National Umbrella Day
Friday the 10th of February is National Umbrella Day. National Umbrella Day celebrates this useful device that has been with us for quite a long time and has served every purpose from practical to fanciful since its creation.
For anyone who follows my photostream, you will know that I am a big collector of things. I have many, many different collections, including a collection of antique and vintage umbrellas and parasols. They range in age from my oldest parasol, which is frilled silk with a duck beak handle from the 1820s through to some vibrant examples from the Jazz Age of the 20s and the sleek and stylish 30s.
In this photo, I have photographed an umbrella from the latter part of my collection: a very vibrant example made more so by the sombre and masculine suit I have photographed it against, and the selective colour treatment I have given the image just for good measure.
The umbrella is made from Rayon, commonly known as artificial silk from its invention in 1846 until 1924. Since the name Rayon is proudly stitched into the edging of this umbrella, it dates from the late 1920s. It is a "Paragon" umbrella made by S. Fox and Company in England. It is an exuberant example of roaring 20s fun by its vibrant red colour. This umbrella was made in the era when plastic was a new and expensive material. The handle with its "hooky" head is made of Bakelite. Bakelite was the first plastic made from synthetic components. It was developed by the Belgian-American chemist Leo Baekeland in Yonkers, New York in 1907. S. Fox and Company was established in 1868 and still manufacture umbrellas in England to this day.
So, whether your brolly is antique, vintage or new, pick it up today and celebrate this day in a style that is particularly your own.
National Umbrella Day
Friday the 10th of February is National Umbrella Day. National Umbrella Day celebrates this useful device that has been with us for quite a long time and has served every purpose from practical to fanciful since its creation.
For anyone who follows my photostream, you will know that I am a big collector of things. I have many, many different collections, including a collection of antique and vintage umbrellas and parasols. They range in age from my oldest parasol, which is frilled silk with a duck beak handle from the 1820s through to some vibrant examples from the Jazz Age of the 20s and the sleek and stylish 30s.
In this photo, I have photographed an umbrella from the latter part of my collection: a very vibrant example made more so by the sombre and masculine suit I have photographed it against, and the selective colour treatment I have given the image just for good measure.
The umbrella is made from Rayon, commonly known as artificial silk from its invention in 1846 until 1924. Since the name Rayon is proudly stitched into the edging of this umbrella, it dates from the late 1920s. It is a "Paragon" umbrella made by S. Fox and Company in England. It is an exuberant example of roaring 20s fun by its vibrant red colour. This umbrella was made in the era when plastic was a new and expensive material. The handle with its "hooky" head is made of Bakelite. Bakelite was the first plastic made from synthetic components. It was developed by the Belgian-American chemist Leo Baekeland in Yonkers, New York in 1907. S. Fox and Company was established in 1868 and still manufacture umbrellas in England to this day.
So, whether your brolly is antique, vintage or new, pick it up today and celebrate this day in a style that is particularly your own.