Hair Wreath and Cut Paper Heart for Mary Woodard, Kind Teacher, c. 1840s old wooden mixing paddle A bit gruesome perhaps

A bit gruesome perhaps

the function of which I'm not quite sure of but they're very sweet

Among my favorite sorts of whimsies are ones I would describe as architectural--this one like a tall and narrow tower

this naive

Quite a cast of characters whatever the case

Hair Wreath and Cut Paper Heart for Mary Woodard, Kind Teacher, c. 1840s old wooden mixing paddle A bit gruesome perhapsThis hair (kind teacher) Once was mine Please take it now It shall be thine. From Harriet E Permenter to Mary Woodard. Lovely sentiment, lovely thing (a friendship token that is also a bit like a reverse reward to merit), with beautifully braiding of the hair into three loops, tethered by cut and woven interlocking paper hearts. I've found three Harriet Perementer's from these parts, one born 1814, one 1815, and one, Harriet Elizabeth, of Chester, VT,