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The name of this flower derives from the Greek word Orchis ... which means--as I'm sure you all know--testicle. So ... one day when you're in your local florist shop and you smell a sweet aroma ... and you notice a few orchids in the showcase ... hold yourself back from asking the owner if it's those orchids that smell so sweet ... lest he begins grinning at you in a peculiar fashion.
The orchid was once used as emergency food on long sea voyages. It was also used as an aphrodisiac to excite sexual desire. And it was used in order to pre-determine the sex of an unborn child. Rumor has it that it has been used as the name of an ezine if you can believe that. And of course--last but not least--it has been represented in jewelry.
Which brings us to an orchid by the name of Catleya Bicolor which hails from Brazil. It is this flower I am going to introduce today.
The orchid you are all about to see was one of 25 enameled orchid brooches especially made by Tiffany and company for the 1889 Paris Exposition Universelle. They were designed by Paulding Farnham and enameled by Edward C. Moore.
This three dimensional flower has brown, yellow, purple, and white enamel applied to the petals. The reverse of the petals are enameled in corresponding colors. One petal is edged with rose cut diamonds. The stem is set with small emeralds accenting a rose cut diamond pave background. The spines are of gold ... karat not given. Did I mention this is one of the most gorgeous brooches I've ever seen.
I segue. For those of you who love biographical data ... Paulding was born in New York City in 1859. His maternal aunt married a Charles T. Cook who was then the vice president of Tiffany and eventually became president. This re-enforces the theory that it is indeed who you know that counts.
Paulding trained in Tiffany's silver shop and ultimately began creating the series of orchids for which he became known. Tiffany received a gold medal for jewelry at the Paris Exposition due--in large--to the orchid brooches. They were considered by the then Jeweler's Weekly as being "so perfectly copied after nature as to inspire unqualified admiration ...." And that--for a plant whose name is derived from the Greek word for testicles--ain't no picayune thang. For those of you who are new to this thing called Tidbits...may I direct you to my home page at
And there ya have it. That's it for this week folks. Catch you all next week. Benjamin Mark
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