Vintage Large 6 1/2 Metal Cage Flower Frog Golden Gate 36 Flower Frog Pen Holder

Description: An extra large round 6 1/2" diameter x 3" high Golden Gate Mfg. Co., Oakland, CA cage style flower arranging metal frog. It weighs a hefty 2 pounds! Marked No. 36. Great for flower arranging or to hold makeup brushes, pens/pencils/tools, desk supplies or to create an interesting decor items with found objects such a feathers. I find them versatile and interesting beyond holding blooms, they have an industrial appearance that adds interest to table top arrangements and other applications. Why do they call it a flower frog? What's interesting is that none of the patents around flower frogs actually call them that - they call them flower holders or flower arrangers. While no one really knows why they're called frogs, the best guess is that it's because they live in water, like a frog. The etymology of the term "frog" has proved more difficult to research than the actual items themselves. The term "frog" as it relates to a holder for flower stems does appear in 1968 in the Random House Dictionary of the English Language, but it is not listed in the Oxford and Chamber's etymological dictionaries. How it came into general use remains a mystery. Over the years flower frogs have been referred to by many different names; such as, flower blocks, flower bricks, flower holders, and floral arrangers. Flower frogs are made of lead, pottery, glass, and bronze, and were designed to live in the water at the bottom of a bowl to keep the trickiest flower arrangements firmly in place. The openings, into which stems of flowers are inserted and secured, are the raison d'être of every frog—an object with a surprisingly long history. The oldest U.S. patent dates to 1875. The earliest known examples of flower frogs date back to the 14th century and were used in the Japanese art of flower arrangement known as ikebana. This technique required the strategic placement of only a few perfect blooms, so a holder was necessary to keep the stems in place. Early forms were fashioned from iron. Later, shapes ranged from crabs and turtles to decorative openwork designs and pincushions (or kenzan, which translates to "needle mountains" in Japanese). The frog itself was often part of the look—clearly visible in the shallow water at the bottom of the requisite low, flat bowl. How you use flower frogs in arrangements depends on the type you have, but the process is straightforward: Simply add them to the bottom of a bowl or vase and stick stems onto the pins or into the holes. By choosing to purchase used goods, you're not just getting a great deal—you’re making a positive impact on the planet. Embrace the principles of recycling, reducing, and reusing to help reduce waste and promote sustainability. Together, we can make a difference for our environment and future generations. I use minimal packaging and recycled boxes to reduce costs to promote reusing resources whenever possible. FREE SHIPPING! Thank you for your purchase. 🌍♻️ #SustainableLiving #ReduceReuseRecycle

Price: 13.98 USD

Location: Claremont, California

End Time: 2025-01-08T18:07:38.000Z

Shipping Cost: 9.95 USD