London, 1857. In the drawing-room of a middle-class house in Bloomsbury, a small book lies on the tea table: The Language of Flowers, illustrated by Kate Greenaway. Next to each illustration, a short meaning: pensée is 'think of me', forget-me-not is faithful remembrance, rose is love, ivy is eternal devotion. The hostess wears a gold brooch on her bosom with a small bunch of violets in enamel — and everyone who knows the book reads that brooch as a declaration to an absent person.
This is how the language of flowers, or floriography, worked in the nineteenth century. Jewellery no longer became mere decoration but short sentences — secret messages known to the giver, known to the wearer, and legible to the well-informed observer. Its peak lies between 1837 and 1880, and the motif continued into the <a href="/stijlgidsen/edwardiaans">Edwardian period</a>. Anyone who today holds a nineteenth-century floral brooch almost always holds a declaration — if you know the code.
The Meaning
Not every flower in a jewel is a message. That is the first rule. Roses as general decoration on an Edwardian garland are design, not a quote. What makes a flower a message is the context: an individual flower, prominently placed, in a jewel given as a gift on a specific occasion (engagement, farewell, condolence). For the broader context of this period, see the Victorian style guide.
The classic signs are clear. Forget-me-nots mean faithful remembrance — the most common motif and by far the most used on engagement and friendship gifts. Pensées (violets) mean 'think of me' (from the French penser, to think) and appear on farewell gifts. Roses mean love, with different varieties: red rose for romantic love, white rose for silent innocence, yellow rose for friendship. Ivy leaves mean eternal devotion and appear on both engagement and mourning jewellery. See also the mourning jewellery motif guide, where ivy is a popular symbol.
Lesser known signs: daisies stand for innocence and were given to children; ears of corn stand for abundance and were worn at weddings; carnations for admiration, thistles for Scottish pride, shamrocks for luck (see good luck motifs guide). Some signs are regional: in the Netherlands, the forget-me-not in blue enamel appears more often than in other countries, possibly due to its association with the national colour.
Through the Periods
In the early Victorian period (1837–1860), floral jewellery often consists of solid gold brooches with a single flower in relief, sometimes with a pearl as its heart or a cabochon turquoise as a forget-me-not. The work is sturdy, the engraving is by hand, and the fastening is a C-clasp without a safety mechanism.
In the mid-Victorian years (1855–1880), the language of flowers reaches its heyday. Elaborate enamelled brooches appear — entire bouquets of violets, roses, and ivy leaves, with pearl hearts and rose-cut diamonds as dewdrops. Bracelets with rows of flowers (for example, seven forget-me-nots for the days of the week) and pendants with a single flower are also made. In this period, floral language and mourning jewellery overlap: ivy and forget-me-not in black enamel or onyx carry the dual meaning of remembrance and mourning.
In the Aesthetic period (1880–1901), floral jewellery becomes more artistic. The designers of Arts and Crafts (Liberty & Co, Murrle Bennett) no longer depict flowers naturalistically but stylise them — a forget-me-not becomes a geometric four-circle, an ivy leaf a long organic shape. The meaning remains, but its readability shifts towards decoration.
In Art Nouveau (1890–1910), flowers become larger, more sensual, and sometimes threatening — orchids, poppies, and thistles replace the modest violets. The explicit floriography language falls out of fashion; what remains is the flower as an aesthetic and symbolic object, no longer as a secret quote. After 1920, the code language has virtually disappeared; art-deco flowers are purely ornamental.
The first question: is this flower a message or a decoration?
How to recognise an original
The first question: is this flower a message or a decoration? Look at three characteristics simultaneously. Firstly, prominence: a message flower stands alone or clearly central, not as part of a larger foliage pattern. Secondly, execution: finely enamelled, with individual colours per flower species — effort that one only makes if one wants to convey meaning. Thirdly, the occasion: an engraved date or initials on the back is a strong indication that the piece was made for a specific occasion.
Then recognise the flower species. Forget-me-nots are small and five-petalled with a yellow or pearly white heart; they are almost always executed in blue enamel or turquoise. Roses are more compact and layered, usually in red or white enamel or with rose-cut diamonds as petals. Ivy is recognisable by its three-pointed leaf and often appears in green enamel or engraved gold. Pensées have five irregular petals with a dark heart.
Examine the execution under a loupe. Hand-painted enamel shows small irregularities in colour transitions; machine-applied enamel (after approx. 1920) is too even. Hand-set pearls and rose-cut diamond dewdrops sit on tiny gold pins; later reproductions use machine-milled settings. For broader background on this technique, see the glossary hub on enamel.
Finally, the hallmarks and the back. British work often bears full hallmarks (assay office mark, date letter, fineness); French work an eagle's head for 18 carat; Dutch work the sword (14 kt) or crown (18 kt). The back tells whether the piece has been worn (wear on the clasp) and whether it has ever been repaired (different solder colour).