UmbrellaAn umbrella with raindropsThis parasol shades visitors to a Buddhist temple in Kyoto, Japan.Man sitting under a beach umbrella
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Umbrellas, Parasols

An umbrella is a device used for temporary shade or shelter from precipitation. They can be made by stretching a fabric or other material over a wire frame. more...

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Umbrellas carried by hand are now usually used as rain shields, although their first use was for shielding from the sun; however, as tans became more sociably acceptable, this usage declined.

An umbrella made for protection from the sun, is called a parasol. These are often meant to be fixed to one point and often used with patio tables or other outdoor furniture, or on the beach for shelter from the sun.

The word "umbrella" is from the Latin word "umbra" for shade or shadow.

"Brolly" is a slang word for umbrella, used often in Britain; "bumbershoot" is another.

History

Ancient umbrella history

The term umbrella is derived from the parasol, which was first used as a protection against the scorching heat of the sun, "para" meaing stop and "sol" meaning sun. The parasol or umbrella dates from the earliest ages, some commentators on the Bible fancying they can discover it in places where a shade protecting from the sun is mentioned.

The collapsible and internally supported umbrella is commonly credited as being invented during the Wei Dynasty in ancient China, roughly 1,700 years ago. The Chinese character for umbrella is 傘 san and is a pictograph resembling the modern umbrella in design. Some investigators have supposed that its invention was suggested by large leaves tied to the branching extremities of a bough; others assert that the idea was probably derived from the tent, which remains in form unaltered to the present day. However, the tradition existing in China is that it originated in standards and banners waving in the air, hence the use of the umbrella was often linked to high ranking (though not necessarily royalty in China). On one occasion at least, we hear of twenty-four umbrellas being carried before the Emperor when he went out hunting. In this case the umbrella served as a defence against rain rather than sun. The Chinese design was later bought to Japan via Korea and also introduced to Persia and the West via the Silk Road. The Chinese and Japanese traditional parosol, often used near temples, to this day remains similar to the original Wei Dynasty design.

Read more at Wikipedia.org


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Vintage Umbrella Wood Carved & Rope Handle 33" Wide $9.99 Vintage Black Umbrella Leather Handle 46" Wide $9.99
Umbrella With Horse Racing Design And Horse Head Handle $16.99 Victorian Black Chantilly Lace Parasol Cover $16.00
Dog Umbrella Head $9.99 Vintage 1960's Creme Colored Cat Umbrella ~ Retro Cool! $15.00
Victorian Parasol Umbrella (1870-1890) $9.99 Vintage Umbrella W/Bakelite Handle $7.50
Antique 1850s Silk + Carved Bone Handle Parasol Dated $80.00 Vintage Oriental/Victorian Parasol $35.00
Antique Victorian Carved Wood Handle Black Lace Parasol $17.49 4 Vintage Umbrella Parasol lot Lucite Handle Acrylic $24.99
Oriental Bamboo& Rice Paper Decorative Umbrella-Parasol $2.99 Vintage Carved Wood Handle Red Parasol Umbrella $12.99
Vintage Red Blue Plaid Parasol Umbrella $8.00 Vintage Green Bakelite Handle Umbrella Parasol Look! $12.50
Mint Beautiful Vintage Umbrella in Original Box $10.00 Vintage Silk & Bamboo Hand Painted Parasol Stunning! Nr $14.99
Vintage Pk Victorian Parasol Umbrella Cream Ruffle $26.00 Vintage Black Man Parasol Umbrella $9.99
Antique Vintage Umbrella Mother of Pearl Handle Nice! $15.51 Vintage Black Nylon Umbrella Ornate wood plastic handle $8.00
Vintage 50's Red Plaid Lucite Handle Umbrella Parasol $9.99 Vintage Musical Note Bakelite Handle & End $49.50
Your Pretty Blue Umbrella, vintage, antique, parasol. $0.99 Antique Victorian Wood & Red Satin Parasol c1900 $89.99
Vintage Brown Taupe Nylon Umbrella Carved Wood Handle $24.99 Vintage Womens Black Umbrella- Leather Sleeve & Handle $4.99
Vintage Umbrella/Parasol~Bakelite Handle & Tips~Plaid $9.50 Old Painted Wood Toy Handle Cats, Birds Childs Umbrella $9.99
Child'S Yellow Rayon Parasol $9.99 5 Vintage Umbrella Parasol Lucite Cameo Handle Lot $29.99
Vintage Child's Parasol Umbrella Doll $39.99 Vintage Art Deco Bakelite Handle Dress Umbrella $9.99
Antique Mother Of Pearl & Gold Cane Or Umbrella Handle $22.50 Vintage Ornate Mother of Pearl Handle Black Umbrella $49.99
Just Fabulous Vintage Umbrella! $14.99 Vintage Umbrella/Parasol~For Parts/Repair~Great Fabric $7.99
Vintage Victorian Folding Parasol with black lace $31.00 38 small paper umbrella's ~ Occupied Japan $9.99
Antique Gold Color & Mother of Pearl Umbrella Handle Nr $17.49 Vintage Umbrella Lucite T Handle Yellow Green Polka Dot $19.99
Antique 1906 Pearl Umbrella or Parasol Handle $26.88 Sensational Vict Chantilly Lace Parasol w Ornate Handle $49.99
Antique Vintage Engraved Wood Handle Umbrella Excellent $9.99 Vintage Revlon Romance In Rain White Umbrella Very 80s! $9.99
44 mini paper umbrella's ~ Occupied Japan $7.51 Antique Umbrella, Gold Filled Mother Of Pearl Handle $99.99
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Prices current as of last update, 11/21/08 7:55pm.

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