Card, valentine card

Multi-layered, handfinished valentine's card associated with the Crimean War. Comprising two layers of cream lace paper embossed with decoration including medallion portraits of Queen Victoria and Napoleon and printed 'Exposition de la France d'un bras soutient la Guerre de l'autre l'industrie'. In the centre of the card is applied a cream watered silk panel decorated with a cream embossed paper cannon and an image of a woman gathering in the harvest - these two images are separated by a cream silk fringe. Above the silk panel is a panel of cotton net through which can be seen a cameo embossed white paper image of a couple walking close to a country church. This image is stamped with a diamond registration mark dated 1854. The front of the card is also decorated with two rosettes with pink, blue and cream ribbons extending from a silver paper centre.