A few examples of appraisal values for
FAIRY FLOWER

• Circa 1849 English Pop-Up Poetry Valentine
  Circa 1849 English Pop-Up Poetry Valentine Collected by Esther Howland English 19th century ?ca 1849. Pop-up valentine with a paper lace border a monochrome lithograph having a hand-colored floral bouquet at center between two verses of a poem is cut with a pop-up design with a pull string revealing a second hand-colored lithograph underneath of two turtle doves enclosed in a wreath with the text Love is Life's Fairy Flower below.? The Valentine is hand-addressed to Miss Parmelee The Oldest on the verso and the following poem is printed on the front:Lurking under fairy flowers Gayly love shall pass the hours On the land or on the stream Thou art still my own day dream.May the dearest gifts of life Like the tendrils of the vine Guard thee from the world's rude strife Thou--my chosen Valentine.According to the article "Old Lover Ardent Suitor" published February 14 1924 in The Toledo News Bee this Valentine was one owned by Esther Allen Howland (American 1828-1904) of Worcester Massachusetts a pioneer of the American Valentine industry.? Howland was inspired by English Valentines such as this one and began to create her own designs using imported supplies from England.? Her father owned a stationery store and her brother first obtained orders for her products while on sales trips for the store. Her designs rapidly gained in popularity and she began recruiting friends to assist her in production and first advertised her business in 1850.? Howland's innovative designs continued to grow and her business moved from her family's home to a rented building and became known as the New England Valentine Company.?She eventually retired in 1881 after selling the company to the George C. Whitney Company a stationery business located in Worcester that produced machine-made Valentines.Bibliography:"Old Lover Ardent Suitor" The Toledo Bee 14 February 1924."Mass Moments: First American-Made Valentines Sold 14 February 1849 " https://www.massmoments.org/moment.cfm?mid=52 Property of the Toledo Museum of Art Sold to Benefit the Acquisition Fund Condition: Small stain on left margin of paper lace.? A few small spots of foxing.? Creases remain from original folding when sent to addressee.