Card, valentine card

Valentine's card with embossed and lace paper vine border decoration on both inner and outer front cover. In the centre is a handpainted country road and above this is applied an embossed 'scrap' of a female character carrying a basket of flowers. Between the background and the character is a piece of paper printed and cut in the shape of a scroll. On it is printed the message: ' This is affection's tribute , Friendships offering whose silent eloquence, more rich than words, tells of the giver Faith, and Truth, in absence and says Forget me not'.

Victorian Valentine's cards like this could be made from commercially-produced papers. Paper lace was a popular card base and printed scraps would be added to adorn and personalise the cards.