Friday, May 28, 2010

Tussie Mussie



A wonderful Victorian tradition that is full of the lore of herbs and the beautiful language of Flowers.

These were known as talking bouquets, or Tussie Mussie , and lovers exchanged these nosegays of herbs and flowers to express their feelings to each other.


Several dictionaries were published to help decipher the coded messages which were often very complex.

When individual plants were held together in one nosegay, all the meanings came together to form one complex thought. They became the messengers for discreet and sometimes quite daring but proper suitor, the inarticulate but sympathetic friend, or for the polite guest. How clever …and very romantic those Victorians were!
There are lovely holders made of heavy white paper that look like cones with the tapered end cut off, and that are edged with inches of doily-like lace you can use to put them together.

I have seen antique sterling silver cones as well as reproduction silver cones and they are adorable. If you have the inclination, you, too, can put one together whenever there is an event happening for that someone special. Make sure to include a note about what the plants mean in your gift, as this is a lost art.
The three examples shown here  were found on Etsy and were made by ladonacarmen, emilywootton and FrenchFolly all very beautiful and each one different.

 Glossary of Definitions

mint = warmth, sweet marjoram = joy & happiness, garden sage = domestic virtue, St. John’s wort = protection, lavender = devotion, purple sage = gratitude, parsley = festivity, thyme = courage, strawberry = goodness, lemon balm = sympathy & understanding, basil = best wishes, dill = irresistibility, lemon verbena = responsibility, rosemary = remembrance, pineapple sage = hospitality, scented geraniums = comfort,


9 comments:

Carmen Milagros said...

What an absolutely fabulous display of fine art and exquisite taste. Thank-you Krishenka's Vintage Treasures for including our "Royal Redd Tussie Mussie" by La Doña Carmen in your blog and among such great company. Doña Carmen Milagros

Krishenkas Treasures said...

My pleaure,and I was delighted to find that the art is not dead and still continues today, bravo

PussDaddy said...

I like them too although I didn't know all that about them.

PussDaddy

Krishenkas Treasures said...

Can you imagine receiving a tussie with a cryptic note! and then spending the next several hours working out who it was from.

Galit said...

I'm reading now Kate Morton's The Forgotten Garden which some of its stories set at the Victorian era and mention the symbols of flowers. Enjoyed so much reading your post now. Came just in time!

Handmade in Israel said...

How interesting! I had no idea what they were. Some gorgeous flowers too.

Krishenkas Treasures said...

Really pleased you liked it Galit

Moonangelnay on Etsy said...

that's something new that i've learnt today! how delightful, i love the photos you've included too. gorgeous!

Krishenkas Treasures said...

Thanks Moon

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