Finely produced 12mo Valentine

London: [Whitney Co.?], 1860. Near-fine. A couple nicks to delicate edges of lace paper and scrap. No tarnishing to gold.. A finely produced 12mo valentine, made from decorated papers peeking through gilt lace paper, and an embossed, chromolithographed Victorian scrap depicting a bouquet of wildflowers. On the second bifolium leaf is a chromolithographed scrap with lines of verse titled "Messenger of Love": Haste, messenger of love, and fly Unto the one that holds my heart, And this reply unto her sigh, Oh! tenderly impart; 'I know no mortal shrine but her, And she no fonder worshipper'." A very bright, well-preserved example. Possibly produced by the valentine maker Whitney Co. (red stamp to lower leaf verso?). Bifolium measuring 4.75" by 3.5