“Nightingale”.

The notes that creep from that cavern deep,

In strength were never in the wild world beat;

In volume so strong, that once in opera song

They took your false teeth twenty feet along.

So that is why at present the supply

Is limited to nature's own -- just five.

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This is a very rare large antique Penny Dreadful / Vinegar Valentine with 6 lines of verse. Most likely printed in the USA between the 1850s to late 1800s. Sourced from a collection of Vinegar Valentines, all from the same era. The full print is shown in the first photo. Other photo shows details from the print.

Penny Dreadfuls /Vinegar Valentines were a popular phenomenon from the 1840s to the 1940s, although the British Postal Museum has a copy from 1790. Some of the caricatures were drawn by the American cartoonist Charles Howard in the 1870s. The rhymes and drawings were not just amusing, but were also downright cruel, very mean-spirited, and insulting.

Single sheet, toned paper with beautiful patina, very faint creases. It is very rare to find them in this size and in such good condition, especially since they were usually printed on cheap paper (they used to sell for a penny, hence the name "Penny Dreadful").

The only reference we've seen to a Vinegar Valentine about this size was in the British Postal Museum & Archive Blog, now known as the Postalmuseum.org

Size of sheet: approx. 9 inches x 21.25 inches (23 cm x 54 cm)

This is an original published between the 1850s to late 1800s, not a reproduction! Bananastrudel sells only originals. The Bananastrudel watermark does not appear on the print. Note: THE BLACK RODS DO NOT COME WITH THE PRINT. They were placed there to hold the print in place.

Size of sheet: approx. 9 inches x 21.25 inches (23 cm x 54 cm)

Note: The politically incorrect material reflects the spirit of the past, and is by no means reflective of our philosophy!