1850 Mansell Paper Lace Valentine & Stampless Envelope with Provenance

Here is a lovely dated 1850 valentine with its stampless envelope that includes a provenance carefully recorded by a member of a later generation (but, unfortunately, in ink on the envelope).

This tender valentine is 4 ½”x 6 ½”. It is made with a Mansell embossed and perforated paper lace bordered folder. The Mansell mark is visible along the curve of the garland of flowers at the center bottom of the folder front. The front is decorated with a silver Dresden laurel wreath above a wreath of hand painted and hand cut paper flowers and leaves. Below the floral wreath is a paper rectangle with the printed message:

Neither power nor splendor charms me
I no joy in wealth can see
Nothing earthly can alarm me
But the fear of losing thee.

The inside of the valentine reads, “From John Ellery to Sarah E. Davis /Feb 14 1850”

The beautiful envelope is bigger than the valentine. The front has a printed border of gold vines and decorative corners and a scroll address space wreathed with flowers. “Miss Sarah E. Davis/ Ipswich, Mafs” is written on the scroll. There is a red postmark from Gloucester, Mass Feb 15” but no year and “5” is stamped in red and outlined in ink. Written in pen on the lower left is the note, “Valentines from Grandpa and Grandma. 1850 1849.” The back flaps are outlined with a border of leaves and each flap has a design of a rose or lily bouquet. Three of the four back flaps are still glued and the unglued lip fold was adhered by red wax of which only the residue is left. Penciled under the lip is the provenance note:

“Valentine from John Ellery and S.E. Davis to John Ellery. 3 Valentines 1 (car?) 4. Inked on the back is (1849) original envelope – Save this.”

The valentine and its envelope suffer from the penned notations of a later generation.
The message on the valentine front’s rectangle has an added “charms” written in blue ink above the word. The envelope has the notes described above. At one time there were two valentines. Beside these markings, the front edges of the valentine have toned over time. Please examine the photos and feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

While you are here, do take a peek at the other valentines I have available at this time. Thank you for visiting my shop today.