Friday, February 20, 2015

Valentines Day book, "Un Petit Livre D'amour"

OKAY... I REALIZE THAY VALENTINE'S DAY WAS ALMOST A WEEK AGO... this post was supposed to go up last Sunday just extend the day so that it was "Valentine's Weekend". Little did I know that I would not be able to get onto the internet until yesterday. I will not go into the details as it will make me look as uninformed about downloading the newest edition of Safari as I really am.

I debated about posting this but here goes anyway. Enjoy this last Valentine's Day post that is one week overdue.

This little book has been scanned to size so that you can see how small it is, just the right size to place in a pocket, purse, or to hold tucked in your hand.

Unlike the last book that I showed you this book has been hand bound using handmade paper, some of the pages have a clean cut edge while others have the deckle edge of the handmade paper.

There is no date on the book but the design is Art Nouveau putting it at the turn of the last century or possibly a little earlier. If anyone has any information about the book let me know.


This is from a series books; the title, "Les Petit Livres D'or"  translates as, "Little Books of Gold".

The title of the book, "Un Petit Livre D'amour" translates as, "A Little Book of Love".

I am doing a literal translation here, so anyone that speaks French please correct me if I am wrong.

The colour  image of the woman on the front of the book has been hand glued in place.


The rest of the colour images have been hand glued to the inside edge of existing pages.


The lines on the paper are from the frame that the paper pulp was hand moulded in.


You can see that the edges of the paper and the deckle edge don't match up perfectly; this is a handmade book with a quaint quality to it.


Unlike the book, "Friendships Token", the paper has not yellowed and gone brittle; the paper for this book is made from rag pulp. Paper made from wood pulp is broken down with acid. The acid causes the yellowing and disintegration of the paper.

Saturday, February 14, 2015

Happy Valentine's Day To You!

  HAPPY   VALENTINE'S   DAY  
  EVERYONE!  

I haven't had all of my Valentine's collection out in a very long time, we don't have the room to display it all. Since we have stopped using our fireplace, it was too dusty and smelly, I now have an area that I can do a large display in.


Here is a picture showing the full display, there are close-up shots of the items for you to look at.


Starting on the left hand side of the mantle...

The box of "Kiddies Valentines Assortment" is in mint condition but minus its contents. The bust of the coy young lady was used as a boudoir doll pincushion I believe. I bought it when I was in art school a very long time ago, she seems to suit the Valentines collection. She sits, do heads sit, in front of a cloth doll dressed in red and white felt.


Between the coy young lady and the two love birds florist vase is a porcelain Art Nouveau vase. The only mark on it is 7983 stamped on the back. It is standing in front of a red, white, and silver roll of Valentines garland made by Biestle.


In front of the chocolate box there are two different size glass tumblers with the same design, a raspberry pink celluloid doll standing beside a vintage florist vase, an old metal cookie cutter, and a pair of salt and pepper shakers that together form the shape of a heart.


Up behind the heart shaped florist vase with cupid in front is a plastic fan that is resting on an old Avon Valentines soap box. The little boy holding the heart is one half of a salt and pepper shaker set, I wish that I had the other, the modelling is superb. Resting in the top of another florist vase is a sleeve of embossed paper napkins made by Perkins. These are from the 1940s, the fellow is dressed in a Zoot suit. I bought these from an old stationary store in Victoria when we were first married.


 In the centre of the mantle hanging below the ledge is this beautiful deeply modelled cast metal plaque.


In front of the red foil chocolate box with the very deeply embossed metal decoration is a heart shaped jug and beside that a small heart pin cushion with button eyes made by a child for his, or her, Mum.

On another roll of paper garlanding is a vintage book of children's paper Valentines, two floral picks and a plastic cake top decoration.

In front of the other book of children's Valentines is a small vase, cupid pushing a heart in a wheel barrow. To the right of cupid and his heart is a heart shaped vase that has a small opening for flowers at the top. In front is a heart head cat playing a bass; one of a pair of salt and pepper shakers. In behind him is another fabric doll dressed to the nines in tulle and lace holding a single flower.


The hammered brass fireplace surround that I use under the Christmas tree makes a great "walled garden" for the Valentine's tree with most of the heart chocolate boxes massed at the base.


Tucked on the mantle ledge in behind the tree are three vintage heart shaped florist vases resting on a blue vintage head scarf covered with hearts, ribbons, and gold keys, a gift from my daughter-in-law, Nicole. In front of the white vase is a plastic decoration of two cherub heads, possibly for a cake. The base of the vase holds another vintage handkerchief in place.


The right side of the hearth is filled with more tokens of affection...


This close-up of the ledge shows more vintage hankies, florist vases, a cookie cutter and heart shaped chocolate boxes. The small red box the Valentine with the cupids is resting on is marked Shackman on the back, I discovered this the day that I was putting the display up. I have only recently found out about the Shackman Company, wholesalers of holiday and novelty items.


I wanted to show you a view of the two little girl vases, they are the same design but the modelling and the colours are different on each one. The vase in front has a gold foil shield shape paper seal on the bottom marked, Thomas A. Ivey & Sons Port Dover. It is stamped on the bottom in black, JAPAN; there are also mould impressions on the bottom that look to read, Relpo and below that 6657. This vase may be from 1957and be the earlier of the two.

The other vase has a gold foil paper seal printed with, Relpo Chicago Illinois Made in Japan and stamped in black, A-1986 JAPAN. 


The paper tablecloth coth is my favourite of the ones that I own, it has lots of great Valentines images on it.

Just in behind the small deep red heart shaped box is a dull red fabric heart with lace around the outside. I made that heart shaped pin cushion in grade four or five I believe for my Mum for Valentine's Day.

The two clear glass dishes have hearts and cupids in relief around the outside edge of the dish. There is the head of an arrow on the upper left hand side of the dish with the tail of the arrow on the lower right hand side. The bottom is marked, SAFE BAKE U.S.A.


The "walled garden is filled with vintage chocolate boxes, paper tablecloth covers, two Dennison sticker books, and at the base of the tree on the purple cloth two gold foil cake or cookie decorations.


On the vintage marble table beside the stuffed chair are a glass heart shaped bonbon dish with a crocheted heart topped with two plastic cupcake picks and a gold metal cupid. Behind the dish is a 1950s red foil decoration of a lady in silhouette and to the right is a sheet of Valentines die-cuts from Germany.

A few days ago I came across another wooden decoration/napkin holder that had a larger base than this but I didn't buy it as I felt that this was the better of the two.

Again, have a "HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY"!

If you don't have a "Sweety" of your own at the moment do something loving for someone else, it will change how you feel about Valentine's Day!

Friday, February 13, 2015

Valentines Day book "Friendships Token"

I purchased this book probably twenty years ago at Saint Vincent de Paul when they put out their Valentine's Day collectables.


I have had it all this time and just noticed...


the inscription inside the front cover. It reads

23/12.02

To Miss Tilley May Nelson
with Xmas Greeting
From I. Norton


Inside is this visiting card. One edge, the edge reading "Ever Your Friend" is glued in place, lift the other edge and on the bottom paper is "Geo. I. Norton" printed with a very fancy script.

Even though it was given at Christmas as a Christmas gift it will stay as a Valentine, a token of love.


I have scanned the entire little book, it is in a sad state, the paper is very aged from the acid in the paper and is somewhat brittle; the pages have come away from the cover; the cover is water stained. It is still a lovely book with an interesting past.




Written in fountain pen at the top of the page is...

Maple leaves from Queenston Heights
Niagara Peninsula
Ontario

Yes, there are dry, brittle, pressed maple leaves in the book, between these pages and elsewhere in the book. There are also four leaf clovers between several pages.






Across the bottom of this last page is printed...

London Ernest Lister          Printed in Bavaria 798          New York E. P. Dutton & Co.

I wonder if this was a prelude to a long marriage; I believe it was because this little book was  bought about ninety or so years later in Victoria, British Columbia.

This may not be a Valentine's Day token as I had believed it was but it is part of a love story worthy of Saint Valentine.

Thursday, February 12, 2015

Early Valentine's Day Cards

I put all of my antique cards on the top shelf of the buffet, that way they can be seen individually. Most are not in pristine shape but they are lovely to look at.


Starting on the left is this honeycomb clown card, he is delightful.


In front and to the right of the clown is this fold out card, Made in the U.S.A.


I've scanned the back so that words on the inside make sense.

"You'll always find me waiting rain or shine"...

with the inside saying, "Let's travel around together dear Valentine".


There is no country of origin or printer on the large "Affections Offering" Valentine.


Here is the interior of the card.


To the left of "Affections Offering" is this postcard...


and laying in front is this postcard.


All five of these fold out Valentines are made in Germany.


Laying in front is this packet of silver foil doves. They are most likely for wedding cakes and decorations; they are not as old as the cards.


Two fold out Valentines and a postcard; all are printed in Germany.


Here is a better image of the postcard: I love it


The stand-up card of the little boy with the letter J tied to his back has written on it... Don't be a "J" Be My Valentine... I have no idea what "J" means, unless it is saying, "Don't be a jerk"!
Such naughty words from such a sweet little boy!


I have scanned the postcard in behind the naughty little rascal. I love this card as well, the colours are great, not at all romantic but filled with the joy of life, living, and love.

Wednesday, February 11, 2015

Valentines Day Cards for grown-ups

Well... That blog post title certainly sucks big time. I didn't know what else to put especially when some of the cards shown are to Dad or Mother, cards for lovers is definitely not appropriate!


I just realized that the card to Dad has bachelor's buttons tucked into the red heart, is it a cruel joke or letting him know that yes he is much better off now than when he was single and alone. I suppose we will never know.


Hearts, flowers, and ribbon adorn this long slender card, never mind that the forget-me-nots are the size of hydrangeas. Scale doesn't matter, it is the design and above all the sentiment that counts!


What 1950s mother wouldn't want an apron as glamourous as this little number? This is one of my favourites of the vintage cards. I will probably show you another "favourite card" in a little while.


I am not sure how I feel about this card, it seems to have several different design elements going on at the same time and none are relating that well. I do like the clean crispness of it though. In behind the cut-out circle is a piece of blue fabric with a Valentine's Day seal glued in the centre of the fabric circle.


An absolutely romantic image that a sister would send her brother and his wife. Okay... favourite number two.


The style of this card reminds me of the 1940s, I could be wrong, but the sentiment has also steered me in that direction; a card sent to a soldier by his wife or girlfriend. Am I reading too much into it?


The other Valentine for Mother was young and spoke of family whereas this card speaks of a grown child's love for her or his Mum.


It is interesting that a lot of cards for men to buy for their sweethearts are comic. Does this mean that men are incapable of showing feeling and emotion or is it "Not Masculine" to be romantic? I suppose it really does not matter because the sentiment is expressed.

This card is unique in that the card is finally revealed after the Valentine that it was given to opens each successive envelope.


The poem and the cuddly bear is on the face of each envelope...


another verse is given...


And then you have the choice, there are two envelopes the same size, one is for a married man, the other for a single man to his sweetheart... the envelope for the fellows sweetheart is shown above...


and this is the version for the married man... a simple solution so that this card hits both the married and the unmarried man...


The part of the poem that appears that he has had second thoughts...


only to be shown that he is madly in love with her...


finally...  the card with his heart felt sentiments...


and the clincher that there could be no one else that he would rather be with.