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Valentine card: P.14428-R

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Object information

Current Location: In storage

Titles

Valentine card

Maker(s)

Publisher: Dobbs, Henry

Entities

Categories

Description

A large 8vo-size valentine of cream wove paper with an embossed border of leaves and corners featuring putti playing musical instruments or playing with Cupid's bow and with hand-painted edge in pink. The banners below each scene are painted in gold leaf. A central embossed vignette of trees with Cupid, doves and shrine with flaming hearts and Hymen's flaming torch and a handwritten verse in black ink: 'When far away you distant / be [sic] pray look on this / and think of me'. Areas of the embossed designs are hand-painted with gold leaf and a border of hand-drawn leaves in gold with hand-painted red bows surrounds the central embossed scene. A motto is drawn in gold ink below: 'Constancy'. At upper and lower centre are hand-painted designs of red and bllue flowers and leaves with gold detail. Hand-drawn emblems of crossed arrows and hearts are found at upper left and right and lower centre. 'DOBBS' is stamped at lower centre. Inside is another handwritten verse: 'By words I cannot my love / discribe [sic] / Therefore I leave my / actions to express that love / Dear Hester'. The name and address, postmarks and sealing wax are found on the verso. The valentine has been folded several times for delivery: 'Hester Miles / 35 Bucklersbury / Cheapside / City [London]'. The postmark stamped in red ink seems to indicate a date of February 1830. P.14392-R is another valentine of a similar style by Henry Dobbs which is addressed to the same recipient (although apparently to 'Esther' Miles) and postmarked 1829.

Legal notes

Bequeathed by Dr J. W. L. Glaisher, 1928

Acquisition and important dates

Method of acquisition: Bequeathed (1928) by Glaisher, J. W. L., Dr

Dating

19th Century
Production date: AD 1830

School or Style

British

Techniques used in production

Watercolour
Pen and ink

Identification numbers

Accession number: P.14428-R
Primary reference Number: 215465
Stable URI

Audit data

Created: Tuesday 14 February 2017 Updated: Friday 26 January 2018 Last processed: Friday 8 December 2023

Associated departments & institutions

Owner or interested party: The Fitzwilliam Museum
Associated department: Paintings, Drawings and Prints

Citation for print

This record can be cited in the Harvard Bibliographic style using the text below:

The Fitzwilliam Museum (2024) "Valentine card" Web page available at: https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/id/object/215465 Accessed: 2024-11-14 16:40:33

Citation for Wikipedia

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{{cite web|url=https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/id/object/215465 |title=Valentine card |author=The Fitzwilliam Museum|accessdate=2024-11-14 16:40:33|publisher=The University of Cambridge}}

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        <img src="https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/imagestore/pdp/pdp77/P_14428_R_1_201611_amt49_dc2.jpg"
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        <figcaption class="figure-caption text-info">Valentine card</figcaption>
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