I found this in Gloucester, one town over from Essex, MA where it originated a good hundred years ago at least. And a quick search turns up numerous generations of John H. Wilkins's from in and around Essex county, so surely the John who "composed" this had plenty of friends from Essex. Whether created immediately in advance of this particular lovely friend's wedding as a wedding gift, or in the days of just imagining it, I don't know for sure--though certainly no short amount of time would have been required to complete such painstakingly lettered verses as these! And certainly a singular charmer of a wedding gift now.
8 1/2" x 7 1/16". Graphite and crayon mounted to thin gray cardboard. Good condition, graphite lettering strong and clear. (Detail photos give better sense.) A couple of tears to lower right corner and small stain there; I have used clear archival tape underneath that corner to stabilize.
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