Yesterday we presented August's birthstone, the Peridot. Today, let's talk about August's birth flower, the Poppy.
Poppies are thought to have originated in the Eastern Mediterranean and have been cultivated by Western and Central Europeans from about 6,000 BC. Early on, people recognized the analgesic properties of the plant. Ancient Egyptian doctors had their patients chew a mouthful of poppy seeds to relieve pain. Even today, poppies are cultivated as a source of opium, morphine and codeine—powerful narcotics. Recent and reckless use of Oxycodone, which is synthesized from poppies, has caused grave problems for so many. And the illicit drug trade has profited from the poppy—through the sale of heroin, another derivation of the flower's seeds. In an interesting twist on the phrase “Physician, heal thyself,” the poppy exudes a latex-like substance to protect parts of the plant which sustain injury.
In literature and the arts, poppies are associated with sleep, rest and, sometimes, death. Since World War I, poppies have come to commemorate the soldiers who have died in the service or their countries—especially those lives snuffed-out in Flanders Fields (Belgium), the former battlefield where so many red poppies blossom. And who can forget Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz, running across a field of poppies, only to fall asleep with Toto and the Lion.
Shown above, a Scottish Arts & Crafts hammered copper plate from Glasgow. Stylized poppies and Art Nouveau whiplashing adds bold, sinuous style to this handsome piece. Click on the photo above to learn more about it.
Though our Greenwich Village store is now permanently closed, LEO Design is still alive and well! Please visit our on-line store where we continue to sell Handsome Gifts (www.LEOdesignNYC.com).
We also can be found in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania, at The Antique Center of Strabane (www.antiquecenterofstrabane.com).
Or call to arrange to visit our Pittsburgh showroom (by private appointment only). 917-446-4248