Poignant and Unusual Large 1840s Paper Lace Valentine with Mirror, Verse, and Original Envelope antique green paint I understand that these were

I understand that these were originally used as an aid for teaching children the alphabet and spelling—and how much more enjoyable that would have been (or could be now

and a nice softness to the color on the wooden beads

but both now are empty

decorated even more finely with red and black ink

Poignant and Unusual Large 1840s Paper Lace Valentine with Mirror, Verse, and Original Envelope antique green paint I understand that these wereI've got an eye out for early Valentines every day of the year, this one dating to the 1840s and, rather miraculously, still accompanied by its original envelope, mailed to a Catherine Stowell of Paris, Maine, with postmark on the envelop and traces of the red wax seal still attached. Clearly it meant a lot to our Catherine! and one might guess she married the young man who sent it to her. What really sold me on it is the mirror at center of the