Testimony of Approbation for Maralyn, Unusual Early 19th Century Letterpress Reward of Merit gold and black box or forget-me-nots

or forget-me-nots

And while one there are some later sets out there also published by Hans Huber

and still quite usable as a mirror

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 or forget-me-notsI'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