Tulip vases (2) 1880 - 1890

These tulip vases were made by Elkington & Co., a prominent British firm known for its pioneering work in metal plating. These vases reflect the Victorian era's fascination with exoticism and the natural world. Their elaborate designs, with their enameled floral motifs, evoke a sense of idealized beauty. But what stories do these flowers really tell? As symbols of trade and wealth, tulips were brought to Europe from Turkey in the 16th century, and caused 'tulip mania' in the Netherlands. These vases carry echoes of colonial histories. Elkington & Co. was one of the first to use electroplating in their works and the firm profited from global trade networks to import materials, so it's important to consider the labor and resources extracted from colonized lands that enabled their creation. While these objects delight the eye, they are rooted in complex historical and social dynamics.