Accession No
6099
Brief Description
four Silk Didactic Flower Models, by CESCHWISTER KALAZDY AND KÁLAZDY NÖVÉREK, Hungarian, late 19th Century
Origin
German; Budapest; Hungary
Maker
CESCHWISTER KALAZDY KÁLAZDY NÖVÉREK
Class
demonstration; natural history; biology
Earliest Date
1886
Latest Date
1900
Inscription Date
Material
silk; paper (cardboard, labels); rope (string), metal (brass)
Dimensions
30.5cm long, 18cm wide
Special Collection
Provenance
Purchased from Christie’s South Kensington, 85 Old Brompton Road, London, SW7 3LD, from sale of Scientific, Medical and Engineering Works of Art, 12/07/2006.
Inscription
6099.1: Coffea arabica; Arabischer Kaffeebaum
6099.2: Papaver orientale; Morganländischer Mohn.
6099.3: Gossipium herbaceum; Baumwoll-Strauch
6099.4: Vitis vinifera; (handwritten) Weinstock
On label on back of 6099.1, 6099.3 and 6099.4 in German: CESCHWISTER KALAZDY KUNSTBLUMEN-FABRIK. K.K.AUSSCHILIESSLICK PRIV. FABRIK. DIRECT ALS LEHRMITTEL ERZEUGTER. KUNSLICHER HERBARIEN. BUDAPEST, WITXENGASSE 9, 1, STOCK.
Label on back of 6099.2 in Hungarian:
KÁLAZDY NÖVÉREK
MÜVIRÁG-GYÁR
Budapest, váczi-utcza 9. szám, I. em.
Osztr. csász. és magy. kir. szab.
kizárólag taneszközäl készitett
münövények gyára
Description Notes
Four silk didactic flower models each mounted onto a card backing and housed in its own original cardboard box.
6099.1: Coffea arabica; Arabischer Kafeebaum
Didactic model showing a stem of the coffee plant with 8 leaves and two white silk flowers. The model is held onto a card backboard with brass clips. Also on the backboard are two further stems, one showing a dissected coffee flower and the other a whole red fruit and a dissected fruit exhibiting the bean inside. Two printed paper labels give the name of the plant in Latin and German.
On the reverse of the backboard is a card fold-out support to allow the model to stand up. Onto this is pasted a printed label in German giving details of the manufacturer based in Budapest. The label also shows 4 prize medals which appear to have been won by the manufacturer.
The end panel of the box for this model has become detached.
6099.2: Papaver orientale; Morgenländischer Mohn.; Schlafmohn.; poppy
Didactic model showing a stem of the poppy plant with red silk flower head. The model is held onto a card backboard with brass clips. Also on the backboard are two further stems, one showing a poppy seed pod and the other an unripe flower head. Two printed paper labels give the name of the plant in Latin and German.
On the reverse of the backboard is a card fold-out support to allow the model to stand up. Onto this is pasted a printed label in Hungarian giving details of the manufacturer based in Budapest. The label also shows 3 prize medals which appear to have been won by the manufacturer.
6099.3: Gossipium herbaceum; Baumwoll-Strauch; cotton plant
Didactic model showing a stem of the cotton plant with two silk flowers, one white newly opened flower and one pink day old flower. The model is held onto a card backboard with brass clips. Also on the backboard are two further stems, one showing a dissected cotton flower with petals removed to reveal stamen and stigma and forming cotton boll and the other showing the mature cotton boll. Two printed paper labels give the name of the plant in Latin and German.
On the reverse of the backboard is a card fold-out support to allow the model to stand up. Onto this is pasted a printed label in German giving details of the manufacturer based in Budapest. The label also shows 4 prize medals which appear to have been won by the manufacturer.
In the box someone has placed a real dried cotton flower head.
6099.4: Vitis vinifera L.; Weinstock; grape vine
Didactic model showing a stem of the grape vine with partially blooming flower head. The model is held onto a card backboard with brass clips. Also on the backboard is a stem showing a developing grape pod. A printed paper labels give the name of the plant in Latin, the German name ‘Weinstock’ has been hand-written in ink to the backboard and the label on the box.
On the reverse of the backboard is a card fold-out support to allow the model to stand up. Onto this is pasted a printed label in German giving details of the manufacturer based in Budapest. The label also shows 4 prize medals which appear to have been won by the manufacturer.
References
Events
Description
6099.1 : This intricate model of a coffee plant is one of four different didactic (teaching) models, purchased in a set by the museum. They are labelled in German and Latin. The back shows details of the manufacturer, who was based in Budapest, won four prize medals for their work. These models would be used for teaching botany, although they are very delicate.
People would use plant models because they showed the plant in its natural state, rather than a dried state. Dried plants were not as robust as models and dried specimens could lose their colour over time.
Display labels (6099.2, 6099.3):
Shown here are the examples of poppy and cotton plant models from a set of four silk flower models. These models were used to teach botany, providing an advantage over dried specimens, which were extremely delicate and suffered colour fading over time. Labels on the reverse of the plants indicate that manufacturer Ceschwister Kalazdy won four prize medals for their model-making work.
Created by: Rosanna Evans, year 10 work experience student
FM:46568
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