19th C. Token of Friendship Theorem: From a True Friend unique decor it's in perfect condition

it's in perfect condition

I also really love that the weight of hand itself is enough to outweigh the arm and post

but to me it appears as if these were done on the negative rather than on the image itself

and especially the stack of handwritten correspondence inside dating back to the 1850s

which differ radically from newer examples

19th C. Token of Friendship Theorem: From a True Friend unique decor it's in perfect conditionIn my book, it's always time for a valentine or token of friendship, and what a lovely one is this, From a True Friend indeed! The text appears to have been block printed, the rest done in watercolor and ink by hand (using hand cut stencils, which is how theorems were made, and, I recently learned, the paint was often blown onto the paper via a glass tube, like a straw; at least so I was told!) A lovely example, and unlike others I've seen mid 19th c.