Wedding wreath in a glass frame

Embellished small wreaths were keepsakes that people presented to each other on the occasion of important events, such as a wedding, anniversaries, or birthdays. They were made with great care from various materials, e.g. dried plants, beads, paper or decorative fabrics, and were set in deep, decorative glass frames. They resembled small display cases in appearance. They often had small pieces of paper placed inside with the names of the bearers, the date of the event being commemorated, a dedication or words of blessing. Such commemorative decorations were popular in Pomerania, as elsewhere in Germany, in the second half of the 19th and first half of the 20th century. The featured wreath was made of dried myrtle, a plant symbolising love, happiness and fertility, which has been an attribute of brides for centuries. At the centre of the piece there is an inscription in German handwritten in neo-Gothic script. It includes the names of the couple (Maria Lewte and Fritz Ladwig), the date of their wedding and a rhymed dedication. The ornamental details - mirrors reflecting the interior and four gold-coloured paper mâché ornaments - are quite notable. The back of the frame bears a sticker of the Ewald Rechenberg workshop in Arnswalde (now Choszczno), which rendered, among other services, goldsmith's products and repairs. The artist was the maker or seller either of the entire composition, or at least of the beautiful, richly decorated frame. Agnieszka Słowińska