Antique British Colonial Heart-Form Sailor’s Valentine & Domed Glass

This antique Victorian shellwork heart is a particularly lovely sailor’s valentine, with intricate natural shells arranged across its heart-shaped form. I especially love the delicate pelican’s foot shells, whose shapes give the shellwork wonderful texture and dimension. At the center, a steamship chromolithograph print sits beneath the original domed glass, adding just the right touch of maritime romance. The heart form gives the whole piece an especially romantic presence, it is marked with the registration mark for 1896-1897.

Heart-shaped sailor’s valentines are much rarer to find than the familiar octagonal form, which makes this a special addition to your collection. These shellwork souvenirs were made in the 19th century and sold in seaside towns and port cities, where sailors often brought them home as sentimental gifts for mothers, wives, and sweethearts. There is so much to enjoy in the details—the delicate shellwork, the steamship, the gleaming domed glass, and the sentiment behind this maritime keepsake souvenir. It's an antique that looks beautiful displayed with your collected treasures, where its unusual shape and intricate workmanship can really be appreciated.

• Measures 8" x 8-1/2" x 3".