Souvenir wreath in a glass frame

Much like today, people in the past also presented mementos to each other to mark important events in their lives, such as weddings, marriage anniversaries or birthdays. In Germany, including Pomerania, small decorative wreaths were popular in the second half of the 19th century and the first half of the 20th century. They were made with great care from various materials, e.g. dried plants, beads, paper or decorative fabrics, and were set in deep, decorative frames. They resembled small display cases in appearance. Inside the wreath, the recipient usually received a note stating the occasion and its date, the name of the beneficiaries and words of good wishes or blessings. They were put in places of honour in the home and passed down from generation to generation. The featured wreath dates from the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries. Unfortunately, neither the author, nor the beneficiary, nor the occasion which the wreath commemorated is known. It probably had a ceremonial purpose, connected with harvest festivals or weddings, as a gift for the bride. It was made using easily accessible materials such as beads or feathers and various seeds, some of which were dyed blue or pink. Agnieszka Słowińska