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Victorian Valentines
Giving valentines to those dear
to us has been a practice for centuries, but it was the Victorians who turned
simple sentiments into lavish love notes.
Historians say the practice of sending attractive artwork valentines was popular
first in England during the early 1700s and had become established in America by
the 1740s. A valentine composed of a series of hand-drawn puzzle images attached
to a single sheet of paper, about six by eight inches in size, was signed T.
Bailey and made around 1788.
By the 1790s pictorial writing paper was available to embellish home-made
valentines, and frequently symbols of flowers, birds, or hearts were added as
decorations as well. Plus, of course, a tender message or verse.
At the dawn of the 19th century the movement for valentine messages was toward
even finer decorations. Scissors and pin pricks imitated delicate lace, and even
crewelwork and embroidery were added by the ambitious admirer.
The Dobbs Company of England was providing fancy paper for such devoted uses as
early as 1803. Eventually, the company evolved into the commercial manufacture
of valentines under such names as H. Dobbs and Company, Dobbs, Baily and
Company, and later Dobbs, Kidd and Company.
Dobbs' valentines put heavy emphasis on flowers and cupids along with pressed
silk and satin backings. Most were further enhanced with skillful hand painting.
By the late 1830s firms in London were able to simulate lace from paper with
hand-operated presses and the layered lace look became available to the masses.
During the Victorian era, both men and women devoted hours of handiwork to
preparing Valentine's Day messages of love. Images were hand-drawn or painted in
water colors, carefully cut out and pasted together, often with bits of thread,
lace, and silk. Besides lace and glimmering paper ingenious Victorians were
known to add ribbons, beads, tinsel, moss, pressed flowers, dried seaweed and
assorted combinations of trims to their tokens of love.
Clearly it was an era when the most popular token of love was the valentine.
According to Robert Etter, the author of the book Tokens of Love , those fragile
concoctions surrounded by clouds of lace could make each postal delivery a
crisis. Envelopes in some cases could be almost as elaborate as the Valentines.
In 1848, T. W. Strong of New York City published the following newspaper
advertisement:
"Valentines! Valentines! All varieties of Valentines, imported and
domestic, humorous, witty, comic....in the most superb manner, without regard to
expense. Also envelopes and Valentine Writers, and everything connected with
Valentines, to suit all customers, prices varying from six cents to ten dollars;
for sale wholesale and retail."
By the 1890s the full introduction of the color-printing process known as
chromolithography had turned the entire printing industry around. Now valentines
and other greeting cards could be printed in brilliant and detailed color at a
relatively low cost. The era of fancy valentines was in full bloom.
New twists were added yearly. Valentines featuring paper honeycombs which could
be unfolded or pulled out became especially popular.
By the turn of the century, commercial Valentines were big business and were
sold in nearly ever major store in America. Die-cut and embossed, these
mass-produced love letters offered store-bought messages of love.
Recommended Reading
Romantic Valentines , A Price Guide by Dan and Pauline Campanelli (L-W Book
Sales).
Valentines With Values by Katherine Kreider (Schiffer Publishing).
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