Bradley seal needlepoint, 1974

Title

Bradley seal needlepoint, 1974

Description

The Bradley University Alumni Board sold do-it-yourself needlepoint kits featuring the university seal for $25 each in 1974, and if completed successfully, would result in the object shown here. The kit came with all necessary supplies, including a screen-printed canvas.

The seal itself was originally designed in the early 1900s by Adelaide Mickel, an assistant professor of drawing. She included a rose in the center of the seal to honor Lydia Moss Bradley and her love of gardening. The rose later became the official flower of the institute. In June 1907, at a celebration banquet for the 10th anniversary of Bradley Polytechnic Institute, Lydia Moss Bradley provided red and white roses from her garden to adorn the tables. Oliver J. Bailey, chairman of the BPI Board of Trustees, spoke to the crowd about Lydia’s love of roses: “The rose has been her pride, it has been her flower….I suggest that hereafter Bradley Polytechnic Institute make the rose its flower.” From that point on, the rose has been the official flower of the university.

Photos by Ching Zedric.

Creator

Bradley University Alumni Board

Date

1974

Subject

Seals and labels (Philately)

Rights

For official publication permission or to request high resolution images, contact Special Collections at specialcollections@bradley.edu or (309)677-2822.

Citation

Bradley University Alumni Board, “Bradley seal needlepoint, 1974,” Virginius H. Chase Special Collections Center, accessed May 8, 2024, https://bradleyspecialcollections.omeka.net/items/show/89.

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