<I>Wire frame, crown & cross on folding stand</I>

ca. 1860-1940

Victory over death is rooted in the tenants of the Christian faith, and in the nineteenth century this concept was magnified. Death and eternity in heaven were seen as the victory of faithfulness. Symbols of victory reminded the Christian that whatever pain and suffering one may endure, they would come out on the other side into glory and heaven. In addition to symbolic shapes, references to victory were made through the “Language of Flowers” by using palm, laurel, or nasturtium. As they alluded to the reward at life’s end, set pieces in the form of victory symbols were especially suited to funerals, but they might also be used at other religious events and occasions. The cross and crown was a popular combination for flower frames in Christian funerals. This mourning iconography was meant to remind the survivors that after the trials and tribulation of life (the cross), the Christian dead would be rewarded in heaven (the crown). When combined with the cross, the crown also implied the sovereignty of the Lord and His power and authority. This symbol was also used to denote a member of the York Rite Masons.