Testimony of Approbation for Maralyn, Unusual Early 19th Century Letterpress Reward of Merit gold and black box is firmly in tact

is firmly in tact

or forget-me-nots

The wooden dowel rolls smoothly

evoking clouds or landscape--but also making it feel a bit as if the planes were floating over

Testimony of Approbation for Maralyn, Unusual Early 19th Century Letterpress Reward of Merit gold and black box is firmly in tactI've become quite attentive to rewards of merit, specifically hunting for early and unusual ones, handmade or otherwise rare and special. This one I found in Maine, purchased from a dealer from whom I recently purchased several others, those, awarded to a Polly Este, from the 1820s, and I believe this one, expressing approbation for a young Maralyn, from about then too. The irregular cut of the paper combined with armillary sphere and letterpress