The Reynolds Floral Arranger is full of design concepts. Patented sometime in the late 1940's, this really gave the housewife a road map to perfect arrangements. Shown here with the original box, there was an instruction booklet that came with the arranger. Each clip is metal and expands. They can move out or cluster together. Visit www.stores.ebay.com/flowerfrogsrus for more vintage flower frogs and history of flower frogs.

This is one page from the booklet showing you how to use the numbers on the base of the arranger. There are 17 metal clips with a number embossed on the bottom base. This allowed you to follow the recommended pattern of flower arranging in the booklet, and PERFECT ARRANGEMENT.

The largest number of patents for flower arrangers came in the 1930's. The earliest patent for a metal type flower arranger was issued to William Stuck at Dazey Manufacturing during the year 1916. By 1930's the industry was seeking the "perfect flower arranger" and due to the popularity of flowers in the household there were hundreds of creative juices flowing in the fight for the title. Many styles were practical. Some were creative figures of art. And they all gave thought to how the housewife would be able to quickly make the perfect arrangement at home. By the late 1930's the florist industry was beginning to deliver flowers from the shop so the commerical need for the pin or needle flower arrangement was a demand at the creation spot as well. According to information in Bonnie Bull's book Flower Frogs for the Collector, the pin needle type flower holder was patented in 1922 but I have heard some japanese arrangers were designed prior to this date. In the late 1920's flower competitions were becoming popular. Up to this time the glass inserts and pottery blocks only allowed the flowers to look stiff and upright. People were beginning to want to play with style and volume of stems and did not want to be restricted to the number of holes in a flower frog of the day.