Corn Flower Possessions - W J Hughes Corn Flower 
Mezzanine Gallery
June 2 - December 31, 2013

Giving W J Hughes Corn Flower tableware and stemware as gifts created many traditions. The piece was chosen, the gift was wrapped and card attached. For almost 75 years, the familiar pattern was cherished, collected, used, or displayed in a special cabinet in literally thousands of Canadian homes. Each piece carried a memory of a person or event and the story was recalled when the piece was used: traditions told and passed on.  The familiar Corn Flower pattern was the special choice of many Canadian brides. As they planned their special day, future wives would delight as they unwrapped matching stemware or when a familiar blue box revealed a serving dish that would add distinction to their table. Dreams of happy times and entertaining family or friends danced in their heads and a bride could almost see the rooms and cabinets that would adorn her future home. As a result of the 'open stock' concept that the company developed, a bride knew that her collection could grow through her many years of married life and that Corn Flower would be part of that future.

The DCMA’s 2013 Corn Flower exhibit focuses on the extensive collection that we hold. On display are more than 600 pieces of glass cut with the graceful floral pattern, including all of our coloured blanks that date from the 1920s to 1940s, many one-of-a-kind. To support the exhibit, the DCMA’s collection of bridal dresses, photos and trimmings have been added. These selected pieces enhance the glass collection and support the memory of bridal gift-giving traditions that the company fostered in the Canadian wedding market.

We hope our visitors will recall wedding memories of their own and share their stories with family and friends. Enjoy the glass and enjoy the memories. Today, many young people are still choosing Corn Flower as a wedding gift. No longer available in countless jewelry and gift stores, pieces are sought out in antique stores and on the internet.  Corn Flower is still creating new traditions and special memories. 

*The Corn Flower label and the words Corn Flower are the registered trademarks of W.J. Hughes & Sons Corn Flower Limited, used by the Dufferin county Museum & Archives under licence.

Click here for information about this year’s Corn Flower Festival

Click here to learn about the history of Corn Flower

Click here to view and purchase Corn Flower products