Artificial Flowers

Highlights of Past Exhibits

ARTIFICIAL FLOWERS

Artificial flowers have been around for a long time, with roots as far afield as Italy and China. In the mid-1700s, their popularity bloomed in France, and from there spread to England and America.

At first, the focus of the flower-making trade in France was the dessert table, where the blooms were presented with elegant chocolate desserts. Soon they found even more fertile ground in ladies’ hats. Well into 20th century, a fancy woman’s bonnet was not considered complete without an artificial flower or a whole bouquet of them.

The popularity of artificial flowers in America was extensive enough that in 1794 Congress proposed placing an import tax on them. They were high on a list of crafts which were considered to be either luxuries of life and consequently consumed or used by those who were most able to pay the duties, or articles which our own artists and manufacturers could supply in sufficient quantity, especially if . . . a small additional protection could be held out to them.

In America, the assembling of artificial flowers began as a respectable craft for women. As early as 1791, Frenchwoman Madame Capron of Elizabeth-Town, New Jersey offered to teach the art of flower making — as well as drawing, embroidery and French — to young ladies whose parents could afford her fee.

As the demand grew, artificial-flower making shifted from genteel handicraft to factory industry. Stamping out the flower and petal shapes and dyeing the fabric was done by men, while women and children made the flowers from these pieces. Centered in New York city, flower-making shops were found only in few other places including West Hoboken, NJ. By the 1900s many of the flowers were made in sweatshop conditions that became the target of child-labor reformers.

Flower-Making Tools and Materials

Artificial flowers were made from a variety of materials. Muslin, silk, and velvet were most common but taffeta, linen, and vellum (a thin paper-like leather made from calf or lamb skin) were also used.

The invention of cutting irons in Switzerland revolutionized flower making in the early 1700s. The cutting irons, also known as flower irons, punches or emporte-pièces, could cut 8 to 12 layers of material to a petal or leaf shape with the single blow of a mallet. This reduced to moments what would take a day to do with scissors. Unlike scissors, each cutting iron could cut only one shape, so hundreds of different cutter designs were created.

Brazier – This container, emblazoned with an eagle, was filled with kerosene and used as a small stove to heat up the gauffering iron.

<
Gauffering Iron – A heated tool used to press a
cup-like shape in petals or leaves.

>
Cutters (or cutting irons) – Tools for cutting out petal or leaf shapes. They were deep enough to cut several layers of cloth at one time.

Mallet – A heavy hammer used to whack the cutter. With iron hammers, many layers of cloth surrounded the head, reducing recoil and avoiding the clanging sound of metal against metal. This one is made from layers of heavy leather.

Stamps (or flower irons) – A pair of dies, matched to a specific cut shape, used to press raised naturalistic designs into the material.

Peter Rothenberg

©2006 Museum of Early Trades & Crafts

ARTIFICIAL FLOWERS Artificial flowers have been around for a long time, with roots as far afield as Italy and China. In the mid-1700s, their popularity bloomed in France, and from there spread to England and America. At first, the focus of the flower-making trade in France was the dessert table, where the blooms were presented with elegant chocolate desserts. Soon they found even more fertile ground in ladies’ hats. Well into 20th century, a fancy woman’s bonnet was not considered complete without an artificial flower or a whole bouquet of them. The popularity of artificial flowers in America was extensive enough that in 1794 Congress proposed placing an import tax on them. They were high on a list of crafts which were considered to be either luxuries of life and consequently consumed or used by those who were most able to pay the duties, or articles which our own artists and manufacturers could supply in sufficient quantity, especially if . . . a small additional protection could be held out to them. In America, the assembling of artificial flowers began as a respectable craft for women. As early as 1791, Frenchwoman Madame Capron of Elizabeth-Town, New Jersey offered to teach the art of flower making — as well as drawing, embroidery and French — to young ladies whose parents could afford her fee. As the demand grew, artificial-flower making shifted from genteel handicraft to factory industry. Stamping out the flower and petal shapes and dyeing the fabric was done by men, while women and children made the flowers from these pieces. Centered in New York city, flower-making shops were found only in few other places including West Hoboken, NJ. By the 1900s many of the flowers were made in sweatshop conditions that became the target of child-labor reformers.
Flower-Making Tools and Materials	Artificial flowers were made from a variety of materials. Muslin, silk, and velvet were most common but taffeta, linen, and vellum (a thin paper-like leather made from calf or lamb skin) were also used. The invention of cutting irons in Switzerland revolutionized flower making in the early 1700s. The cutting irons, also known as flower irons, punches or emporte-pièces, could cut 8 to 12 layers of material to a petal or leaf shape with the single blow of a mallet. This reduced to moments what would take a day to do with scissors. Unlike scissors, each cutting iron could cut only one shape, so hundreds of different cutter designs were created.

Brazier – This container, emblazoned with an eagle, was filled with kerosene and used as a small stove to heat up the gauffering iron.
	< Gauffering Iron – A heated tool used to press a cup-like shape in petals or leaves.

> Cutters (or cutting irons) – Tools for cutting out petal or leaf shapes. They were deep enough to cut several layers of cloth at one time.

Mallet – A heavy hammer used to whack the cutter. With iron hammers, many layers of cloth surrounded the head, reducing recoil and avoiding the clanging sound of metal against metal. This one is made from layers of heavy leather.
Stamps (or flower irons) – A pair of dies, matched to a specific cut shape, used to press raised naturalistic designs into the material.

	Peter Rothenberg
©2006 Museum of Early Trades & Crafts