Christian faith. For the funeral, the cross was suitable for all ages and genders depending on the color and flowers used. Inscriptions for the cross design were meant to both proclaim the faith of the deceased and provide comfort for the bereaved, such as “We Look Beyond the Cross,” “No Cross, No Crown,” and “Simply to Thy Cross I Cling.” These phrases often evoked the comfort of popular hymns and were reminders to have faith, hope, and trust in the Lord. Cross arrangements were also popular for church holidays and other special occasions. From the late nineteenth century to 1950, Easter was the single biggest holiday for floral designs, especially the cross set piece. A cross of callas or Easter lilies became an essential decoration for the church, as well as many homes and shop windows for the holiday, a custom which is still followed today.

content: Set pieces or set designs were among the most popular floral arrangements in the second half of the nineteenth century. The term set piece is a usually applied to designs in a wide variety of forms, which are often symbolic in character. Shapes that expressed an overall theme for an occasion were very fashionable, such as designs made to depict the profession, associations, or hobbies of an individual. These flower arrangements were ordered for special celebrations, holidays, weddings, and funerals. Typical of the Victorian style, these designs were elaborate and massive, but unlike other forms of flower arrangement, the set piece was exclusively made by the professional florist.

content: Set pieces were usually made up on wire frames in the desired shape, which acted as a foundation for the floral arrangement. Commercially produced, heavy-gaged wire frames, fabricated from either plain or copper-plated wire, became available for flower arrangements between 1860 and 1864. The retail florist business was enhanced considerably by the high demand for arrangements on flower frames in the nineteenth century, and wire frames quickly became the basis of the retail florist’s inventory. The frames could be obtained for little cost to the florist, and if he managed to retrieve the skeleton after the occasion, it could be reused. Wire frames came in both straight and curved outlines and either as a box (three-dimensional frame) or flat frame. Most designs came in several sizes and could be hung or placed on a stand or were free-standing. Standard forms in wire works catalogues ranged in size from 10 to 60 inches. Outside of the standard frame designs offered in wireworks and florist’s supplies catalogues, designs could be made for almost any occasion, with some large enough to make life-sized reproductions.

content: Over the course of the nineteenth and twentieth century floral fashions changed. Some set pieces faded in popularity by the early 1900s, but some remained favorites well into the 1940’s. Many of these same designs are still used today, but the wire frames have been replaced by shapes made from more modern materials to save the florists’ time in making up the arrangement, as well as providing water to the flowers allowing for greater longevity.

content: crosses (objects)

content: emblems (symbols)

content: Floral frames

content: frame components

content: wire

content: associations

content: ceremonies

content: decorations

content: Floral Accessories

content: Floral decorations

content: floral designers

content: Flower arrangement

content: funerals

content: funerary objects

content: holidays

content: secret societies

content: societies

content: symbols

content: weddings

content: wirework

content: Horticultural Artifacts Collection

content: Smithsonian Gardens, Horticultural Artifacts Collection.

label: Data Source

content: Smithsonian Gardens

content: Floral frames

label: Medium

content: Wire

label: Dimensions

content: 45 × 22 × 1 in. (114.3 × 55.9 × 2.5 cm)

label: Title

content: <I>Wire frame, slanted cross on stand</I>

title_sort: <I>WIRE FRAME, SLANTED CROSS ON STAND</I>

label: High-resolution TIFF

label: High-resolution JPEG


label: Period

content: Victorian (1837-1901)

label: Description

content: Small glass bottle with yellow enameled bird on branch with blue flowers and leaves. A white mesh ribbon is tied around the neck.

content: Flowers used for personal adornment were a popular fashion accessory throughout the 1800s up to the mid-1900s. Carrying or wearing fresh flowers was an important aspect of not only fashion but of good breeding and refined tastes. Corsages worn by women and boutonnieres worn by men were essential elements of dress for the tasteful upper- and middle-class Americans and Europeans at social functions. Many wore flowers whenever they were in public, including President McKinley, who wore a carnation in his lapel every day. In 1840, Queen Adelaide, wife of King William IV of the Great Britain and Hanover, introduced the fashion of tucking a small posy into a high waistband or sash, and Queen Victoria popularized the bouquet holder as seen in her portrait at the opera painted by E.T. Parris in 1838. By the 1830s carrying and wearing small bouquets of flowers in decorative holders was an established fashion accessory of the upper class and royalty of Europe. These small accessories, also known as posy holders, ‘porte-bouquets,’ and ‘bouquetiers’ were both decorative as well as useful. By providing a water source in the bottom of the receptacle, they were able to keep the flowers fresh throughout an occasion, and they also protected the wearer’s gloves or clothing from being stained by the plant pigments. Some had a pin or clip attachment that allowed it to be worn on the clothing. These bouquet holders were usually light weight, so not to strain the garment. Similar holders were made for men to attach to their lapels and are often referred to as a boutonniere vase. Bouquet holders were copied and mass produced in a variety of sizes, materials, and embellishments. During the second half of the nineteenth century, holders might be commissioned or purchased from the stock at a jeweler or florist shop. Few were made in the United States, instead they were usually imported from Europe and Asia. They were often given as a commemorative memento of historic encounters or events by the royalty and courts of Europe, but they were also used to celebrate and commemorate important, though less prestigious, events of the wealthy and middle class. Bouquet holders reached the peak of their popularity between the 1830s and 1880s, but it began to dwindle as bouquets of long-stemmed flowers (the latest horticultural development) loosely tied with ribbons surpassed the posy bouquet style. They were not totally out of fashion until the “Roaring Twenties,” when such objects became regarded as trivial and useless. The diversity of styles and mechanisms of bouquet holders is evidence of their longevity as a fashion accessory.

content: bouquet holders

content: bouquetiers

content: glass

content: porte-bouquets

content: porte-fleurs

content: Posy holders

content: ribbon

content: tussie-mussies

content: costume accessories

content: decorative arts

content: fashion

content: Victoriana

content: Horticultural Artifacts Collection

content: Smithsonian Gardens

label: Accession number

label: Type

content: Bouquet holders

content: Vases

label: Restrictions & Rights

content: Glass, ribbon

content: 2 1/2 × 1 1/4 in. (6.4 × 3.2 cm)

topic:
Tussie-mussies
Porte-fleurs
Decoration and ornament
Bouquet holders
Costume accessories
Victoriana
Ribbon
Glass
Posy holders
Fashion
Bouquetiers
Porte-bouquets

object_type:
Bouquet holders
Vases

content: <I>Bouquet holder or bud vase, bird motif</I>

title_sort: <I>BOUQUET HOLDER OR BUD VASE, BIRD MOTIF</I>

label: Screen Image


content: Victorian (1837-1901)

content: Copper bouquet holder in form of a cornucopia. A network of wires make up the vase above parts of two stamped leaves encircling the base. In the side of the vase an eight-pointed flower with a large hole in the center disguises the hole for a floral pin. The pin would be inserted the vase and pierce the stems of a bouquet to secure them inside. The curved handle is stamped with two leaves oriented vertically with smaller leaves between them near the top, and the end of the handle creates a curl.

label: Label Text

content: Flowers used for personal adornment were a popular, almost mandatory, fashion accessory in the nineteenth century. Small bouquets, called nosegays, posies, or tussie mussies were carried by debutantes, matrons, and girls, and they were a popular gift in the mid to late 1800s among friends and suitors. They were typically created in concentric rings of flowers, tightly wound together, and were often tied with ribbon or placed in a bouquet holder depending on the tastes and fashions. By the 1830s carrying small bouquets of flowers in decorative holders was an established fashion accessory of the upper class and royalty of Europe. These small accessories, also known as posy holders, ‘porte-bouquets’, and ‘bouquetiers’ were both decorative as well as useful. By providing a water source in the bottom of the receptacle, they were able to keep the flowers fresh throughout an occasion, and they also protected the wearer’s gloves or clothing from being stained by the plant pigments. Queen Victoria helped popularize the bouquet holder, and she is seen holding one in her portrait “Queen Victoria at the Drury Lane Theatre, November 1837” painted by E.T. Parris. When the fashion of carrying hand bouquets in decorative holders caught the fancy of the wealthy and middle class, holders were copied and mass produced in a variety of sizes, materials, and embellishments. During the second half of the nineteenth century, holders might be commissioned or purchased from the stock at a jeweler or florist shop. Few were made in the United States, instead they were usually imported from Europe and Asia. They were often given as a commemorative memento of historic encounters or events by the royalty and courts of Europe, but they were also used to celebrate and commemorate important, though less prestigious, events of the wealthy and middle class. Bouquet holders reached the peak of their popularity between the 1830s and 1880s, but it began to dwindle as bouquets of long-stemmed flowers (the latest horticultural development) loosely tied with ribbons surpassed the posy bouquet style. They were not totally out of fashion until the “Roaring Twenties,” when such objects became regarded as trivial and useless. The diversity of styles and mechanisms of bouquet holders is evidence of their longevity as a fashion accessory.

label: Origin

content: Birmingham, England, possibly

label: Topic

content: bouquet holders

content: bouquetiers

content: copper

content: porte-bouquets

content: porte-fleurs

content: Posy holders

content: tussie-mussies

content: costume accessories

content: decorative arts

content: fashion

content: Victoriana

label: See more items in

content: Horticultural Artifacts Collection

content: Smithsonian Gardens

content: Bouquet holders

content: Copper

content: 4 1/4 × 2 in. (10.8 × 5.1 cm)

label: Style

content: Naturalism

content: Birmingham

content: England

object_type:
Bouquet holders
Copper (metal)

content: <I>Bouquet holder, cornucopia, wire and leaf motif</I>

title_sort: <I>BOUQUET HOLDER, CORNUCOPIA, WIRE AND LEAF MOTIF</I>


label: Date

content: ca. 1871

content: Victorian (1837-1901)

label: Manufacturer

content: Hartley & Little

content: In mourning symbolism, symbols of rest and peace became popular and consoling universal options. Floral frames were made in shapes such as the pillow, the crescent and star, a banner with the word “Rest,” or floral frame lettering to spell out “At Rest.” In flower frames, the idea of death as sleep was expressed most frequently through the popular pillow frame design. The pillow was symbolic of comfort, peace, and rest. Because of its domestic connotations, it was also indicative of family and home. Historically, this frame design was one of the most popular set pieces and it was considered appropriate for all ages and genders. The most frequently used frame size was 16 x 24 inches. While the form of the pillow was simple, florists could use considerable variation in making it up. Inscriptions were frequently applied to the pillow design, and the pillow was frequently chosen for that purpose. “Rest” or “At Rest” were the two most common inscriptions for the pillow. Other lettering suggestions included the name of the deceased, or script to indicate the relation of the sender to the deceased such as “Father,” “Mother,” “Son,” “Daughter,” “Sister,” “Brother,” “Aunt,” “Uncle,” or “Baby.” One of the most popular inscriptions for the pillow among Christians was “Asleep in Jesus.” It was considered especially sentimental on the frames made for the funerals of young children.

label: Mark(s)

content: Hartley & Little, Washington, DC

label: Inscription(s)

content: Pat. August 27, 1871

content: Washinton, DC, United States

content: emblems (symbols)

content: Floral frames

content: frame components

content: wire

content: associations

content: ceremonies

content: decorations

content: Floral Accessories

content: Floral decorations

content: floral designers

content: Flower arrangement

content: funerals

content: funerary objects

content: holidays

content: secret societies

content: societies

content: symbols

content: weddings

content: wirework

content: Horticultural Artifacts Collection

label: Credit Line

label: Data Source

content: Smithsonian Gardens

content: Floral frames

content: Wire

content: 19 × 19 × 4 in. (48.3 × 48.3 × 10.2 cm)

place:
United States
Washinton
DC

topic:
Funerary objects
Frame components
Floral designers
Floral decorations
Floral frames
Wire
Associations
Floral Accessories
Secret societies
Weddings
Rites and ceremonies
Decorations
Holidays
Wirework
Funeral rites and ceremonies
Flower arrangement
Emblems

content: Washinton

type: State

content: DC

content: United States

content: <I>Wire frame, pillow with hinge, round</I>

title_sort: <I>WIRE FRAME, PILLOW WITH HINGE, ROUND</I>

label: Thumbnail Image


content: ca. 1880

label: Period

content: Victorian (1837-1901)

label: Description

content: The scroll or roll of honor was often used for men in the prime of life and was often covered with ivy and an inscription or emblem in flowers. “Rest” was a popular inscription for the scroll because of the comfort and wide-spread appeal of the associations of death and sleep. This design was also adapted to the funerals of members of the armed forces. Flower frame designs of national symbols and emblems of the military branch of the fallen celebrated their patriotism at the funerals of active military and veterans. Often flowers the same color as the American flag were employed in arrangements, such as roses, carnations, and cornflowers to create that patriotic red, white, and blue color scheme. Nationally symbolic designs such as American flags, eagles, and many other designs were also displayed in shop windows and at ceremonies for holidays such as Independence Day and Memorial Day. These designs remained popular into the twentieth century.

content: emblems (symbols)

content: Floral frames

content: frame components

content: wire

content: armed forces

content: associations

content: ceremonies

content: decorations

content: Floral Accessories

content: Floral decorations

content: floral designers

content: Flower arrangement

content: funerals

content: funerary objects

content: scrolls (information artifacts)

content: secret societies

content: societies

content: symbols

content: wirework

content: Horticultural Artifacts Collection

content: Smithsonian Gardens

content: Floral frames

label: Medium

content: Wire

label: Dimensions

content: 40 1/2 × 18 × 23 in. (102.9 × 45.7 × 58.4 cm)

topic:
Funerary objects
Frame components
Floral designers
Floral decorations
Floral frames
Wire
Associations
Floral Accessories
Secret societies
Rites and ceremonies
Decorations
Wirework
Funeral rites and ceremonies
Flower arrangement
Scrolls (information artifacts)
Emblems
Military

label: Title

content: <I>Wire frame, scroll of honor</I>

title_sort: <I>WIRE FRAME, SCROLL OF HONOR</I>

label: High-resolution TIFF

label: High-resolution JPEG

title: <I>Wire frame, scroll of honor</I>


content: ca. 1860-1940

content: Victorian (1837-1901)

content: It was common for social or business organizations that the deceased was a member of to send flowers to the funeral in the nineteenth century. These included, friendly and fraternal societies, temperance leagues, social clubs, veteran’s organization, and worker’s unions, among others. The floral tributes were often set pieces patterned after the emblem of the organization or club. These emblems were an assemblage of symbolic shapes and colors that were meaningful to the organization. Depending on the size of the recreation, elements of the design might be added to subtracted while maintaining an accurate impression of the emblem. These were usually made with flowers and ribbons in the emblematic colors of the organization. These had to be recognizable, thus accuracy was important for the florist, each flower frame must be made to an exact shape and with the appropriate colors. In addition to the fraternal emblems recreated in flower frame designs, many of their symbols, or assemblages of multiple symbols recreated out of wire frames were also used for these floral arrangements. These designs were also used for organizational functions other than just funerals. Organizational emblem frames often comprised a significant portion of floral frame trade catalogs. After the Civil War, soldiers from both the Confederate and Union armies established veteran’s organizations, with similar services and activities as those of fraternal and benevolent societies. The largest and most important of these groups was The Grand Army of the Republic, or GAR, established in 1866. Their ceremonies, rituals, and symbolism were based on the Masonic model. In addition to providing companionship and recreational activities, the GAR was instrumental in the establishment of soldiers’ homes, lobbying for soldiers’ pensions, and the national holiday and day of remembrance, Memorial Day, on May 30th. Membership in the GAR was restricted to honorably discharged veterans of the Union forces who served between April 12, 1861, and April 9, 1865. At its height membership in the GAR grew to 409,000 members, which included five U.S. presidents. Because of its restrictions on membership, the GAR was founded with “built-in extinction.” The last member of the GAR, Albert Woolson, died in 1956 at the age of 109 years. The GAR was so popular that floral frame manufacturers included their insignia in their catalogues and design albums. Nationally symbolic designs such as GAR badges, American flags, eagles, and many other designs were displayed in shop windows and at ceremonies for holidays such as Independence Day and Memorial Day. Flower frame designs of national symbols and emblems of the military branch of the fallen celebrated their patriotism at the funerals of active military and veterans. Often flowers the same color as the American flag were employed in arrangements, such as roses, carnations, and cornflowers to create that patriotic red, white, and blue color scheme. Nationally symbolic designs such as GAR badges, American flags, eagles, and many other designs were also displayed in shop windows and at ceremonies for holidays such as Independence Day and Memorial Day.

label: Label Text

label: Topic

content: emblems (symbols)

content: Floral frames

content: frame components

content: wire

content: armed forces

content: associations

content: ceremonies

content: decorations

content: Floral Accessories

content: Floral decorations

content: floral designers

content: Flower arrangement

content: funerals

content: funerary objects

content: holidays

content: secret societies

content: societies

content: symbols

content: wirework

content: Horticultural Artifacts Collection

content: Smithsonian Gardens

label: Accession number

label: Type

content: Floral frames

label: Restrictions & Rights

content: Wire

content: 31 1/2 × 16 1/2 × 1 1/2 in. (80 × 41.9 × 3.8 cm)

topic:
Funerary objects
Frame components
Floral designers
Floral decorations
Floral frames
Wire
Associations
Floral Accessories
Secret societies
Rites and ceremonies
Decorations
Holidays
Wirework
Funeral rites and ceremonies
Flower arrangement
Emblems
Military

content: <I>Wire frame, G.A.R. badge</I>

title_sort: <I>WIRE FRAME, G.A.R. BADGE</I>

label: Screen Image

title: <I>Wire frame, G.A.R. badge</I>


label: Date

content: Victorian (1837-1901)

content: Gilded brass vase with silver beads and mother of pearl handle. The vase of the holder is elaborately designed with open metalwork in five eighteenth-century style repeats. Small cartouches are combined with ‘S' and ‘C' scrolls to create the sides of the vase. Within each section is a curving band of seven silver beads strung vertically on convex wires. The base of the vase is formed by five ornate, textured acanthus leaves atop a crown like ring. This design is typical of the Rococo Revival style popular in the nineteenth century. Snake chains attach a floral pin and ring to the bottom of the bowl. The pin is meant to be inserted through the vase, piercing the stems to secure a posy in the holder. The ring connected to the other chain would allow the bouquet holder to be worn dangling from the finger or could be attached to a chatelaine worn at the waist to free the lady's hands while dancing. The vase portion of the bouquet holder connects to the handle at a gilded-brass sheet neck band that is embossed with flowers and leaves on a diagonal-line background. The spindle handle is made from a luminescent mother of pearl. It has been turned, creating rings and bands as it tapers to a point. Mother of pearl handles retained a cool feeling longer than some other materials; because of this, they were said to be appropriate for warmer months.

content: bouquet holders

content: bouquetiers

content: mother of pearl

content: porte-bouquets

content: porte-fleurs

content: Posy holders

content: tussie-mussies

content: costume accessories

content: decorative arts

content: fashion

content: Victoriana

label: See more items in

content: Horticultural Artifacts Collection

content: Smithsonian Gardens, Horticultural Artifacts Collection. Gift of Frances Jones Poetker.

content: Smithsonian Gardens

content: Bouquet holders

content: Gilded brass, silver, mother of pearl

content: 6 × 1 in. (15.2 × 2.5 cm)

label: Style

content: Rococo Revival

topic:
Tussie-mussies
Porte-fleurs
Decoration and ornament
Bouquet holders
Costume accessories
Victoriana
Posy holders
Fashion
Bouquetiers
Porte-bouquets
Mother of pearl

content: <I>Bouquet holder, beads, mother of pearl handle</I>

title_sort: <I>BOUQUET HOLDER, BEADS, MOTHER OF PEARL HANDLE</I>


content: Victorian (1837-1901)

content: Silver filigree bouquet holder with tripod base. The tulip-shaped vase is comprised of delicate filigree petals, which create a scalloped rim. The neck, which connects the vase to the handle, is decorated with filigree leaves alternating with applied flowers on long, slender stems. The handle of the bouquet holder also serves as a tripod stand. This would allow the bouquet holder to act as a free-standing table or mantle ornament. Three curved panels with intricate filigree spring out, each with a foot at the end to add stability. The when the legs were secured together, they acted as a straight, stem handle for the bouquet holder.

label: Origin

content: Birmingham, England, possibly

content: bouquet holders

content: bouquetiers

content: filigree

content: porte-bouquets

content: porte-fleurs

content: Posy holders

content: silver

content: tussie-mussies

content: costume accessories

content: decorative arts

content: fashion

content: Victoriana

content: Horticultural Artifacts Collection

label: Credit Line

label: Data Source

content: Smithsonian Gardens

content: Bouquet holders

content: Silver

content: 7 × 1 1/2 in. (17.8 × 3.8 cm)

topic:
Silver
Tussie-mussies
Porte-fleurs
Decoration and ornament
Bouquet holders
Costume accessories
Victoriana
Posy holders
Fashion
Bouquetiers
Porte-bouquets
Filigree

content: Birmingham

content: England

content: <I>Bouquet holder, filigree, tripod</I>

title_sort: <I>BOUQUET HOLDER, FILIGREE, TRIPOD</I>

label: Thumbnail Image

title: <I>Bouquet holder, filigree, tripod</I>


label: Period

content: Victorian (1837-1901)

label: Description

content: Gilded metal vase of a bouquet holder. The conical vase is formed by a metal sheet stamped with elaborate acanthus leaves, ‘S’ and ‘C’ scrolls and arabesques. This design recalls the motifs and dynamism associated with the Rococo Revival style of the nineteenth century. Small, round openings for the floral pin encircle the base. The pin would be inserted through the vase to pierce the stems of a bouquet in order to secure the flowers inside the holder. A three-lobed loop chain is connected to the midpoint of the vase and terminates in a ring. The ring would allow the bouquet holder to be worn from the finger or on a chatelaine at the waist to free the lady's hands while dancing. On the chain are two dangling charms, one of a moon and the other a star.

content: bouquet holders

content: bouquetiers

content: porte-bouquets

content: porte-fleurs

content: Posy holders

content: tussie-mussies

content: costume accessories

content: decorative arts

content: fashion

content: Victoriana

content: Horticultural Artifacts Collection

content: Smithsonian Gardens

content: Bouquet holders

label: Medium

content: Gilded metal

content: Rococo Revival

content: <I>Bouquet holder, star & moon charms</I>

title_sort: <I>BOUQUET HOLDER, STAR & MOON CHARMS</I>


content: Victorian (1837-1901)

content: Silver bouquet holder with curved handle. The openwork vase features grape clusters, leaves, and vines. A loop-ended floral pin attaches to the upper portion of the vase. The pin would be inserted through the vase to pierce the stems of a bouquet in order to secure the flowers inside the holder. The neck, which connects the vase to the handle is comprised of alternating flowers on thin stems and textured leaves. The curved, tubular handle is hand engraved and capped with a ball. An embossed finger ring on a short length of chain is connected so the bouquet holder could be worn on the finger or attached to a chatelaine at the waist. The handle bears the inscription “John to Lucy” engraved in cursive script.

label: Inscription(s)

content: “John to Lucy”

content: Birmingham, England, possibly

content: bouquet holders

content: bouquetiers

content: porte-bouquets

content: porte-fleurs

content: Posy holders

content: silver

content: tussie-mussies

content: costume accessories

content: decorative arts

content: fashion

content: Victoriana

content: Horticultural Artifacts Collection

content: Smithsonian Gardens

content: Bouquet holders

content: Silver

label: Dimensions

content: 5 1/2 × 1 1/2 in. (14 × 3.8 cm)

content: Naturalism

content: Birmingham

content: England

label: Title

content: <I>Bouquet holder, grape and leaf motif</I>

title_sort: <I>BOUQUET HOLDER, GRAPE AND LEAF MOTIF</I>

label: High-resolution TIFF

label: High-resolution JPEG


content: ca. 1880

content: Victorian (1837-1901)

content: The Stopped Clock flower frame was one of the symbols of mortality, collectively referred to as Memento Mori (Remember you will die), that were used to remind of the brevity of life on earth and encourage living a good life. Instead of a direct, explicit reference to death, such as the skull or skeleton, the clock was used to evoke the mortal condition of mankind and time running out. The Stopped Clock flower frame was most suitable for men in the prime life. This design was also based on the ritual of stopping the clocks when a person dies. The clock would then be restarted after the burial. This custom continued well into the twentieth century and is still practiced by some today. The time on the clock flower frame was significant of the time of death. In these floral designs, a white face indicated that the time of death was before noon, and a purple face meant it had occurred after noon.

label: Label Text

content: Set pieces or set designs were among the most popular floral arrangements in the second half of the nineteenth century. The term set piece is a usually applied to designs in a wide variety of forms, which are often symbolic in character. Shapes that expressed an overall theme for an occasion were very fashionable, such as designs made to depict the profession, associations, or hobbies of an individual. These flower arrangements were ordered for special celebrations, holidays, weddings, and funerals. Typical of the Victorian style, these designs were elaborate and massive, but unlike other forms of flower arrangement, the set piece was exclusively made by the professional florist.

content: Set pieces were usually made up on wire frames in the desired shape, which acted as a foundation for the floral arrangement. Commercially produced, heavy-gaged wire frames, fabricated from either plain or copper-plated wire, became available for flower arrangements between 1860 and 1864. The retail florist business was enhanced considerably by the high demand for arrangements on flower frames in the nineteenth century, and wire frames quickly became the basis of the retail florist’s inventory. The frames could be obtained for little cost to the florist, and if he managed to retrieve the skeleton after the occasion, it could be reused. Wire frames came in both straight and curved outlines and either as a box (three-dimensional frame) or flat frame. Most designs came in several sizes and could be hung or placed on a stand or were free-standing. Standard forms in wire works catalogues ranged in size from 10 to 60 inches. Outside of the standard frame designs offered in wireworks and florist’s supplies catalogues, designs could be made for almost any occasion, with some large enough to make life-sized reproductions.

content: Over the course of the nineteenth and twentieth century floral fashions changed. Some set pieces faded in popularity by the early 1900s, but some remained favorites well into the 1940’s. Many of these same designs are still used today, but the wire frames have been replaced by shapes made from more modern materials to save the florists’ time in making up the arrangement, as well as providing water to the flowers allowing for greater longevity.

label: Topic

content: emblems (symbols)

content: Floral frames

content: frame components

content: wire

content: associations

content: ceremonies

content: clocks

content: decorations

content: Floral Accessories

content: Floral decorations

content: floral designers

content: Flower arrangement

content: funerals

content: funerary objects

content: secret societies

content: societies

content: symbols

content: wirework

content: Horticultural Artifacts Collection

content: Smithsonian Gardens, Horticultural Artifacts Collection.

content: Smithsonian Gardens

label: Accession number

label: Type

content: Floral frames

label: Restrictions & Rights

content: Wire

content: 37 × 21 1/2 × 7 in. (94 × 54.6 × 17.8 cm)

topic:
Funerary objects
Frame components
Floral designers
Floral decorations
Floral frames
Wire
Associations
Floral Accessories
Secret societies
Rites and ceremonies
Decorations
Wirework
Funeral rites and ceremonies
Flower arrangement
Emblems
Clocks

content: <I>Wire frame, clock</I>

title_sort: <I>WIRE FRAME, CLOCK</I>

title: <I>Wire frame, clock</I>


label: Date

content: ca. 1879-1962

content: Victorian (1837-1901)

content: Some of the most popular designs in funeral flowers in the late nineteenth century were those that appealed to the sentimentality of the period. These flower frame designs were both more decorative and more personal in their references. Shapes alluded to lives cut short and the loss of cherished relationships. As a visual genre, unfilled furniture came to represent a deceased loved one in nineteenth-century mourning iconography. These designs were in form of objects that the deceased had interacted with and became a personification of the individual who had been lost. The Vacant Chair or Empty Chair appeared in a variety of mediums in mourning paraphernalia, from the cemetery to photography. The chair that was once occupied, now left vacant implied the absence or loss of a family member, particularly an authoritative figure. This made the Empty Chair particularly suited to men, especially those in positions of authority; however, any father as head of the household was worthy of such a tribute in the nineteenth century. The Vacant Chair design could also be more general in its connotations, indicating any missing member of the family or community. A variation on the Empty Chair design, the Armchair could also be used as a symbol of ease and a charming life. The Vacant Chair or Empty Chair was usually an elaborate and massive floral design. It was usually life-sized. Depending on the ambitiousness of the designs and the quality of flowers, these designs, as some of the more expensive flower frame tributes, ranged in price from $50-100 as of the early twentieth century.

content: emblems (symbols)

content: Floral frames

content: frame components

content: wire

content: associations

content: ceremonies

content: chairs

content: decorations

content: Floral Accessories

content: Floral decorations

content: floral designers

content: Flower arrangement

content: funerals

content: funerary objects

content: symbols

content: wirework

label: See more items in

content: Horticultural Artifacts Collection

content: Smithsonian Gardens

content: Floral frames

content: Wire

content: 22 × 12 × 7 1/2 in. (55.9 × 30.5 × 19.1 cm)

topic:
Funerary objects
Frame components
Floral designers
Floral decorations
Floral frames
Wire
Associations
Floral Accessories
Rites and ceremonies
Decorations
Wirework
Funeral rites and ceremonies
Chairs
Flower arrangement
Emblems

content: <I>Wire frame, chair, miniature</I>

title_sort: <I>WIRE FRAME, CHAIR, MINIATURE</I>

label: Screen Image

title: <I>Wire frame, chair, miniature</I>


content: Victorian (1837-1901)

content: Silver plated bouquet holder with ring handle. The funnel-shaped vase is comprised of a pierced design featuring leaves, vines and fruits (possibly peaches). A looped clip attached to the middle of the vase allowed the holder to be attached to garments. The neck, which connects the vase to the handle, is made of a tangle of wires in a sphere. The handle has foliated decoration and ends in ring. A short length of chain connected to a ring is attached to the side of the handle. The ring would allow the bouquet holder to be worn from the finger or on a chatelaine at the waist to free the lady's hands while dancing.

content: Flowers used for personal adornment were a popular fashion accessory throughout the 1800s up to the mid-1900s. Carrying or wearing fresh flowers was an important aspect of not only fashion but of good breeding and refined tastes. Corsages worn by women and boutonnieres worn by men were essential elements of dress for the tasteful upper- and middle-class Americans and Europeans at social functions. Many wore flowers whenever they were in public, including President McKinley, who wore a carnation in his lapel every day. In 1840, Queen Adelaide, wife of King William IV of the Great Britain and Hanover, introduced the fashion of tucking a small posy into a high waistband or sash, and Queen Victoria popularized the bouquet holder as seen in her portrait at the opera painted by E.T. Parris in 1838. By the 1830s carrying and wearing small bouquets of flowers in decorative holders was an established fashion accessory of the upper class and royalty of Europe. These small accessories, also known as posy holders, ‘porte-bouquets,’ and ‘bouquetiers’ were both decorative as well as useful. By providing a water source in the bottom of the receptacle, they were able to keep the flowers fresh throughout an occasion, and they also protected the wearer’s gloves or clothing from being stained by the plant pigments. Some had a pin or clip attachment that allowed it to be worn on the clothing. These bouquet holders were usually light weight, so not to strain the garment. Similar holders were made for men to attach to their lapels and are often referred to as a boutonniere vase. Bouquet holders were copied and mass produced in a variety of sizes, materials, and embellishments. During the second half of the nineteenth century, holders might be commissioned or purchased from the stock at a jeweler or florist shop. Few were made in the United States, instead they were usually imported from Europe and Asia. They were often given as a commemorative memento of historic encounters or events by the royalty and courts of Europe, but they were also used to celebrate and commemorate important, though less prestigious, events of the wealthy and middle class. Bouquet holders reached the peak of their popularity between the 1830s and 1880s, but it began to dwindle as bouquets of long-stemmed flowers (the latest horticultural development) loosely tied with ribbons surpassed the posy bouquet style. They were not totally out of fashion until the “Roaring Twenties,” when such objects became regarded as trivial and useless. The diversity of styles and mechanisms of bouquet holders is evidence of their longevity as a fashion accessory.

label: Origin

content: Birmingham, England, possibly

content: bouquet holders

content: bouquetiers

content: porte-bouquets

content: porte-fleurs

content: Posy holders

content: tussie-mussies

content: costume accessories

content: decorative arts

content: fashion

content: Victoriana

content: Horticultural Artifacts Collection

label: Credit Line

label: Data Source

content: Smithsonian Gardens

content: Bouquet holders

content: Copper

content: 6 1/4 × 1 1/2 in. (15.9 × 3.8 cm)

label: Style

content: Naturalism

topic:
Tussie-mussies
Porte-fleurs
Decoration and ornament
Bouquet holders
Costume accessories
Victoriana
Posy holders
Fashion
Bouquetiers
Porte-bouquets

content: Birmingham

content: England

content: <I>Bouquet holder, fruit motif</I>

title_sort: <I>BOUQUET HOLDER, FRUIT MOTIF</I>

label: Thumbnail Image

title: <I>Bouquet holder, fruit motif</I>


content: ca. 1879-1962

label: Period

content: Victorian (1837-1901)

label: Description

content: In mourning symbolism, symbols of rest and peace became popular and consoling options. A popular flower frame design for funerals that alluded to rest was the Star and Crescent. The star, when together with the crescent, was symbolic of the sleep of a pure and innocent soul. As such, this design was specifically suited to infants, but it appeared at funerals of all ages and genders. Symbols such as this were popular because they create a sense of comfort by implying the loved one is at rest from the struggles of daily life. Both the star and the crescent also appeared separately or with other symbols in funeral tributes.

content: emblems (symbols)

content: Floral frames

content: frame components

content: stars

content: wire

content: associations

content: ceremonies

content: decorations

content: Floral Accessories

content: Floral decorations

content: floral designers

content: Flower arrangement

content: funerals

content: funerary objects

content: holidays

content: secret societies

content: societies

content: symbols

content: weddings

content: wirework

content: Horticultural Artifacts Collection

content: Smithsonian Gardens, Horticultural Artifacts Collection. Gift of H. Weber & Sons Company.

content: Smithsonian Gardens

content: Floral frames

label: Medium

content: Wire

label: Dimensions

content: 23 1/2 × 11 1/2 × 8 in. (59.7 × 29.2 × 20.3 cm)

topic:
Funerary objects
Frame components
Stars
Floral designers
Floral decorations
Floral frames
Wire
Associations
Floral Accessories
Secret societies
Weddings
Rites and ceremonies
Decorations
Holidays
Wirework
Funeral rites and ceremonies
Flower arrangement
Emblems

content: <I>Wire frame, crescent & star on stand</I>

title_sort: <I>WIRE FRAME, CRESCENT & STAR ON STAND</I>


content: ca. 1880

content: Victorian (1837-1901)

content: The Bible was a popular adaptation for funeral flower frames. A book in mourning symbolism represented a scholar, the Bible, or the Book of Life. This floral tribute was meant to call attention to the deceased person’s religion and be a testament to their beliefs. The book ranged in sizes and might be open or closed. It often included a ribbon book marker with a favorite verse on it. The Bible was sometimes combined with other floral frames, such as the wreath or cross. It was a suitable design for any age individual of the Christian faith, both male and female. The book flower frame could also be interpreted as the Book of Life. In the Christian tradition, the Book of Life was a ledger of the deeds of the righteous and contained the names of those who would be granted entrance to Kingdom of Heaven. This flower frame was a favorite device for chronicling the name of the deceased, or the open page could also be inscribed with "He Giveth His Beloved Sleep", "I Know That My Redeemer Liveth", and "He Giveth Victory.” When portrayed with an open book, the design was appropriate for the funeral of any Christian. However, when closed, this design represented a completed life, and was, therefore, more suited to the elderly. In addition to the name, a popular inscription for the Book of Life could be “Finis.”

label: Label Text

content: emblems (symbols)

content: Floral frames

content: frame components

content: wire

content: associations

content: ceremonies

content: decorations

content: Floral Accessories

content: Floral decorations

content: floral designers

content: Flower arrangement

content: funerals

content: funerary objects

content: holidays

content: secret societies

content: societies

content: symbols

content: weddings

content: wirework

content: Horticultural Artifacts Collection

content: Smithsonian Gardens

content: Floral frames

content: Wire

content: 23 1/2 × 20 × 13 in. (59.7 × 50.8 × 33 cm)

label: Title

content: <I>Wire frame, bible on stump</I>

title_sort: <I>WIRE FRAME, BIBLE ON STUMP</I>

label: High-resolution TIFF

label: High-resolution JPEG

title: <I>Wire frame, bible on stump</I>


content: ca. 1879-1962

content: Victorian (1837-1901)

content: The crescent flower frame was not a particularly symbolic arrangement in itself; however, it was frequently sent to the family as a floral tribute to the deceased. This frame is commonly combined with a star or pendulum. Whether carrying a deeper meaning or not, floral tributes were always symbolic of respect for the deceased and sympathy for the mourners.

label: Topic

content: emblems (symbols)

content: Floral frames

content: frame components

content: wire

content: associations

content: ceremonies

content: decorations

content: Floral Accessories

content: Floral decorations

content: floral designers

content: Flower arrangement

content: funerals

content: funerary objects

content: holidays

content: secret societies

content: societies

content: symbols

content: weddings

content: wirework

content: Horticultural Artifacts Collection

content: Smithsonian Gardens

label: Accession number

label: Type

content: Floral frames

label: Restrictions & Rights

content: Wire

content: 37 × 18 1/2 × 10 in. (94 × 47 × 25.4 cm)

content: <I>Wire frame, crescent with pendulum on stand</I>

title_sort: <I>WIRE FRAME, CRESCENT WITH PENDULUM ON STAND</I>


label: Date

content: Victorian (1837-1901)

content: Gilded-brass bouquet holder with tripod base. The vase is formed from two repeats featuring a column topped by a floral bouquet with flanking winged female figures. Each woman has flowing hair, bare breast, a skirt formed of leaf-like plumes, and holds an urn containing flowers. This design is obscured by applied dangles around the lip of the vase. At the base of the vase a short length of chain connects to a floral pin. The pin would be inserted through the vase to pierce the stems of a bouquet in order to secure the flowers inside the holder. The handle of the bouquet holder also serves as a tripod stand. This would allow the bouquet holder to act as a free-standing table or mantle ornament. Three curved panels spring out, each with stamped decoration (one of the legs is no longer present). The when the legs were secured together, they acted as a straight, stem handle for the bouquet holder.

content: Flowers used for personal adornment were a popular, almost mandatory, fashion accessory in the nineteenth century. Small bouquets, called nosegays, posies, or tussie mussies were carried by debutantes, matrons, and girls, and they were a popular gift in the mid to late 1800s among friends and suitors. They were typically created in concentric rings of flowers, tightly wound together, and were often tied with ribbon or placed in a bouquet holder depending on the tastes and fashions. By the 1830s carrying small bouquets of flowers in decorative holders was an established fashion accessory of the upper class and royalty of Europe. These small accessories, also known as posy holders, ‘porte-bouquets’, and ‘bouquetiers’ were both decorative as well as useful. By providing a water source in the bottom of the receptacle, they were able to keep the flowers fresh throughout an occasion, and they also protected the wearer’s gloves or clothing from being stained by the plant pigments. Queen Victoria helped popularize the bouquet holder, and she is seen holding one in her portrait “Queen Victoria at the Drury Lane Theatre, November 1837” painted by E.T. Parris. When the fashion of carrying hand bouquets in decorative holders caught the fancy of the wealthy and middle class, holders were copied and mass produced in a variety of sizes, materials, and embellishments. During the second half of the nineteenth century, holders might be commissioned or purchased from the stock at a jeweler or florist shop. Few were made in the United States, instead they were usually imported from Europe and Asia. They were often given as a commemorative memento of historic encounters or events by the royalty and courts of Europe, but they were also used to celebrate and commemorate important, though less prestigious, events of the wealthy and middle class. Bouquet holders reached the peak of their popularity between the 1830s and 1880s, but it began to dwindle as bouquets of long-stemmed flowers (the latest horticultural development) loosely tied with ribbons surpassed the posy bouquet style. They were not totally out of fashion until the “Roaring Twenties,” when such objects became regarded as trivial and useless. The diversity of styles and mechanisms of bouquet holders is evidence of their longevity as a fashion accessory.

label: Origin

content: Birmingham, England, possibly

content: bouquet holders

content: bouquetiers

content: porte-bouquets

content: porte-fleurs

content: Posy holders

content: tussie-mussies

content: costume accessories

content: decorative arts

content: fashion

content: Victoriana

label: See more items in

content: Horticultural Artifacts Collection

content: Smithsonian Gardens, Horticultural Artifacts Collection. Gift of Frances Jones Poetker.

content: Smithsonian Gardens

content: Bouquet holders

content: Gilded brass

content: 6 × 1 3/4 in. (15.2 × 4.4 cm)

content: Renaissance Revival

content: Birmingham

content: England

content: <I>Bouquet holder, bangles, tripod</I>

title_sort: <I>BOUQUET HOLDER, BANGLES, TRIPOD</I>

label: Screen Image

title: <I>Bouquet holder, bangles, tripod</I>


content: Victorian (1837-1901)

content: Cone-shaped wicker bouquet holder with ribbons and dried flowers. Accessories made of wicker were extremely popular from the 1850s to the early 1900s. Wicker is comprised of woven rattan, willow, bamboo, or other imported or local grasses over a hard wood or metal frame.

content: bouquet holders

content: bouquetiers

content: porte-bouquets

content: porte-fleurs

content: Posy holders

content: tussie-mussies

content: wicker

content: costume accessories

content: decorative arts

content: fashion

content: Victoriana

content: Horticultural Artifacts Collection

label: Credit Line

label: Data Source

content: Smithsonian Gardens

content: Bouquet holders

content: Wicker, silk ribbon

content: 3 × 1/2 in. (7.6 × 1.3 cm)

topic:
Tussie-mussies
Porte-fleurs
Decoration and ornament
Bouquet holders
Costume accessories
Victoriana
Posy holders
Fashion
Bouquetiers
Porte-bouquets
Wicker

content: <I>Bouquet holder, wicker, pin</I>

title_sort: <I>BOUQUET HOLDER, WICKER, PIN</I>

label: Thumbnail Image

title: <I>Bouquet holder, wicker, pin</I>


label: Period

content: Victorian (1837-1901)

label: Description

content: Silver filigree bouquet holder with missing base. The funnel-shaped vase is comprised of intricate filigree overlaid with serrated, filigree leaves. The substantial rim of the vase dips down in the front and is adorned with applied loops of dangling wire. The neck, which would have connected the vase to the handle, is decorated with filigree leaves alternating with applied silver flowers on long, slender stems. Two short lengths of chain are attached below the neck. The first is broken and would have attached to a floral pin, which would be inserted through the vase to pierce the stems of a bouquet in order to secure the flowers inside the holder. The second chain has a filigree sphere-shaped charm hanging from it and terminates in a ring. The ring would allow the bouquet holder to be worn from the finger or on a chatelaine at the waist to free the lady's hands while dancing.

content: bouquet holders

content: bouquetiers

content: filigree

content: porte-bouquets

content: porte-fleurs

content: Posy holders

content: silver

content: tussie-mussies

content: costume accessories

content: decorative arts

content: fashion

content: Victoriana

content: Horticultural Artifacts Collection

content: Smithsonian Gardens

content: Bouquet holders

label: Medium

content: Silver

content: <I>Bouquet holder, filigree</I>

title_sort: <I>BOUQUET HOLDER, FILIGREE</I>

title: <I>Bouquet holder, filigree</I>


content: Victorian (1837-1901)

content: Silver bouquet holder with curved handle. The funnel-shaped vase has a scalloped lip and stamped decoration. A melon shaped swelling at the base sits on the baluster neck, which connects the vase to the handle. A short length of chain connects a floral pin to the neck. The pin would be inserted through the vase to pierce the stems of a bouquet in order to secure the flowers inside the holder. The smooth, rattail handle is capped with a ball finial. This type of handle could be looped over the finger or hung from a belt.

label: Label Text

content: Great Britain, possibly

content: bouquet holders

content: bouquetiers

content: porte-bouquets

content: porte-fleurs

content: Posy holders

content: silver

content: tussie-mussies

content: costume accessories

content: decorative arts

content: fashion

content: Victoriana

content: Horticultural Artifacts Collection

content: Smithsonian Gardens

content: Bouquet holders

content: Silver

label: Dimensions

content: 5 1/4 × 1 1/2 in. (13.3 × 3.8 cm)

label: Style

content: Georgian

content: Great Britain

label: Title

content: <I>Bouquet holder, Georgian urn</I>

title_sort: <I>BOUQUET HOLDER, GEORGIAN URN</I>

title: <I>Bouquet holder, Georgian urn</I>


content: Victorian (1837-1901)

content: Gilded metal bouquet holder with mother of pearl handle. The funnel-shaped vase is comprised of a pierced design of leaves, shells and knots with faint pink and green enameling. The spindle handle is made from turned mother of pearl. Mother of pearl handles retained a cool feeling longer than some other materials; because of this, they were said to be appropriate for warmer months.

label: Topic

content: bouquet holders

content: bouquetiers

content: mother of pearl

content: porte-bouquets

content: porte-fleurs

content: Posy holders

content: tussie-mussies

content: costume accessories

content: decorative arts

content: fashion

content: Victoriana

content: Horticultural Artifacts Collection

content: Smithsonian Gardens

label: Accession number

content: Bouquet holders

content: Gilded metal, mother of pearl

content: 6 × 2 in. (15.2 × 5.1 cm)

content: Rococo Revival

content: <I>Bouquet holder, flower motif, mother of pearl handle</I>

title_sort: <I>BOUQUET HOLDER, FLOWER MOTIF, MOTHER OF PEARL HANDLE</I>

label: High-resolution TIFF

label: High-resolution JPEG


label: Date

content: Victorian (1837-1901)

content: Gilded brass bouquet holder with mirrors and mother of pearl handle. The vase is four-sided, two of which features a central oval mirror surrounded by beaded stamped frames above a large leaf. These alternate with smaller, oval frames that are left empty. They are connected to the base by a wire that encloses them within a teardrop shaped loop. A short length of round-link chain connected to a loop-ended floral pin attaches to one of the structural wires near the middle of the vase. The pin would be inserted through the vase to pierce the stems of a bouquet in order to secure the flowers inside the holder. Below, the vase attaches to the handle with six petals textured with crisscrossing lines and droops over the neck band. The tapered handle is spindle shaped, made from turned mother of pearl. Mother of pearl handles retained a cool feeling longer than some other materials; because of this, they were said to be appropriate for warmer months. The shaft of the handle narrows slightly with incised rings stacked along the bottom. Near the tip of the handle a is a looped a link which would attach a chain and ring. The ring would allow the bouquet holder to be worn from the finger or on a chatelaine at the waist to free the lady's hands while dancing.

content: bouquet holders

content: bouquetiers

content: mirrors

content: mother of pearl

content: porte-bouquets

content: porte-fleurs

content: Posy holders

content: tussie-mussies

content: costume accessories

content: decorative arts

content: fashion

content: Victoriana

content: Horticultural Artifacts Collection

content: Smithsonian Gardens

label: Type

content: Bouquet holders

label: Restrictions & Rights

content: Gilded brass, mirror, mother of pearl

content: 5 1/2 × 1 1/4 in. (14 × 3.2 cm)

content: Rococo Revival

topic:
Tussie-mussies
Porte-fleurs
Decoration and ornament
Bouquet holders
Costume accessories
Victoriana
Posy holders
Fashion
Bouquetiers
Porte-bouquets
Mother of pearl
Mirrors

content: <I>Bouquet holder, mirrored, mother of pearl handle</I>

title_sort: <I>BOUQUET HOLDER, MIRRORED, MOTHER OF PEARL HANDLE</I>


content: Victorian (1837-1901)

content: Silver bouquet holder in cornucopia shape. The holder has a flared lip and intricate design with interspersed turquois glass stones. On the body of the holder there are religious figures of the cross in medieval doorways and of the fleur de lis. Worked into the designs are the four winds, the sign of a journey. The bottom of the cornucopia is capped with the face of a king's jester. Near the tail end of the holder is a band encircled with stones and connected to a short length of chain attached to a floral pin. The pin would be inserted through the vase to pierce the stems of a bouquet in order to secure the flowers inside the holder.

label: Origin

content: Germany, possibly

content: bouquet holders

content: bouquetiers

content: porte-bouquets

content: porte-fleurs

content: Posy holders

content: silver

content: tussie-mussies

content: costume accessories

content: decorative arts

content: fashion

content: Victoriana

label: See more items in

content: Horticultural Artifacts Collection

label: Credit Line

content: Smithsonian Gardens

content: Bouquet holders

content: Silver, glass beads

content: 4 3/4 × 2 in. (12.1 × 5.1 cm)

content: Renaissance Revival

content: Germany

content: <I>Bouquet holder, cornucopia, figures</I>

title_sort: <I>BOUQUET HOLDER, CORNUCOPIA, FIGURES</I>

label: Screen Image