| Artificial flowers and imitations of
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| | or more thicknesses at one blow.
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| natural flowers are sometimes made for
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| | The veins of the leaves are next
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| scientific purposes (as the collection of
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| | impressed by means of a die, and the
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| glass flowers at Harvard University,
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| | petals are given their natural rounded
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| which illustrates the flora of the United
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| | forms by goffering irons of various
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| States), but more often as articles of
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| | shapes.
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| decoration and ornament.
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| | The next step is to assemble the petals
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| A large variety of materials have been
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| | and other parts of the flower, which is
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| used in their manufacture by different
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| | built up from the center outwards;
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| peoples at different timespainted linen
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| | The fifth is to mount the flower on a
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| and shavings of stained horn by the
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| | stalk formed of brass or iron wire
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| Egyptians, gold and silver by the Romans,
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| | wrapped round with suitably colored
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| rice-paper by the Chinese, silkworm
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| | material, and to fasten on the leaves
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| cocoons in Italy, the plumage of highly
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| | required to complete the spray.
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| colored birds in South America, wax,
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| | Soap Flowers
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| small tinted shells. More recent
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| | Two methods are used:
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| production methods use carved or formed
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| | A bar with layered colored soap is
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| soap, nylon netting stretched over wire
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| | mounted in a lathe and a chisel is used
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| frames, ground clay and mass produced
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| | to create circular grooves. This is the
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| injection plastic mouldings.
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| | carved form of soap flowers, the finished
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| Early history
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| | flower is very symmetric and regular, but
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| At the beginning of the 18th century the
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| | the flowers are not identical and thus
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| French, who originally learned the art
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| | hand made.
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| from the Italians, made great advances in
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| | An oil-less soap is milled to a powder,
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| the accuracy of their reproductions, and
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| | water is added and the paste is used as a
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| towards the end of that century the Paris
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| | modelling material. Stamps and rollers
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| manufacturers enjoyed a world-wide
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| | are used to emboss leaf and petal
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| reputation. About the same time the art
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| | textures onto the soap. This is a very
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| was introduced into England by French
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| | expensive, labour intensive process which
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| refugees, and soon afterwards it spread
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| | requires huge skills and patience.
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| also to America.
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| | By the time of this writing there is only
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| Production
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| | one known manufacturer, selling their
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| The industry is now a highly specialized
| |
| | products under the brand names of
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| one with several different manufacturing
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| | DecoSoap - Soap-Porri in Europe and
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| processes used.
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| | Soap-Porri in the United States.
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| Cloth and Paper Flowers
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| | Clay Flowers
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| Five main processes may be distinguished:
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| | Clay is dried and ground to a powder,
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| The first step consists of putting the
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| | water is added and coloring and the
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| fabric in gelatine in order to stiffen
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| | finished paste used as a modeling paste.
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| it.
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| | A skilled crafts person then models the
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| The second consists of cutting up the
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| | flowers.
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| various fabrics and materials employed
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| | Plastic Flowers
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| into shapes suitable for forming the
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| | Mass manufactured injection moulding is
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| leaves, petals, etc.; this may be done by
| |
| | used, the plastic is injected into a
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| Scissors, but more often stamps are
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| | preformed metal die resulting is
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| employed which will cut through a dozen
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| | identical flowers in high volumes.
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