A romantic Brummie may have won the heart of a London girl two centuries ago thanks to a Valentine which is one of the ‘rarest and most beautiful in existence’.
The illustrated letter, sent on February 14, 1818, is due to be sold on Friday, February 14 at Hansons Auctioneers in Derbyshire. Its estimate is £600-£800 but it could potentially fetch a four-figure sum.
Now new research has potentially revealed the name of the suitor – and what happened next in the tale of romance worthy of a Jane Austen novel in her Regency era.
The rare hand-painted, 202-year-old letter featuring hearts, flowers, Cupid and lovebirds, was sent to Miss L Shafe, of White Row, Spitalfields, London. She received the following message under the title, ‘An affectionate Pledge of Unfeigned Attachment’:
‘From him who upon the return of another Valentine’s Day, looks forward with pleasure to the time when his hopes may be realised; & at the altar of Hymen (Greek god of love) he shall receive the hand accompanied with the heart of her for whom he feels – not a wild and romantic love, which abates after a short acquaintance – but an affection which time increases rather than diminishes.’
Hansons’ valuer Isabel Murtough with the Valentine.
Brenda Piper, 76, a retired legal secretary from Wanstead, London, was so fascinated by the story she set to work to find out more – and contacted Hansons with the romantic results of her research.
Brenda, who has been doing ancestry research since the 1960s, said: “When I saw there was a name and address in an area of London I knew well, I couldn’t resist seeing if I could find her. I thought that perhaps having an idea of the couple involved would add extra interest for whoever bought the card.
“I looked for the marriage of Miss L Shafe and found Miss Lydia Shafe who married Edmundus Burn at St Leonard’s Church, Shoreditch, on December 28, 1819. The witnesses were Mary Burn and Clifford Elisha, possibly the church verger.
“Edmundas was a stationer and bookbinder from Birmingham while Lydia was from Shoreditch in London. They went to live in Brighton and had five children.”
Jim Spencer, works on paper specialist at Hansons, said: “We all hoped for a happy ending and it would be wonderful to think that Edmundus, a down-to-earth but rather romantic Brummie, much like me, won his lady’s heart with one of the oldest and most beautiful Valentines in existence.
“Admitting you don’t feel a wild, romantic love could have been construed as a dangerous move but as the Valentine was sent in 1818 and Lydia Shafe married in 1819 there’s a very good chance his message worked its magic.”
The rare Valentine has been owned by Gavin Littaur, from London, for more than 20 years.It’s in excellent condition for its age as the keen collector carefully stored it in an album and protected it from sunlight.
Mr Littaur said: “I’m a bit of a romantic and just talking about this Valentine rekindles my love for it. It’s beautiful – exceptionally so, in fact. One of the reasons I’m selling it now is to show the collecting world what an outstanding early Valentine really looks like.
“I bought it at auction more than 20 years ago. I don’t recall exactly how much I paid for it, but it was expensive at the time. George III would have been on the throne when this embossed letter was made by Dobbs of London more than 200 years ago. It’s one of the earliest postally-used Valentines in existence.
“Any pre-Victorian one is very rare. I once owned a Valentine from 1801 but it wasn’t as stunning as this one. I’ve been a collector of postal history for decades and it’s the finest I’ve ever seen.
“Collecting is a bit like a marriage. The most passionate moment is the first time you see something special, like this Valentine. It’s also very satisfying, when one actually acquires the item. But, over time, the intense excitement gradually fades.
Jim Spencer, Hansons’ works on paper specialist, with the Valentine.
“Though I like to look at the Valentine and occasionally show it to friends, when you have owned something for decades the time comes when you want others to enjoy it, while you are still around.”
The Regency Valentine on folding paper bears the manufacturer’s watermark, Dobbs 1815, and its original red sealing wax. As well as the central romantic verse within a gilt love heart, it has an embossed floral border and a vibrant watercolour floral border surmounted by two gilt doves and a heart pierced with crossed arrows.
The Valentine, lot 1000, will be sold at 10am on February 14 at Hansons Auctioneers, Heage Lane, Etwall, Derbyshire DE65 6LS. To find out more, or arrange free valuations of books or works on paper, email [email protected].
If you want to bid on the Valentine …
- You can bid in advance and live online. Please register with our online bidding platform www.hansonslive.co.uk. To view the lot, CLICK HERE
- You can send an advance commission bid. Please describing the item, include the lot number, 1000, and provide your full details. Email: [email protected]
- You can book a phone line to bid live. Email: [email protected]
- You can bid in person in the saleroom at Hansons, Heage Lane, Etwall, Derbyshire, DE65 6LS. Arrive in good time to give yourself time to register and collect your bidding card. The Valentine is due to sold at 10am on February 14.
