Distance makes the heart grow fonder
When walking the streets of Lunenburg County, you can still see the odd crumbling conch shell neatly positioned around the perimeter of an old garden bed.
Many were souvenirs brought home by foreigngoing sailors returning from a trip to the West Indies — they were keepsakes and mementos that served as reminders of past adventures.
In much the same manner, shells were also given as gifts and among the most cherished of these were those in the form of a sailor's valentine.
Now rare and highly collectable, sailor's valentines are a type of delicate shellwork given to wives, girlfriends, mothers and sisters by sailors returning from a trip abroad. Small shells, as well as colourful seeds, were used to create intricate patterns and affectionate phrases. Most were housed in octagonal wooden boxes ranging in size from eight to 20 inches across, with two hinged sides — both of which displayed equally ornate shellwork — cotton backings, and colourful paper liners.
Though once regarded as a form of sailor-made folk art, in actuality, most were made locally in the West Indies between the 1830s and 1880s and were intended for the tourist market.
In his 2002 book Sailor's Valentines, John Fondas suggests that the majority actually originate from a single curiosity shop in Barbados. The store, owned by one B.H. Belgrove, was a popular destination for men who worked aboard foreign going vessels.
They sold everything from shells to shark vertebra swagger sticks and offered both pre-made and custom sailors valentines.
As the old saying goes, distance makes the heart grow fonder. Still, it never hurt to have a special surprise tucked away in one's sea chest for the return home.
Adrian Morrison is the curator of collections at the Fisheries Museum of the Atlantic.
The Fisheries Museum of the Atlantic & Bluenose II are proudly managed by the Lunenburg Marine Museum Society. For more information on the LMMS and to become a Dory Mate visit https:// fisheriesmuseum.novascotia.ca/ about-museum/dory-mates.