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| An elaborate double lace valentine housed in a 10 ½” x 8 ¾’ hinged boxed with embossed imagery and applied paper border. The valentine is one of the more elaborate double lace quarto valentines I’ve seen. The top and bottom lace are embossed with gilt decorated margins. Each with an embossed floral border—the top is hand painted in various colors, the bottom is white—each is embellished with gold. The top lace has a secondary lace with similar color ornamentation and an applied silk ribbon rose at center with hand colored and applied flowers and silk foliage. This lifts to reveal an inset silk fabric cartouche with applied secondary layer of silk with silk lace fringe and gilt bead border with cut-out of Cupid in center with applied hand painted scrap flowers and bird adornments. The inside page, or second lace, also has two applied gilt embellished lace paper in the form of a gate, each adorned with a hand painted and applied flower bouquet. A ribbon bouquet is at the center of the two gates. The gates open to reveal a large inset silk cartouche with a pair of Dresden scrap cornucopia with applied hand painted bouquets. A double silver leaf at top and an applied hand colored floral garland at base with an applied Dresden flaming heart. Just a bit of everything…Quite a work. The valentine is overall excellent. Box with some condition issues. See images for specifics. c1870s. |
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