While I was browsing through the December issue of Vogue, I ran across something that I had never seen before: sailor’s valentines.

A sailor’s valentine was a traditional gift in the mid-1800’s from a sailor to his lady, after he had returned from a voyage. Crafted in a frame, and covered by glass, each valentine had a theme, normally a heart or a compass rose. All of the shells used were collected from the sailor’s travels.

A compass rose themed piece.

Please don’t forget me!

Now not all sailors had time to hand craft their valentine. They were busy flying the sail or swabbing the deck (or what have you), so they purchased their valentines abroad. The most popular purchase point was the island of Barbados, where you can still pick up sailor’s valentines there to commemorate your trip.

I came, I shelled, I conquered.

Quite of few of the shells came all the way from Indonesia. In fact, some folks have even found Indonesian newspaper clippings used as backing in their pieces!

Girl, this is super fancy. It was imported!!

So, how do you get your hands on one of these bad boys? Well, it ain’t easy. Most of the valentines can only be picked up in antique stores or from collectors. I really liked Diana Bittel’s web store, and there were quite a few waiting to be snagged on Ebay. If you’re in the market for a new piece, this little store had some cute ones. Just be sure to save some ducketts before hand, because these valentines aren’t cheap!

Now, for those of you crafty, brave souls… I give you The Nantucket Sailor’s Valentine Kit. If you’re not afraid to get a little glue on your hands, I definitely recommend it for a rainy day project. I especially liked the Special Occasion kit, which is a smaller version of this:

Chicks dig this stuff. 

And there you have it, boys and girls. The next time your love decides to go on a boat trip, make sure he brings you back a sailor’s valentine. Just make sure it’s not creepy like this:

I didn’t order seafood.

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