Flower and Fruit Picker
maker
Adrien Dubois de Laval
(active Paris, 1880 - 1923, Paris)
Dateabout 1910
Place MadeParis, Ile-de-France, France, Europe
MediumMaple and bamboo
Dimensions108.9 cm (42 7/8 in.)
ClassificationsTools and Equipment
Credit LineIsabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Boston
Accession numberU32s54
eMuseum ID719360
Original NumberU32-46-sb
EmbARK ObjectID14877
Previous Number875
Previous NumberU32-46.2
TMS Source ID3557
Last Updated8/9/24
Status
Not on viewWeb Commentary
Adrien Dubois was trained as a cutler, a person who makes, sells and repairs knives, but he was also an inventor. His most famous invention was the “Dubois picker,” this stick-like pair of scissors operated by a trigger. Enabling the user to snip blossoms or fruit at a distance of up to 3 meters, it was particularly useful for avoiding thorns.
Isabella, an avid gardener, purchased three Dubois pickers and mounted them in the cane rack in the Worthington Street Lobby. They invite us to imagine Gardner heading out the door to gather roses from her garden.
BibliographyNotesChristina Nielsen et. al. Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum: A Guide (New Haven, 2017), p. 81, ill.
MarksNotesIncised trademark of Adrien Dubois de Laval (on handle, side 1): Ceuilleuse Dubois/ A.D. Brevets/ Francais & Etrangers
Incised (on trigger, side 1): Fleur
Incised (on handle, side 2): Underwood/ 56/ Haymarket/ London
Incised (on trigger, side 2): Fruit
Incised (on trigger, side 1): Fleur
Incised (on handle, side 2): Underwood/ 56/ Haymarket/ London
Incised (on trigger, side 2): Fruit
ProvenanceNotesProbably purchased by Isabella Stewart Gardner from the cutlery manufacturer and retailer, Underwood, 56 Haymarket, London, about 1910.