Brooch, bow with artificial flowers

Object Details

Date
ca.1830-1920
Period
Victorian (1837-1901)
Description
Bow shaped brooch, which silver in appearance with filigree designs and small wirework bow in the center. The back has a clasp with a saftey mechanism. Three artificial pink roses made of fabric and plastic are attached to the brooch with green wire.
Label Text
Artificial flowers have a long history. They were made by the ancient Chinese and the Greeks. For centuries, artificial flowers have been made from pottery, enamel, metal, feathers, paper, and many other materials. Creating artificial flowers is a meticulous art form. Every petal, stem, leaf, and stamen must be cut, shaped, painted, and carefully assembled by hand. Some are designed to be arranged in a bowl or vase for display and others to be worn. Part of the appeal of artificial flowers is their permanence and unblemished beauty.
Brooches have adorned the clothing of men and women since ancient times. They might be functional, such as keeping a cloak closed, or purely worn as a decorative accessory. They can be ornate or simple, large or small, and made of just about any material imaginable. Brooches are a way of asserting one’s individual tastes by personalizing the garment it adorns.
Topic
bouquet holders
bouquetiers
brooches
porte-bouquets
porte-fleurs
tussie-mussies
Artificial flowers
costume accessories
decorative arts
fashion
flowers (plants)
jewelry
See more items in
Horticultural Artifacts Collection
Credit Line
Smithsonian Gardens, Horticultural Artifacts Collection. Gift of Frances Jones Poetker.
Data Source
Smithsonian Gardens
Accession number
FJP.1987.245
Type
Artificial flowers and trees
Jewelry
Restrictions & Rights
Usage conditions apply
Medium
Metal, fabric, plastic
Dimensions
1 3/4 × 3 in. (4.4 × 7.6 cm)
GUID
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/aq4e40ad44d-b09f-434a-bfde-a1a0f571cd91
Record ID
hac_FJP.1987.245
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