Object of the Day, Museum Edition: I Thought What Higher Happiness, c. 1840

I wander’d by the green-wood side,

Array’d in all its verdant pride,

And mark’d the gay birds happy hours

Of love amid their fragrant bowers.

I thought what higher happiness

Than theirs our leisure hours might bless,

In those sweet shades, almost divine,

If we were wed, dear Valentine.

With Valentine's Day tomorrow, I thought we'd look at a proper VIctorian greetings card.  After all, the custom was rather perfected during this period.

Printed and published by J. Wrigley of Manchester, this Valentine card depicting a couple in a flower garden in front of a church dates between 1840 and 1880.  The above verse accompanies the image.

This card was bequeathed to the V&A along with others from the collection of Guy Tristram Little who amassed a fine assortment of lithograph cards which have been hand-colored with watercolor and feature the very-Victorian attributes of paper lace and fabric appliqué.  

Valentine Card
1840-1880
The Victoria & Albert Museum