Website/Catalog  (1928)  Page(s) [2].  
 
History, 1924.
Some fifteen years ago the peony attracted my special attention; I began the formation of a peony garden which soon contained many of the finest varieties of that flower, including single, Japanese and double in form. My interest at once became centered in seedlings, and after planning a system of seed selection, I began the planting of seed. At the very first I was fortunate, as out of the first planting I secured Frankie Curtis, and out of subsequent plantings, Alex D. Vories, Laura Vories, Henry Vories, Lady Kate, Nancy Dolman, Bishop Burke, Mary Vories and Fanny Lee, which are, this year, offered to the public for the first time.
For several years these varieties have blossomed in my garden without a thought of dividing, or selling them, until the demand for plants became so insistent that at last I consented to divide them, in order that my neighbors, who' considered them so fine, might also enjoy them in their gardens.
However, I determined not to offer them to the public until I had obtained the judgment of those in control of an annual exhibition given by the American Peony Society, which, fortunately, was this year, held at Desi Moines, Iowa, in easy distance of my home.  Unfortunately, however, my inexperience in preparing bloom for show purposes, and especially for cold storage, resulted in some of the bloom being unfit for exhibition and none of them in first-class condition.  I also had to contend with a drought of six weeks, which occurred at the very time the peony buds were forming. Nevertheless, I considered my bloom of Frankie Curtis and Nancy Dolman sufficiently good to enter in several classes, with this result:
...The Frankie Curtis won the J. A. Taylor prize of $100.00 for new seedling of special merit that scored at least nine points out of a possible ten. The Frankie Curtis also was awarded, by the American Peony Society, a first-class certificate of merit, this being, I am informed, the highest award made any seedling this year in Class 16.
The Frankie Curtis also was exhibited at the Peony Show given by the Garden Club of the City of St. Joseph this Spring (1924), and won the silver cup offered for the best bloom exhibited at that show.
Judge L. A. Vories,
Court House,
St. Joseph, missouri

Website/Catalog  (1928)  Page(s) [4].  Includes photo(s).
 
Frankie Curtis.
The center of this peony is as large as Mons Jules Elie, as compact as a chrysanthemum and sits proudly in a cup of large guard petals.  At first glance you would take it to be pure white, but a close inspection will disclose light pink shadings on center petals.  It really looks like a large chrysanthemum.  The habit of the plant is perfection, strong stems holding bloom upright.  Should you purchase only one peony this year, let it be Frankie Curtis.  It will satisfy any peony lover in the land.  Medium early.  Above is cut of plant in full bloom. May, 1928.
Frankie Curtis, $25.00