1900s rare French flower-making kit
An exceptionally rare French flower-making kit, titled “Fleurs – L’Art de la Fleur”, published in Paris by G. Migeon around 1900–1915.
The box, covered in delicate patterned paper with gold lettering, opens to reveal a charming arrangement of tools, scissors, coloured silk and crepe papers, wire stems, stamens, and shaped fabric leaves — everything needed to create lifelike blossoms such as roses, marguerites, carnations, and ranunculus.
This complete ensemble even includes its original instruction booklet “L’Art de la Fleur”, beautifully illustrated with lithographed templates for cutting petals and assembling flowers — a true time capsule from the Belle Époque, when handmade artificial flowers were essential for milliners, couturiers, and ladies’ domestic craft.
History
Around the turn of the 20th century, flower-making kits like this one were a popular pastime in France.
They reflected the period’s fascination with artistry, refinement, and decorative leisure — allowing women and young girls to learn the craft of artificial flower-making, an art practiced both at home and in Parisian ateliers.
The publisher G. Migeon, based in Paris, produced a number of such elegant instructional sets under the title “L’Art de la Fleur”, combining education with creativity. The materials inside — finely printed guides, embossed leaves, paper petals, and stamens tied with silk ribbon — reveal the quality expected from Parisian craft suppliers of the Belle Époque.
Today, complete examples are rarely found in such beautiful condition. This “Fleurs” box captures the poetic charm of a bygone era when even domestic creativity was approached with grace, precision, and elegance.