Antique Cut and Woven Paper Hearts on Hand-written Letter Chinese jewelry box holds tight

holds tight

I've found one similar set online (selling for $1500 for a set of 6) purchased in Venice in the 1960s

like most one sees

but rather of the original

There is a word or name burned into the wood at bottom right (with frowning face showing) but I can't make it out (looks maybe like Furrise

Antique Cut and Woven Paper Hearts on Hand-written Letter Chinese jewelry box holds tightI'm always looking for antique cut paper valentines, of which I think this is a very lovely example, and it's a resourcefully made one too: turning it over reveals that it was fashioned from a hand written letter (still largely readable!), with the backs of several of the colored hearts showing that they were cut from some other sort of printed matter too. The letter itself begins: "It is very hot and dry down here" making it feel especially apt for