The Sailor's Valentine

Happy Valentine's Day!

Before there was Hallmark, you might have received a "sailor's valentine" from your darling 19th-century seafarer across the ocean. 

Traditional sailor's valentines are keepsakes typically made of octagonal boxes, usually constructed of mahogany or cedrella (Spanish cedar), hinged together in pairs which open to reveal elaborate mosaics made of colorful shells covered by glass. T

he patterns often featured a heart or compass rose design, and included a sentimental message such as "Remember Me" or "Home Again." 

The romantic myth behind these tokens of affection is that sailors constructed the "valentines" for their sweethearts to pass idle hours at sea. This may be a possibility for their origin, however, the vast majority were actually produced as part of the souvenir trade on Barbados and other Caribbean islands, mainly between 1830 and 1890. Barbados was a port of call for American and English ships, and the sailors would purchase the valentines as tokens of love to bring back to their wives, mothers, and sisters. According to Sailors' Valentines, by John Fondas, the primary source for these souvenirs was the New Curiosity Shop, located in McGregor Street, Bridgetown, Barbados, owned by the English brothers B.H. and George Belgrave.

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Massive mirror on the wall...how'd you get hung up there in the first place?

This impressive baroque mirror, of carved and painted wood, is done in the manner of 

the celebrated sculptor Filippo Parodi (1620-1702). 

While it may look like a little reflective cloud, don't let the image fool you-- this massive mirror measures a whopping 8 1/2 feet wide by 9 feel tall (and a foot in depth)! 

Here are some photos taken during the installation of the mirror in our gallery. We needed ladders, a crane, and lots of manpower. 

And here is a look at the finished product: 

 At over 500 pounds, the mirror is hung (over an equally monumental desk) with a little help from some wooden supports.

See and download the full gallery on posterous

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