An original Sailor's Valentine dating from the 19th Century. It is a traditional Octagonal shape in a double sided hinged case with glass covers. Both sides have ornate designs made from brightly coloured shells, one with a central heart motif and the other with the motto "Think Of Me".
Each section is 8" (20cm) wide across the glass and approximately 1 1/4" (3cm) high.
The wooden case is made from a mixture of mahogany and pine. At some point it looks as though the case has been painted and then stripped and there are some small flecks of paint left within the grain of the wood.
The Valentine is in very good condition for its age. The colours are bright and vibrant and all the shells look to be firmly in place. One small shell on the centre of the heart has cracked and been glued at some point (see photo) but otherwise there don't appear to be any damages or losses. The glass is undamaged and the wooden case has a nice patina with no major damages. There are some minor signs of age and a few knocks and marks and minor shrinkage splits but nothing detrimental.
