Wreath In Venetian Glass Beads - Period: XXth Century

Magnificent crown in glass beads.
Unique piece, incredibly graphic and decorative, this huge wreath in glass beads is new.
Its metal structure is fully galvanized, from the PERLAFRANCE factory in Montbard.
With graphic and floral motifs, it can be easily fixed where one wishes and can perfectly take the place of a rosette on the ceiling, or become an incredible luminaire.

Period: XIXth
Dimensions: Height: 85cm x Width: 53cm x Depth: 20cm

Original label attesting to its provenance. Tombs only really appeared in France in the second half of the 19th century.
At the same time, a whole funerary art has developed aimed at replacing natural flowers, the use of which was very old, by more durable ornaments.

At the same time, France imported pearls from Venice for embroidery, trimmings, accessories but also for making funeral wreaths, hence the generalization of the crown in glass beads or ceramic.
The general shape of the crowns was most often cross or diamond shaped. But there were also personalized wreaths with objects commemorating an activity valued by the deceased (plane, bicycle, boat, etc.).

The oldest were centered by a glass globe containing flowers or an object of piety.
Too fragile, this curved glass quickly disappeared. Innumerable factories were then born on the national territory, draining a female labor or sometimes cheap penitentiary which worked on order for the realization of the flowers.

Once assembled in the factory, the delivery of the beads and crowns was carried out throughout France.
No funeral, whether it is a working class or a privileged class, escaped the accompaniment of the deceased by a floral arrangement in glass beads, either humble or luxurious.

The technique consisted of fixing pearl flowers and leaves on a rigid wire form.
The durable nature of the glass, the finesse and variety of the decorations as well as the low maintenance required, gave these objects long moments of glory.

Nevertheless, the relatively high cost of manufacture, changes in lifestyle and especially the arrival of plastics have got the better of this craft.
The production of crowns in glass beads was thus staggered from 1850 to 1972 when the last workshop closed its doors for good.