Charm Our Eyes! Scarce and Marvelous Riedel, Nuremberg Mechanical Valentine c. 1830s treen letter opener it features four "cages" of

it features four "cages" of sorts: one with with a squarish "ball"

produced by Joseph Ward of Boston

it appears Ito be covered with a couple of layers of paint--I think first entirely painted red

Cards measure 3 5/16" x 2 1/8”

It measures 7 3/4" tall with lid and 5 5/8" in diameter

Charm Our Eyes! Scarce and Marvelous Riedel, Nuremberg Mechanical Valentine c. 1830s treen letter opener it features four "cages" ofAmazing! I love going to Brimfield, but occasions of finding true treasures digging through boxes in far corners happens less and less and less. But then this, and a second early mechanical valentine also listed today the sorts of lucky finds that keeps me ever hopeful. This is quite a rare one, an early mechanical valentine, published by Riedel in Nuremberg, Germany, for English export, 1830s. I have found one reference to this particular valentine,