Welcome, Bill,
and thanks for your confidence in my peony identifying ability. But I’m not anywhere near being an expert at this. You could try asking one or more of the big names in peonies – the staff at nurseries like Klehm, Adelman and Hollingsworth are often very generous with their knowledge – but even they may be reluctant or unable to do an id from a photo.

Although named peonies are clones, they can still vary quite a bit in color and form depending on climate, sunshine (or lack of same) and other growing conditions. The ideal thing, if it’s still in bloom, would be to go to the American Peony Society and find a chapter in your area. A local peony aficionado who sees your antique in bloom is the one most likely to tell you what it is.

Falling overness knows no vintage; it’s mostly a matter of head weight and stem length. That said, breeders have been working on trying to create peonies with stiffer stems, so there are probably more upright modern ones than old timers.

A good seller like Klehm or Adelmann can advise you on upright choices if you ask specifically. And I can tell you from much experience that the singles are just about flop free. Beautiful, too, though not as fragrant as the old fashioned bombs …

Using peony cages or other stem supports can help a lot in the garden; the tighter shape of the bush helps the flowers stay upright.