A man ice skates surrounded by a cloud of a smoke from his pipe., Text: 'Twould be a rather serious joke, / And break the heart so fondly thine, / If all your vows should end in SMOKE, / 'Twere made on ice, my Valentine., Provenance: McAllister, John A. (John Allister), 1822-1896, collector.
The tinker holds tools and stands by a work bench. "Soft sawder" [i.e. solder ] is a slang term for manipulative flattery and originates from a cheap, easy, and less-durable form of joining metal., Text: RAGGEd wretch! of base-born metal-- / Filthy maker of the kettle, / You I can very plainly see / Can't come soft sawder over me. / Pipe-smoking, filthy, dirty sot, / Black as the kettle or the pot; / Most noisy slave, most tinkering brute, / My taste you surely ne'er will suit. / Go, go, you beast, and howl and whin[e]/ You ne'er will be my Valentine., Provenance: McAllister, John A. (John Allister), 1822-1896, collector.
A tinker smokes a pipe and holds tools at his work bench. A kettle and pans are on the floor. "Soft soder" [i.e. solder or sawder] is slang for manipulative flattery and originates from a cheap, easy, and less-durable form of joining metal., Text: Pipe-smoking, filthy, dirty sot, / Black as the kettle or the pot! / Most noisy slave, most tink'ring brute, / My taste you surely ne'er will suit. / Ragged wretch! of base-born metal-- / Filthy maker of the kettle; / You can very plainly see-- / Can't come soft soder over me., Provenance: McAllister, John A. (John Allister), 1822-1896, collector.
A teamster is seated on his box and holds the reins and a whip. He is smoking a pipe. The valentine accuses him of being overly reckless., Text: As a teamster you’re putting yourself on such a high air, / You are a team in yourself, and a donkey to spare; / Like a show-man’s vain monkey you sit on the seat, / And run smash and bang ‘gainst all things on the street; / A team of blind horses could better go through / And come off more safe from a smash-up than you., Provenance: Helfand, William H..
A stablehand wears patched trousers and smokes a pipe. He carries a broom and is sweeping up after a horse. A pitchfork leans against the wall behind him., Text: Ugliest of the ostler crew, / Why do you make so much ado, / About the stable as you rush / Armed with curry-comb and brush? / The horses tremble with affright / When you approach them, day or night., Provenance: Helfand, William H..
A man sits in a chair. He wears fashionable clothing, smokes a pipe, and holds a drink., Text: You're a nice man to think of a wife, / With a phiz that we laugh at round town; / We girls know how you're spending your life, / With your drink and tobacco done brown., Provenance: McAllister, John A. (John Allister), 1822-1896, collector.
