Sailors’ Shellwork Valentine

A fine, early, Sailor’s Shellwork Valentine, made on Barbados, West Indies, during the first half of the 19th century.

These islands were often a ships’ last port of call before returning home, particularly for vessels of the United States and British Navies.
On such occasions the visiting sailors would customarily procure examples of these shellwork mosaics to give to family or sweethearts, hence their becoming known as ‘valentines’. Later in the 19th century a visit could be made to B.H. Belgrave’s New Curiosity Shop where a wide assortment of wares were on offer including “shell necklaces , coral brooches, shark bone walking sticks, and tortoiseshell hair pins” amongst many other curiosities including a range of the simpler, smaller ‘sailors’ valentines’. The later examples often included crabs, photographs, and mottos, such as ‘For My Home’, ‘For My Pet’, For My Mother’, and quite a few more.

This example, made around 1825, is made to the larger dimensions;

each side 13.75 x 13.75 in. 27.75 inches wide when open.