Really a lovely and special feeling thing. This joyful watercolor dates to 1824, boldly and proudly signed by Miss Sally Stearns just above the bright blue arch at bottom center, from which this sprawling bouquet rises. (Look closely and you'll see there is a wonderful hand-sewn mend to the paper just to the left--which feels almost like an extension of the black inked decoration on the yellow furl.) Detail photos give a good sense of the handling of the flowers here, with big blooms and leaves, and then fine inked details animating the stems and centers of the flowers.And then at bottom left a tintype portrait of Sally taken many years later, probably not very long before this watercolor was placed in this frame.

I have done some digging to try to identify this Sally Stearns but am not completely certain. I think she is Sally Stearns, descendent of Isaac Stearns (1600-1671), a mostly Massachusetts family remaining in the Mansfield, MA area for some 300 years. This Sally was born in 1804 and died 1890, never married. The dates and location seem right, and seem to correspond to her age in the tintype. 

Framed: 16 1/2" x 13 1/4". Sight 14 5/8" x 11 1/4" All in good condition. Frame I believe late 19th/early 20th century, and I believe the watercolor and tintype have lived in this frame since then. Painting executed across two pages of paper, with seam down the center as evident. A few small tears to the paper here and there, just visible if searching for them. Old cardboard backing, I have not opened, wired on the back for hanging.