Card, valentine card

Comic valentine's card in the form of a ladder. Formed from two pieces of card with cut out rungs printed with single words referring to stages of the matrimonial ladder. One part of the ladder lists positive words relating to the courtship phase e.g. Admiration, Acceptation. The top rung of this ladders ends in an engraving of the wedding service. The second ladder refers to the post marriage period and each rung lists more negative words such as rumination, alteration, irritation and separation. The sides of the ladders are printed with handcoloured engravings of female figures one side and male figures the other in various poses relating to the printed words. The card is signed 'Cruickshanks.del Roberts.sc.' relating to the artist and engraver. This probably refers to Robert Cruickshank.