I have a vague recollections of seeing china labels in a catalog at some time. These were maybe 3" X 2", oval with I guess scalloped edges, and they hung from a wire loop.

Really helpful, I know.

I also have a vague recollection of seeing them in a catalog, website or somewhere but I can't remember where for the life of me. Have you found them yet?

Carol

I have no idea where to look. I seem to remember the labels being in French. And that they were Haviland or Limoges china.
Speaking of china and roses and other flowers, there's a great article in Curtis' Botanical Magazine tracing the use of illustrations from Curtis to the bone china. If your library subscribes to Blackwell Synergy, you can download the article with illustrations.

I think I remember the ones you you are describing and I can't find them. Perhaps the company that made them is no longer in business. But I did find these. Perhaps they would do.

Here is a link that might be useful: Ceramic plant labels

Or how about these?

Here is a link that might be useful: China plant labels

Ann, they were on the Home page of the "old" Guillot site, but are not on the new site. I just checked. I have been wanting labels like that since I started gardening, and haven't a clue as to where you'd find them. I'll keep looking and post something if I can find it, but I don't have a lot of hope.

Jerome

Jerome,
That sounds right.
I have two potters within five miles (that's close, in the boondocks). And they have kilns, and I'm betting that there is a bit of space in their kilns, or that they could do a burn for a few dollars.
I am realizing that there are some roses that I will always have, and I think that these roses deserve great markers.
Clay isn't that pricey.
I have several rolling pins (and dowels to control thickness)
I can make a cookie cutter like form (But I'd love to copy the one I saw)
A rose friend (on the other side of Knoxville) is a potter and could help with background colors, choice of paint for the label itself, and the glaze.
And I need to do this while my script skills are still somewhat legible (the computer keyboard's downsides)

Yes Ann, those French 19th century things are to die for. To me they evoke everything about the rose. I tried some dreadful "hairpin" things with lead or some sort of placard. The "permanent" marker faded after 3 months, kids of the faithful ripped them out and bent them, and it just didn't work. I still have visions of the type you describe. Maybe at the new place.

J

Ann, you could try writing to Guillot and asking them to refer you to the vendor. If you do decide to make your own, you could look around for a ruffled or scalloped edge cooky cutter to cut the clay, or even one of the scalloped rotary cutters used to cut fabric. Another alternative would be the decorative cutters used in scrapbook making.

Jerome, the key to permanent marking on those galvanized metal tags it to use a paint pen, not a magic marker. That will last at least several years (which is as long as I have been using them). I bought DecoColor extra fine in black from Aaron Brothers but I imagine any art supply store would carry them. The next best option is soft, thick pencil, but the paint pens are best by far.

Rosefolly

How long ago were these labels on the Guillot site? If you can figure out approximately when you saw them, use the Internet Wayback Machine to see if there's an archived image of the old Home page from that time.

If nothing else, this link is really fun to play with.

Connie

Here is a link that might be useful: The Internet Wayback Machine

I remember Lynette posting some on here once.

They are very common in Europe (But everything is expensive over here!):

These are the most elegant I have seen:

http://www.hauenstein-rafz.ch/cms/seiten/plus/porzellanschilder.php

Here is a list of the labels they have:

http://www.hauenstein-rafz.ch/cms/seiten/plus/porzellanschilder_bestellung.php?navid=

I think these can be custom-made too, they are very nice too (both the hanging and the ones on small metal stakes):

http://www.paolo-bizzi.de/rosenschilder-1.html

These would have been nice if we did not have to advertize for a German rose nursery!:

http://www.rosenhof-schultheis.de/Zubehoer/Porzellanetiketten/Historische_Rosen/index.html

Rosefolly, thanks for the information. I may look into those painting techniques for more permanent identification of the roses.

Cupshaped...those are exactly what I was talking about. It is neat to know that you can order them from someplace and that they're still made. What elegance. I am sure they cost a lot too!

J

Yes I knew what they were ...

Making clay signs in different shapes are really not that hard these were made from rolled clay and cookie cutters and written with porzelains colours and burned:

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Another Permanent an very discreet way to label lots of roses are these bend aluminium strips with transparent laminated stickers. They are discreet and last forever:

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I am sure I can make the bone china plates myself. I know how to paint on china! Never thought I would do that again... And burn them so it becomes permanent! One can transfer the calligraphy writings to the China with graphite rubbing and use a calligraphy Pen to write with the porzelain colour. Then they need to be burned.

I would like to know how they would do in a climate with wet and freeze/thaw cycles? I would love a ceramic or porcelain marker, but fear them cracking. Donna

Donna,
I live on a two century old farmstead, and that's a lot of wet and freeze/thaw cycles affecting the ground. Each year we dig up broken china and pottery. The breaks are old...the rest of the cups and plates aren't there. (I know because some were so interesting that I dug trying to find more of some individual pieces.) What's there is as fresh as the day it was broken. Colors are spot on, and surfaces are fresh.
I have a friend who tried painting on broken pieces of glazed pottery. The pottery persists, but the painted label spalled off.
That's why making a glazed pottery/china label is so attractive. The outer glaze would be the sealer.

Cup Shaped Roses has given me so much to think about, and to want. The cookie cutter ones are so lovely, I wish I had a place in Santa Fe, where they deserve to grace every garden. Now to translate that to an old farm house on a hill top in east Tennessee.

Well Santa Fe sure sounds nice! But an old farm on a hill top in East Tennessee is peaceful and quiet! Only a little ongoing war against RRD .....

But to to answer Both Donna and to help out Ann a bit if you want to try making the Clay labels with cookie cutters:

The porosity of ceramics are to some degree determined by the temperature when it is burned! But even then as you know from pots ..they do absorb water! If it freezes then there is a possibility that wet ceramics may crack. But like Ann mentioned if some kind of sealer is used the risk of the ceramics absorbing moisture is greatly reduced! Most cups and mugs are glazed so they will not absorb what we drink.

As for the Cookie Cutter Rose labels. Here is something that can prevent them from absorbing moisture. After the Clay has been rolled and cut with cookie cutters they are burned. Then they can be "painted" with a product called:

Marabu Ceramica Pore Filler: A Colourless, water based glossy priming for absorbent, porous surfaces like terracotta, pre-fired ceramic, etc. Ceramica-Pore Filler can be over-painted with Marabu-Ceramica after 24 hours. Clean brushes with water. After about 4 hours the finished item, treated with Pore Filler and then painted, is baked in the oven following the instructions given.

The Product range can be found on this website:

http://www.craft4kids.co.uk/acatalog/Marabu_Ceramic_Paints.html#a10

A ceramic glazing would be even better! But I am not familiar with those.

The plates can decorated with brushes and Ceramica paint to create a marble effect. To Write the Names here is a great tip! Use Ceramica porzelain painter Pens! Yes they are pens with porzelain paint! Allow to dry for 4 hours. After which bake in an oven for 30 mins at 170 degrees C, and allow to cool off in the oven. Colours are dishwasher safe! I really like these labels. I think the white porzelain plates, look a bit sterile and museum-like. The clay plates blend in better with the bush when attached to a cane. But about 100 of these clay label can be made: Cost about 20 Dollars + the cost of having them burned in a ceramic oven. Sorry for giving you more to think about!

Here is a link that might be useful: Ceramica Porcelain Painters