Bookmark c. 1936

This delicate bookmark was crafted by Ellen Duncan, featuring needlework and watercolor. Note the words "Forget me not," and a cluster of flowers. "Forget-me-not" blossoms, symbols of remembrance and enduring love, have a long lineage in art and literature. These flowers were often exchanged as tokens of affection and loyalty, their blue petals representing fidelity and a promise never to be forgotten. This sentiment echoes across centuries. You can find the motif on mourning jewelry from the Victorian era, where loss and remembrance were deeply intertwined. The gesture of giving a "forget-me-not" encapsulates the human desire to transcend mortality through memory. Even today, the flower persists as a symbol, reminding us of our connections to the past, and perhaps serving as a comforting presence in the face of loss.