Shell Picture
Menuncatuck
Sailor's Valentine
2014 (Date manufactured/created)
Shells, Paper, Cardstock, Bond 527 Cement, Cherry Wood, Wenge Wood, Glass, Zebra Nerites, Green Nerites, Variegated Sea Urchin Spines, Pink Umblums, Barnacle Spurs, White Rice Shells, Beehive Shells, Yellow Tree Snail Shells, Sand Dollars, Fine Gravel, White Ark Shells, Navy Blue Rope with Gold Braid, Limpets
2 in. D
, 13.875 in. Diameter
Guilford artist Lois Clinton Kessler created this octagon-shaped sailor's valentine entitled "Menuncatuck" to commemorate the 375th anniversary of Guilford and the Whitfield House in 2014. Sailor's valentines originated in 1830s Barbados as gifts or souvenirs that sailors could bring home to loved ones. They are crafted from intricate arrangements of many small seashells displayed in a shadow box frame. "Menuncatuck" took approximately 35-40 hours to complete.Shells (from center to outside edges):
zebra nerites ring a photograph of the Whitfield House on a vintage postcard
the next ring features green nerites and fans of variegated sea urchin spines with pink umblum centers and barnacle spurs on each side (representing flying seagulls)
the next ring, a fine gravel (representing the beach) outlined with white rice shells, features letters and numbers that are white rice shells painted black, 4 sand dollars, and floral groupings of beehive shells with a central yellow tree snail shell
the next ring is made of white ark shells
the scalloped outer ring features:
large fans of variegated sea urchin spines anchored by rows of blue-colored limpets, with pink umbiums dotting the large center limpets
small snail shells flanking the 8 fans
green nerites filling the remaining space
white rice shells radiating from each corner (representing a ship's wheel and how Henry Whitfield and the other Guilford settlers sailed to the New World)
navy blue and gold roping frames the interior of the shadow box
zebra nerites ring a photograph of the Whitfield House on a vintage postcard
the next ring features green nerites and fans of variegated sea urchin spines with pink umblum centers and barnacle spurs on each side (representing flying seagulls)
the next ring, a fine gravel (representing the beach) outlined with white rice shells, features letters and numbers that are white rice shells painted black, 4 sand dollars, and floral groupings of beehive shells with a central yellow tree snail shell
the next ring is made of white ark shells
the scalloped outer ring features:
large fans of variegated sea urchin spines anchored by rows of blue-colored limpets, with pink umbiums dotting the large center limpets
small snail shells flanking the 8 fans
green nerites filling the remaining space
white rice shells radiating from each corner (representing a ship's wheel and how Henry Whitfield and the other Guilford settlers sailed to the New World)
navy blue and gold roping frames the interior of the shadow box
Gift of Lois Clinton Kessler in 2014
HW2014.014