A rare and special thing this one, a fortune telling valentine of sorts, which I purchased from a great paper dealer in Pennsylvania, who had kept it in his personal collection for some years. A gorgeous watercolor taken at face value, but under most every leaf and bloom is a hidden message, revealed when one flips that bit up (and so a pretty intricate work of cut paper, too.) I especially love the fact that many of those messages are the opposite of saccharine, bluntly delivering harsh sentiments or diagnoses: "deposed to jealousy," "I would not be you, you are too much of a shrew," "no one will love you I can tell because you love yourself too well" - ouch! And with an apt description (warning!) along the bottom: "Impartially to all who seek, then take a peak behind a leaf...I faults and fortunes show if you your own would know." Pretty amazing, and marvelously executed. And with a fancy paper purse bloom at upper left, which I have not opened for fear of not being able to close it properly, but which I'd guess may contain a bevy of fortunes inside!
7 7/8" x 6 1/8" and in very good condition, mid 19th c. or so, I believe. No missing bits, and color is very strong and rich, but one wants to take some care when folding down the smaller (delicate) bits to reveal their messages.
You might also like
