History

Traditionally, Sailors’ Valentines were made in octagonal wooden boxes (usually Spanish cedar or mahogany) between 8 and 15 inches in diameter, often with two sides that were hinged and closed with a heart-shaped lock. They were created by gluing hundreds of tiny shells to a cotton backing in various mosaic patterns; typically included flowers, hearts, and star shapes; and frequently contained sentimental messages.

Folklore tells us that Sailors’ Valentines were the work of homesick sailors passing time while on long sea journeys, brought home as gifts for loved ones. Though some may have been the work of sailors, characteristics common to the majority of Valentines indicate they were made by craftspeople in Barbados between 1830 and 1880 and bought as souvenirs by American and British sailors for whom the island was a port of call.

Sailors’ Valentines are steadily gaining in recognition and value, and it is not uncommon for antique Valentines to bring thousands of dollars. In 2002, the first book on Sailors’ Valentines was published, written by John Fondas. It features many of the original pieces and shows the awe-inspiring breadth of design possibilities which shells offer by their magnificent natural variations in size, shape, color, and beauty. In 2006, a second book on more contemporary Sailors’ Valentine artists and collectors was co-authored by a group of women from the Philadelphia area who have met for years to share their love of the sea and fascination with shells: Grace Madeira, Constance Marshall Miller, Mary Page, and Anne Schutt.

Shells continue to inspire contemporary artists to explore these same intricate and endless designs pondered by the original creators of Sailors’ Valentines.