How the pineapple became a symbol of hospitality is deeply rooted in history and legend. It is often said that, in olden days, sea captains returning from the Caribbean would stake a pineapple on their fence post. This was a sign that the captain had returned home safely from sea and was considered an invitation to visit and hear tales of the captain’s adventures. This tradition turned the pineapple into an enduring symbol of hospitality. Over time, the fashion for stone or terracotta pineapples at entrances became fashionable as an emblem of warmth, friendship and welcome. The truth is more complex…
Originating from South America, the pineapple became an important economic plant and was later grown in plantations across the Americas including the Caribbean and Hawaii. Christopher Columbus is recorded as encountering the pineapple on the island of Guadeloupe in the West Indies in 1493. Delicious but incredibly challenging and expensive to grow in colder climates, it was only centuries later that pineapples were able to be grown in non-tropical countries following the development, at massive cost, of glass houses with reliable heating systems to warm the air and soil continuously. This is because a pineapple requires a controlled environment, run by complex mechanisms and skilled care, to thrive in northern Europe. Pineapples, therefore, then became a symbol of wealth, class and status – a luxury only possible for royalty and aristocrats. The fruit often appeared as a centrepiece on a dining table, not to be eaten but simply admired – there are even records of pineapples being rented for an evening.
The pineapple became fashionable in England after the arrival in 1688 of William III – a keen horticulturalist who was accompanied by skilled gardeners from his native Holland. Pineapples were soon being grown at Hampton Court. With its distinctive form combined with royal patronage, the cult of the pineapple soon extended to architecture and art. By the eighteenth century the pineapple was established as a symbol of hospitality, luxury and prestige – being incorporated as finials on gate piers, entranceways and even on furniture, silverware and ceramics. The popularity of the pineapple as a traditional sign of welcome and hospitality continues to this day. ORNAMENTI’s Pineapple Finial is handmade by Tuscan craftsmen using frost-resistant Galestro clay.
Other entranceway decorations include Ball Finials which became popular in eighteenth century England on gate piers. Considered a symbol of elegance and refinement, these geometric spheres are still the most popular finials for entrances. Some even consider that the straight lines and angles of geometry symbolise the limitations of our physical world, whilst the sphere symbolises the infinite possibilities of the spiritual realm. ORNAMENTI offers three sizes of Ball Finial, each carved from stone, ranging from 300mm to 500mm in diameter. Traditionally, a carved stone Ball Finial would be positioned on top of a gate pier either side of an entrance or garden path. Ball Finials (sometimes known as Spheres) can also used at ground level alongside garden paths or either side of garden furniture, on grass verges to delineate a boundary or discourage parking. Planters can also work well as finials, whether planted or unplanted – ORNAMENTI clients have used designs such as the Florentine Urn, Large Florentine Bowl and Large Faenza Bowl on gate piers at entrances.
Whichever finial design you choose, we trust it will be a way to communicate to your guests that they are welcome – whether at Christmas, to welcome in the New Year, or at any other time of the year!
