USA. c.1845-1906 Valentine envelopes (6, four with cards) including a fine large c.1845 envelope printed on both sides in gold with Louisville, Ky c.d.s; an attractive c.1850 paperlace card with attached ladder in an embossed envelope to Baltimore, hand delivered; 1890's embossed envelopes with enclosed cards (2); large embossed and handcoloured envelope (stamp does not belong); and 1906 imitation telegram card within an envelope headed "Loves Telegram", franked 2c. Also a c.1890 postally used advertising envelope for Climax Plug Tobacco. (11).

1819 Valentine lettersheet, the centre with handpainted birds on a nest, cut into a "cobweb" pattern which lifts to reveal a verse, other handwritten verses within embossed borders, embossed "DOBBS PATENT", posted within the London 2d Post to a Miss Walker, "Cheapside / 2py P. Paid" handstamp. A fine postally used cobweb valentine. Photo on Page 12 (Image1)

c.1820 Printed handcoloured heart shaped cards with flowers and verses, opening out into a "rose" shape, a second (or third) heart again opening out into a similar shape with further printed verses and sentiments within flowers. Two rare early cards. (2). Photo on Page 8. (Image1)

c.1820 Valentines cut from white paper and mounted on a red background in the shape of a butterfly or a dove and snake, with handwritten verses, fine and rare early cards. (2). Photo on Page 16. (Image1)

c.1820 "Cobweb" Valentine with handpainted roses in the centre and verses in the corner, the centre lifting to reveal flowers and two doves on an urn, addressed to "Miss Boyle, Bridgend, Perth", hand delivered.

c.1820 Valentine lettersheet with an elaborate embossed and pierced border, central design of flowers with an applied butterfly cut into a "cobweb" pattern which lifts to reveal cupid within a heart, fine and scarce.

c.1820 Engraved copper printing plates for valentine lettersheets depicting a parting lady and soldier, or lady and sailor with a ship in the background. Also printed valentine lettersheets with these views, probably modern reprints though done on paper of some reasonable age, both well hand painted. (2 printing plates + 2 lettersheets).

c.1820-30 Valentine lettersheets with printed hand coloured pictures and verses, depicting young ladies surrounded by flowers (2), cupid within a rose, or entwined hearts surrounded by cupids and "In Love Let Us Be United", the last with handcut zig-zag edges. Four fine early lettersheets. (4).

c.1820-50 Valentine lettersheets all with superbly embossed and pierced paperlace borders, an early lettersheet (c.1820 or earlier) with a central print of a lady and anchor with a ship in the background, hand written verses inside, addressed to "Mister Folknieur Esq., Miles Cort Number Five, Barth" (hand delivered, repaired tear); three other 1840s cards with handwritten verses in the centre, two with coloured paper inserts highlighting the paperlace work, two by Mansell or Addenbrooke. Also a similar paperlace envelope by Mansell. (5).

c.1830 Lettersheet with an embossed border containing a handwritten valentine verse, posted within Belfast to a Miss How, straight line "BELFAST" backstamp. Also a c.1780 letter written from Hamworth to London with straight line "ALYSHAM" (45x5mm, unrecorded in BCC) and "15/FE" Bishop Mark, contents including "I have bespoke half a crown worth of penny loafs to give the poor children of Metton on Valentines day", an early reference to Valentines day. (2).

c.1830-50 Valentine lettersheets all with printed pictures and verses, including a comic type picture of an arrow being shot by a skeletal angel into a man's heart, drawn by Luke Limner (a pseudonym for John Leighton) and published by Ackerman; the others all handpainted pictures depicting a couple surrounded by flowers and cupids, published by Rock & Co; cupid delivering a heart to a cottage, a superb blue border with imitation paperlace designs, published by Dean & Munday; children within an elaborate flower design, or lovers and knights at a castle, both published by B.F Lloyd of Edinburgh. A fine group, some scarce publishers. (5).

c.1830-50 Valentine lettersheets, various printed designs including a heart within a maze, a Naval ship at sea with opening panel revealing a cupid delivering a letter to a sailor, a departing sailor, etc., all with printed verses, five handcoloured, a couple with some edge faults, the others fine. (7).

c.1830-50 Valentine lettersheets with printed handpainted central pictures and printed or handwritten verses, four with embossed and pierced borders, pictures include Temples of Love (2, opening doors revealing lovers), cupid, a lady at a window holding a love letter, and ladies at the windows of a house watching cupid in the form of a postman delivering letters, also a lettersheet (folds, but could be pressed flat) with a young man within a printed gold border of flowers, two with a few faults, the others fine. (6).

c.1837-80 Novelty Valentines, with the verse "The Lovers Wish" printed on silk (stitched on a panel from an 1837 Almanac); an embroidered and embossed bookmark Valentine by Windsor; other embroidered cards (3, also an unused Dobbs card with embossed centre and border with holes intended for embroidering); French handpainted cards made of Ivorine, an early form of plastic (3, one shaped as a conch shell); a French card with a bird and flowers made of Mother of Pearl; silk card with a lace surround; another card mounted on lace; and one other card. (13).

c.1840 Valentine lettersheets all with fine embossed and pierced paperlace borders, two embossed "Addenbrooke" with a central mirror within an envelope or a dog holding a letter with flowers and "The Times Advertisement to the Lovers of the Fine Arts"; card by Burke with central handpainted envelope; card with central paper cleverly folded into a flower; and a card by Mansell depicting The Prayer of Love, a fine group. (5).

c.1840 Circular valentine, the pierced background in the form of a web, centrally applied flowers and a butterfly cut into a "cobweb" pattern, which lifts to reveal two lovers. Also a small c.1830 card with embossed oakleaf borders by De La Rue & Co., the centre with a handpainted Endless Knot of Love design. (2).

c.1840-50 Cards comprising fine paperlace cards with central handwritten verses (2, one with similar paperlace envelope by Kershaw); large superbly embossed pink covered card by De La Rue with central handwritten verse; small cards with embossed borders with a central mirror (embossed "Mansell") or a central print with a verse and music (embossed "Rock"); small circular cards with prints of buildings, edge with holes intended for embroidery (2); card with an applied felt butterfly and handwritten verse "To A Butterfly". (9).

c.1840-50 Valentine lettersheets all with embossed or paperlace borders, three with central silk panels bearing applied flowers, one with handpainted flowers on rice paper in the centre, another with central paperlace envelope within a gold printed flower design, the final card with silk ribbons applied to the centre. An attractive group, one embossed "Dobbs". (6).

c.1840-60 Valentines comprising card with printed gold borders, applied flowers and central kennel which opens to reveal a dog (reverse removed); cards with embossed and pierced borders by Kershaw or Dobbs (2) with applied flowers, one also with central imitation bar of pink soap entitled "Rose"; and embossed valentine envelopes unused (2) or posted in Warrington in 1863 franked 1d pair. Also an 1822 handwritten love poem. (8).

c.1840-60 Valentine lettersheets, one with applied flowers and a butterfly within printed floral borders, the others all with embossed borders (two coloured) with central applied flowers or leaves, one a basket of flowers, one card embossed "De La Rue & Co" with an applied angel, a fine group. (7).

c.1840 Valentine lettersheets with embossed borders and central handpainted scenes of love with verses below, some with minor edge faults, an attractive group. (7).

1844 Valentine lettersheet handpainted with a central panel depicting a dog delivering a letter, within a garland of leaves and flowers with verses above and below, the central panel lifting to reveal a painted temple with statues and opening doors, which in turn open to show music, illustrations taken from magazines and a central butterfly cut into a "cobweb" which lifts to reveal an arrow though a heart. Posted within London, from Paddington to "Miss Miller, Dean Street, Soho". A superb postally used home made cobweb valentine. Photo on Page 12. (Image1)

1844 Valentine lettersheet by Dobbs with an embossed coloured border, central handpainted scene of cupid capturing flying hearts within a curtain surround, a verse below. Posted from Bristol to Miss Margaret Stewart in Liverpool franked by a 1d red, part of the address rubbed out. An attractive postally used valentine. Photo on Page 12. (Image1)

Ireland / Hong Kong. 1846 (Jan 5) Valentine lettersheet with paperlace border by Mansell, a long handwritten verse within a handpainted garland of flowers, postally used from Ireland to "Henry Morgan Esq., H.M.S The Iris, Hong Kong, China Seas" prepaid 1/- in cash, with datestamps of Rathcormac, Dublin and London. A little staining and missing part of the paperlace border at the right edge, the two sheets now glued together, still attractive, a remarkable and unique destination for a valentine.

1847-c.1880 Printed novelty valentines in the form of banknotes or documents, comprising "Bank of True Love" valentine in the form of a five pound note (published by John Hicks of Glasgow, envelope to Miss Jane Fleming); valentine in the form of a cheque, issued by the Lovers Banking Company; valentine in the form of a summons issued by the Court of True Love; and an imitation telegram headed "Cupids Official Telegraphs" with "St Valentines Square" datestamp. An unusual group. (4).