The sailor’s valentine (c. 1840-1860) that is normally on display at Beauport, the Sleeper-McCann House in Gloucester, Massachusetts, will travel south to the Eustis Estate in Canton. The valentine will make its Canton debut when Historic New England opens The Importance of Being Furnished: Four Bachelors at Home on June 21.
Sailor’s valentines have gone from antique souvenir to highly collectible items valued for their beauty and unique characteristics. While the name suggests a connection to February 14, there is no known link. These delightful objects were originally made in the mid to late eighteenth century as gifts sailors purchased to bring home to loved ones after a long sea voyage.
Atlas Obscura has a great article on the history of these mementos.
At Beauport, the elaborately decorated valentine is displayed open. Both sides have shells of all shapes, sizes, and colors. In the circular design, the artist also included materials such as rosary peas and paper painted with metallic gold paints. Both sides are covered with an octagonal pane of historic glass.
The valentine’s initial condition assessment found that the left section needed some attention. Two of its wooden sides had detached, exposing the decorative display to dust and the potential risk of further damage. Additionally, shells and rosary peas had detached and were askew, gold-painted paper exhibited tears, and there was a loss of painted paper. The right section was intact and stable and required minimal treatment.
The treatment plan for the left section entailed meticulous steps to stabilize and better preserve the object. Mellon Conservation Fellow Meghan Abercrombie carried out the work. She carefully removed the glass for better access to the design underneath. She removed loose shells and peas and cleaned away dust, grime, and aged animal glue and returned them to their original position in the design. Other shells and decorative materials that were still in place were gently surface cleaned of dust and grime.
The cleaned shells and peas were re-adhered and newly purchased shells, similar to the originals, were added to provide some loss compensation and as part of re-creation of a missing section. Meghan coated the new shells in a UV blocking matte varnish to indicate to future conservators that these pieces are not original. This difference is not visible under regular light. This process also helped minimize distraction from the original design and create a cohesive look.
Finally, Meghan cleaned and replaced the glass cover. Her next steps are to re-adhere the wooden sections to close the left section, and then the valentine will be ready for its exhibition debut.
This is just one story on the work that goes into preparing for an exhibition. Stay tuned for more.
Save the date and mark your calendars for June 21 when The Importance of Being Furnished: Four Bachelors at Home opens at the Eustis Estate, 1424 Canton Avenue, Milton, Massachusetts. The Eustis Estate is open from Friday to Sunday, 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The exhibition is on view from June 21 to October 27, 2024.
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