Avid collector Fondas shares his expertise on the history, making and collecting of sailors' valentines--octagonal wooden boxes made of Spanish cedar or mahogany. They contain intricate, stunning mosaics made primarily of colorful shells and often incorporate sentimental messages. 60 color photos.

This "book showcases seashells that have been assembled by shell artists in sailor's valentines, the octagonal-framed plaques with love messages and floral designs that were said to have been made by Victorian sailors as love tokens for their sweethearts at home. Learn their history, lore, and reality, and be introduced to exquisite designs, both antique and contemporary"--Amazon.com.

Here are new, contemporary perspectives on a craft from the 1800s, including eighteen top artists' insights about Sailors' Valentines plus more than 300 photos of their exquisite work. This collection shows how the once-obscure Victorian-era craft has gained its steadily-increasing popularity today. Sailors' Valentines, amazing mosaics of finely-crafted shell work usually set in an octagonal box, were originally created as gifts for the loved ones of sailors who were returning home to America, England, and Holland. The surprising history of the craft is explained--including how a 1961 revelation put rest to the myth that sailors made these pieces. Highly imaginative, remarkably colorful, and executed with great vision and precision, these contemporary artists' examples of Sailors' Valentines will inspire artists and others to become lovers of shell art themselves.

A Child, A Mystery, A Yacht...Treacherous Twist, Mischief Maker, In Consequence...Silence Held, Encoded Messages, A Mystery...Darkening Descent, Trembling Whisper, Innocent Passage...An evening of splendor...on a luxurious yacht in tuxedos and gowns...it was all they had hoped for...all they had dreamed of... until they were put to the test to save their son. Parents give all they have to bring their son past the limitations born to him. Out on a boat, made entirely of wood, an innocent passage takes place.