Hawaii, Kingdom of Hawaii
1924
Celluloid pin
Diameter: 1⅓ in (3.4 cm)
Provenance: not listed
Queen Kapi'olani (1834–1899) was the consort of King Kalākaua and one of the most beloved figures of the Hawaiian monarchy, known for her founding of Kapi'olani Medical Center for Women and Children in Honolulu and her role as a champion of Hawaiian cultural continuity during the final decades of the Kingdom. Memorial celluloid pins bearing portrait photographs of Hawaiian royalty were produced as mourning and commemorative objects following royal deaths, combining the photographic portrait tradition with the celluloid button technology widely used in American political and commemorative pin production from the 1890s onward. This pin was produced immediately following the death of Queen Kapi'olani on June 24, 1924, as a memorial piece for those who wished to honor Hawaii's last queen.
The pin bears a formal portrait photograph of Queen Kapi'olani in crown and court dress, printed on celluloid within a metal surround, in the format standard to American commemorative pin production of the period. The condition is consistent with a piece that has been preserved rather than worn, and the subject matter connects it directly to the final chapter of the Hawaiian monarchy.
We ship free anywhere in the world, fully insured, packed by hand.
Hawaii, Kingdom of Hawaii
1924
Celluloid pin
Diameter: 1⅓ in (3.4 cm)
Provenance: not listed
Queen Kapi'olani (1834–1899) was the consort of King Kalākaua and one of the most beloved figures of the Hawaiian monarchy, known for her founding of Kapi'olani Medical Center for Women and Children in Honolulu and her role as a champion of Hawaiian cultural continuity during the final decades of the Kingdom. Memorial celluloid pins bearing portrait photographs of Hawaiian royalty were produced as mourning and commemorative objects following royal deaths, combining the photographic portrait tradition with the celluloid button technology widely used in American political and commemorative pin production from the 1890s onward. This pin was produced immediately following the death of Queen Kapi'olani on June 24, 1924, as a memorial piece for those who wished to honor Hawaii's last queen.
The pin bears a formal portrait photograph of Queen Kapi'olani in crown and court dress, printed on celluloid within a metal surround, in the format standard to American commemorative pin production of the period. The condition is consistent with a piece that has been preserved rather than worn, and the subject matter connects it directly to the final chapter of the Hawaiian monarchy.
We ship free anywhere in the world, fully insured, packed by hand.
