Most Victorian Ladies Had “Conchylomania”

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Nov 26, 2016
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central NC
Sailors_valetine.jpg

Antique sailor's valentine, ca. 1870. (Wikimedia Commons)
Beaches and shorelines around the world are scattered with seashells. In the mid-19th century, these shells became art supplies and were intricately arranged into geometric mosaics known as “sailors’ valentines.” The valentines’ popularity was fed by the Victorian shell collection craze known as “conchylomania.” Victorian ladies seemed to enjoy working on shellcraft as much as their needlecraft and they filled curio cabinets across the United States with as many unusual specimens as they could find.

Sailors_Valentine.jpg

This sailor's valentine was made ca. 1875 and is the collection at The Mariners' Museum in Newport News, VA. (Wikimedia Commons)

Theses valentines were (and in fact still are) made by gluing hundreds of shells onto cotton batting and framing the work with octagonal cases of wood and glass. Either as single panels or hinged pairs, they’re usually no larger than 18 inches across, and less than two inches deep. The designs incorporate hearts, flowers, and nautical symbols such as anchors or compass roses. Some also bear a message spelled out in tiny shells.

While the size (but not the shape) of the boxes varies, an artist needs on average dozens of different types of shells, and at least a couple hundred of each, to make a substantial design. A typical valentine can take hundreds of hours to complete.
 
Those are really lovely. And oddly enough, as a scientist, you can lelarn a great deal about what were common shells/organisms in specific areas of collection. Annd how htose populations change over time. Yes, I know I am just geeky that way!
 
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