Material Type

Artifact

Other Name

MARQUIS FLOWER SHOP

Date Range From

1950

Date Range To

1960

Materials

WOOD, GLASS, BRASS

No. Pieces

8

Height

212.5

Length

91.8

Width

16.7

Description

SOLID WOOD WITH A LARGE GLASS PANE CENTERED HORIZONTALLY. ON BOTH SIDES OF GLASS PANE IS A LARGE ROUND STICKER THAT IS BLACK AND GOLD. IN CENTER IS THE IMAGE OF A MAN RUNNING WITH WINGS ON HIS FEET AND HELMET, AND A BOUQUET OF FLOWERS IN ONE HAND, AND THE LETTERS "FTD" BELOW HIM. THERE IS A GOLD BORDER AROUND PERIMETER OF STICKER, WITHIN WHICH READS "FLORISTS' TRANSWORLD DELIVERY SINCE 1910". THERE IS AN OVAL MAIL SLOT IN BOTTOM OF DOOR WITH A BRASS COVER ON ONE SIDE. DOOR ALSO HAS A BRASS KEYPLATE WITH SKELETON KEY HOLE AND ROUND BRASS DOORKNOBS (2 PCE). THERE ARE 3 HINGES ON ONE SIDE OF DOOR; COMES WITH 5 BRASS SCREWS.

Subjects

BUILDING COMPONENT

Historical Association

BUSINESS

History

DOOR WAS LOCATED IN THE MARQUIS HOTEL, SERVING AS AN INTERIOR ENTRANCE BETWEEN THE HOTEL'S LOBBY AND THE MARQUIS FLOWER SHOP. AN IDENTICAL DOOR EXISTED ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE LOBBY, SERVING THE AIR CANADA OFFICE. THE EDMUNDSON FAMILY ACQUIRED THE FLOWER SHOP ON JULY 15, 1938 WHEN DONOR'S FATHER, FRED, BOUGHT THE OPERATION FROM FLORENCE MAHEN. THE BUSINESS, ITS ASSETS AND DEBTS WERE ACQUIRED BY EDMUNDSON FOR $50. "FTD" WAS FORMED IN 1914 IN ORDER TO TRADE DOMESTIC AND INTERNATIONAL ORDERS BETWEEN THE ASSOCIATION OF AMERICAN FLORISTS. THE MARQUIS FLOWER SHOP BECAME AFFILIATED WITH FTD SOMETIME AROUND 1939. FRED EDMUNDSON MARRIED DONOR'S MOTHER IN 1940 AND DONOR WAS BORN IN 1943, GROWING UP IN THE FLOWER SHOP'S ENVIRONMENT. EVENTUALLY, THE DONOR BEGAN WORKING FULL-TIME IN THE BUSINESS (1964) AND BY THE 1970S WAS IN FULL CONTROL OF THE OPERATION. IN NOVEMBER 1985 THE MARQUIS HOTEL'S MECHANICAL SYSTEM FAILED AND THE OWNERS, THE ROYAL BANK, WERE FORCED TO DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT TO RE-INVEST AGAIN INTO MAINTAINING THE HOTEL'S OPERATION. DUE TO ONGOING PROBLEMS, IT WAS DECIDED TO CLOSE THE HOTEL AND CONSEQUENTLY, THE FLOWER SHOP WAS GIVEN TWO WEEKS NOTICE TO VACATE. ALTHOUGH A DIFFICULT MOVE, WITH LITTLE NOTICE, AND WITH CHRISTMAS LOOMING, THE BUSINESS WAS MOVED TO ITS CURRENT 6TH STREET LOCATION. THE DOOR WAS OBTAINED AT NO COST BY THE EDMUNDSON'S JUST PRIOR TO THE HOTELS DEMOLITION IN THE LATE 1980S. IT WAS MOVED TO THE BUSINESS' 6TH STREET LOCATION TO BE USED AS A CENTERPIECE DISPLAY ITEM. IT'S WEIGHT, HOWEVER, BROUGHT IT INTO DISUSE AND IT WAS MOVED TO DONOR'S HOME UNTIL DONATION TO THE MUSEUM. *UPDATE* IN 2015 COLLECTIONS ASSISTANT JANE EDMUNDSON INTERVIEWED THE DONOR, PHIL EDMUNDSON, RELATING TO A NEW DONATION OF MATERIALS FROM THE MARQUIS HOTEL/MARQUIS FLOWER SHOP. SEE RECORDS P20140046001 AND P20140046002 FOR FURTHER INFORMATION AND INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPT.

Catalogue Number

P20030018000

Acquisition Date

2003-07

Collection

Museum

Less detail