The History of Valentine's Day Cards
Valentines greetings have a long history and go back as far as the 1200's when lovers would sing or say a Valentine to one another. The oldest known Valentine to exist was made in the 1400's and is in the British Museum:
The oldest known Valentine still exists today as a poem written by Charles Duke of Orleans to his wife while he was imprisoned in the Tower of London following his capture at the Battle of Agincourt. The greeting that was written in 1415 is part of the manuscript collection at the British Library in London. The Oldest known Valentines message in the English Language is also at the British Library, written in Norfolk more than 500 years ago, the love letter dates to 1477 and was from Margery Brews to her fiance John Paston.
In the early 1800's the first manufactured Valentines began to be introduced. The earliest were black and white pictures hand painted in England. By the 1850's many types of fancy Valentines were being produced with paper lace and ribbons.
Esther Howland, an American printer and artist was among the first to produce commercially made Valentines in 1850. These Valentines are quite rare and have a red H stamped on the back.
This is an example of an Esther Howland Valentine
Norcross was one of the first card companies to manufacture Valentines in the early 1920's through the 1960's. Norcross cards are quite common and can be easily found.
Here are some nice examples in our mall right now of Valentine's Day cards:
Most early Valentines were in postcard form such as the brilliant artist's palette and little boy brandishing a pistol. Something one wouldn't see today.
A 1920's dainty girl card. Most Valentines depicted children as it was mostly perceived as a children's holiday in the early 1900's.
This postcard looks to be from the early 1920's.
The oldest known Valentine still exists today as a poem written by Charles Duke of Orleans to his wife while he was imprisoned in the Tower of London following his capture at the Battle of Agincourt. The greeting that was written in 1415 is part of the manuscript collection at the British Library in London. The Oldest known Valentines message in the English Language is also at the British Library, written in Norfolk more than 500 years ago, the love letter dates to 1477 and was from Margery Brews to her fiance John Paston.
In the early 1800's the first manufactured Valentines began to be introduced. The earliest were black and white pictures hand painted in England. By the 1850's many types of fancy Valentines were being produced with paper lace and ribbons.
Esther Howland, an American printer and artist was among the first to produce commercially made Valentines in 1850. These Valentines are quite rare and have a red H stamped on the back.
This is an example of an Esther Howland Valentine
Norcross was one of the first card companies to manufacture Valentines in the early 1920's through the 1960's. Norcross cards are quite common and can be easily found.
Here are some nice examples in our mall right now of Valentine's Day cards:
Most early Valentines were in postcard form such as the brilliant artist's palette and little boy brandishing a pistol. Something one wouldn't see today.
A 1920's dainty girl card. Most Valentines depicted children as it was mostly perceived as a children's holiday in the early 1900's.
This postcard looks to be from the early 1920's.
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