Chinkerinchee | Star-of-Bethlehem | Wonder Flower

Ornithogalum thyrsoides is a bulbous plant species that is endemic to the Cape Province in South Africa. It is also known by the common names of chinkerinchee or chincherinchee, star-of-Bethlehem or wonder-flower. It produces long-lasting flowers prized as cut flowers. – Wikipedia

Dirk Martinus Haasdijk: 1880-1943

Dutch commercial photographer. Biography from Photografen.nl (translated)

1910 – Oldeboorn

photographer at the Kerkeburen

1910 – Leeuwarden

photographer in Leeuwarden from 28 July 1910 to 23 July 1914

1914 – Dieren

1915 – Rheden, photographer at H.B. Dirksen

1915 – Leeuwarden

photographer, arrived from Rheden on 10 April 1915, left for Joure on 4 December 1915

1915 – Joure, Midstraat

from December 1915

1928 – A 407, Joure.

photographer in Joure

1943 – died on 10 December 1943 in Joure.

Our heliogravure. (translated)

The flower study by Mr. D. M. Haasdijk, which we are sending herewith, will certainly be to the taste of the readers; as beautiful and tastefully arranged as the bouquet is, its history is equally interesting. These flower stems were picked in Transvaal, when the flowers were still buds. The stems were sealed at the bottom with wax and then packed in cotton wool, but sent to Holland. Upon arrival there, the stems were placed in lukewarm water for twenty-four hours. Then the lower parts of the stems, which were sealed with wax, were cut off and the stems were placed again in water in which a little salt had been dissolved.

They remained like this for a few weeks, before any change became noticeable. During that time, pieces of the stems were cut from the bottom every two days, to prevent rotting. The results can be seen here on our helio. The flower is called in Transvaal “Clinkerinchee” and seems to be quite unknown here. Mr. Haasdijk shared the above details with us, which we found interesting enough to mention in our magazine.