For your friends: Uncut sheet of circa-1800 hand-colored German etchings.

[Uncut sheet]. Es lächle dir zu Zeit. Ein holder Mund Zufriedenheit. Ein holdes Kind wie dieses hier. Reicht die Hand der Liebe dir. Mit seinen schönsten Gaben lohne. Dich stets der treusten Leibe Gut. Und fest in deinen Herzen wohne. Zufriedenheit und Edelmuth. Zum Liebesbunde, Erscheine ich. Und grüße dich. Aus Herzens grunde. Blüh in Unschuld holde Schöne. Wie des Frühlings Rosen auf. Und nur Freund, keine Träne. Seÿ in deinen Lebesnlauf. S.l. [German-speaking lands]: s.n., s.a. [early 19th century.]. [25.1 x 19.2 cm], [1] f. etching on laid paper, with contemporary hand-color. Trimmed inside the platemark on two sides, well preserved.

Uncut sheet of 5 etchings—here enhanced with vibrant, cotemporary hand-color—depicting young men and women in half-length and wearing the latest German fashions of the early 19th century. Below each image are German couplets expressing sweet sentiments of friendship and romantic love.

These pictures were meant to be cut out and given as little gifts, enclosed in a letter, pasted into an album, etc. A personalized note could be written on the verso.

The fad for such prints extended across Europe, but it was perhaps strongest in German lands. Uncut sheets of the sort offered here are rarely encountered today.

OCLC and KVK do not locate any examples of these prints.