Upon One's Head....

For years I have collected old crowns, tiaras and wreaths. Made for the millinery industry in the twenties and thirties, these head pieces were commonly used for wedding and first communion ceremonies. Hand beaded crowns with delicate pearl and crystal drops were made in Paris during the 1920's and thirties. Wire based crowns can sometimes be found in fairly good condition - if they are a little bent out of shape the wire makes them easy to reshape.
The hand-sewn crowns are pretty enough for royalty. Sewn onto a form cut out of crinoline and then covered with silk, these beaded crowns are rare to find in perfect shape - many times the beading is coming undone or the silk has start to fray.
The wax crowns were made to resemble tiny orange blossoms sprays - small pale yellow petals and white pearly stamens. Wax crowns are perhaps the most delicate of all because eventually the petals and leaves melt and deteriorate. If you find a wax crown, treat it well by keeping it out of direct sunlight and away from moisture.