Brass Wreath, is it Victorian?, German?

I have questions on this brass wreath we have had for several years. I can't remember just where we got it, but believe from a family member. I have assumed it is of the Victorian era, but early, middle or late? Then again, is it early 1900s? Have found others described with "Dresden figures." Do you think it is German made? As mine and others I've seen have figures representing several different holidays, were these brass wreaths a year 'round decoration or were they just brought out for the holiday season - Christmastide?

Description:
15" outer diameter, 11" diameter brass wire. 7" long brass bow on top of wreath. Wreath comprises of about 67 cut-out shiny brass and a few copper embossed figures such as rooster, bear, pear, dragonfly, butterfly, Santa & sleigh, turtle, fish, crocodile, Father Xmas with tree, owl, holly & bells, buffalo, rabbit, pear, walnut, cupid with bow & arrow, girl pushing a wheelbarrow loaded with a heart embossed with "To My Valentine", birds/chicks pulling a basket-shape wagon containing a sack embossed with "Easter Greetings", etc. All the figures are soldered to brass wires that are soldered to a thick brass wire. No marks as to maker or country of origin.

Similar ones are on WorthPoint, but the sellers don't seem to know any more about them than me. As I'm not a WorthPoint subscriber, I don't know what any of them sold for.

http://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/brass-dresden-wreath-victorian-butterfly-motifs
http://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/beautiful-brass-victorian-wreath-dresden-figures
http://www.worthpoint.com/inventory/search?categoryurl=&query=brass+wreath&search-left=

TIA.

--- Susan

 

Much of the present Christmas iconography came in with Prince Albert, in the mid 19th C. I suspect there is at least one image there that you would not find before the end of the 19th C. I have my doubts about 'Easter Greetings' as I feel the secular celebration of Easter that this implies is relatively recent.

 

Susan,

Not that anybody on the following site knows anything either, but some possibilities:
http://debtorby.typepad.com/connections/2003/12/a_thrift_store_.html

Perhaps you've seen that already.

 

Hi,
I think the Easter greetings is early also. I have several post cards from the 1890s to 1910 which have Easter greetings on them. It is strange that all of them have symbols of bunnies, eggs and chicks etc but none have any religious symbols. I have a box full of copper and brass diecuts from
the 1900s that were used on clocks for decorations. I think I saw an alligator on yours. I am as you are perplexed but if it is old or more recent. I would think that oxidation would be showing if old but then none of mine have any oxidation either.
greg

 

Despite all the 'Victorian' sales descriptions, it's a pricey piece made by an American company called 'Petites Choses' - Mom has one next to her front door, I bought it for her new at an upscale gift shop in the mid '80s.

~Cheryl

 

Thank you one and all!!! You all have helped pin this down to recent with
1. Af on noting the Easter Greeting.
2. One of the replies on Fig's link saying "...called a "Wreath of All Seasons", I order then from (Vincent Lippie) showroom in the Chicago Merchandise Mart ...not cheap even wholesale in the 70's and 80's."
3. Greg saying "...but none have any religious symbols... oxidation would be showing if old..."

Then along comes Cheryl again riding to the rescue with "American company called 'Petites Choses' ... I bought it ... new at an upscale gift shop in the mid '80s." Cheryl, you missed your calling. What a great heroic 1st Responder you would have made! You have pulled many of us out of the "fires" of many antique, silver, etc. messes!

The only minute (infinitesimal) credit that I can claim on IDing this wreath was a possibly slight uneasy feeling about it causing me to post a query. Of course if all had said Victorian, I would not have hesitated jumpin' on that band wagon.

--- Susan

 

I have now found several of these on e-bay crediting Petites Choses. In case anyone interested found the following page talking about them.

https://nostalgicatomic.wordpress.com/2013/03/03/petiteschoses-dresden/

saying made by Pettites Choses and possibly a few made by a Dresden company.

"These All-Holiday Wreaths were made in the 1980s, out of either antique candy molds (Petites Choses) or leftover ornaments (Dresden), and they came in several sizes. They are meant to be put up year round, and you are supposed to weave real foliage and flowers in and around it to make it like a real wreath."

It bothers me when they say made our of "antique candy molds." I just can't see alllllll the figurines on alllll these wreaths out there by Petites Choses made from **antique** candy molds. I would think made from copies of antique candy molds.

--- Susan

 

They're neat items, but there's just been all sorts of silly stuff written about these wreaths - and they're not exactly 'rare', since there are always a quite a few available online. Stamped brass ornaments like those on the wreaths have been available at craft shops for at least 30 years, most look to me like they're taken from old Dresden gilt paper die-cuts, but there may well be other sources for the designs (like Greg, have seen 'Easter Greetings', with similar images on numerous antique postcards). The dragonfly on your wreath is still available new, I have a couple stashed away somewhere (along with that chubby little Cupid)...

You'll find some of the same stampings here, including the dragonfly, swan, bison, Christmas tree, Santa in sleigh, and the chick-drawn Easter coach (search for brass stampings):

https://onlinestore.timelesstiffany.com/Home.jsp

https://onlinestore.timelesstiffany.com/SPD/5252--B8E0000-1025305456.jsp

~Cheryl

 

1994 Tribune article mentioning the 'Nostalgia' wreaths:

http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1994-08-28/news/9408280011_1_candlesticks-ings-lanterns

~Cheryl

 

Oh, my, I didn't realize there were more replies to this thread. My apologies for not answering sooner.

Cheryl, thank you for the links showing the same stampings and the interesting article in the Chicago Tribune about the company! Don, what a haul that was of antique stampings. I never would have thought such a bulk of antique tin stampings survived.

--- Susan

 

Aah Petites Choses

I remember being surprised at the selling price of a couple modern chintzy monkey candleholders i listed years ago

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_fro...=petites+choses&LH_Complete=1&LH_Sold=1&rt=nc

 

Peter, if u r a troll, u r doing what trolls do. If not, generally speaking, I'd avoid reviving old threads begun by deceased members while trying to be funny. Remember it only takes one push of a button by a moderator to make your account "history."

 

Thanks, a well-deserved zap!

 

.

 

ya...i missed it too....and rather happy I did !