<I>Wire frame, broken wheel</I>

ca. 1860-1940

Some of the most popular designs in funeral flowers in the late nineteenth century were those that appealed to the sentimentality of the period. These flower frame designs were both more decorative and more personal in their references. Shapes alluded to lives cut short and the loss of cherished relationships. The Broken Wheel or wheel with a missing spoke design was symbolic of broken family or community ties. The missing spoke on the wheel signified the missing member or family or organization. The wheel on its own was a symbol of eternity, progress, and continuation, but as the broken wheel can no longer turn, this design stated their journey was over. This mourning iconography was also seen in mourning art and in the cemetery. It was also suited to professionals in the railroad and transportation industry.