Globe de Mariee

This unusual display is a Globe de Mariee (or Globe de Mariage) and is translated as “wedding globe.” We learned these were fashionable in France from the 18th to late 19th century.  This one is probably from the 19th Century.

We came across this at Liberty Bell Antiques in Montgomery, Texas. The display has a lot of different elements which were meaningful to to a new couple. The bride’s wedding crown is on a velvet cushion and is the focal point for the rest of the display. After their wedding, the couple added features which tell the story of their lives and hopes.  Symbols such as birds, flowers, and leaves, had specific meanings.  Additionally, each display had a mirror and various mirror shapes had different meanings.  In this example, there is a bird toward the top of the globe holding a laurel wreath. Apparently this symbolized the family making a nest, so this couple wanted to build their family.  The daisies represented purity and innocence, and the leaves represented a long marriage.

More beautiful Globe de Mariee examples are on Pinterest.