I thought this Sepia Saturday I'd just fill your Valentine's mailbox with lots of cards, all from my collection. Many of them have been posted in the past on this blog, but most of you probably have never seen them or are aware of this site. Some I purposely purchased, others came inside scrapbooks I'd purchased. Enjoy!
Published by Rust Craft.
Published by The Wishing Well (not affiliated with the company now using the name in the UK)
Published by Hallmark.
Here we have Clarabell the Cow, a Disney character; she too is a mechanical valentine. She moves her head from side-to-side. Let's just say her head is hanging on my a thread and is now in a permanent brace. That's what happens when you get old. Arthritis in the neck.
This is obviously the Scarecrow and Tin Man from the Wizard of Oz though there are no markings indicating it was an official item affiliated with the movie.
Animated card. Sorry, just don't have time to do an animated version, but the fellow moves his arm up and down. Fickle fellow with twins? Published by Carrington Co., Chicaco, Ill.
Seriously, what is this guys problem? What is he looking for? A true love or a housekeeper? Such a romantic. Kick him in the keister and send him on his way.
When you hold the card below up to a light certain areas allow the light to shine through. In this case the street lamp, stars, and windows shine.
Click on image to see it larger.
Click here to read a letter from a fella stuck in the Philippines in 1945 longing for the girl back home. You'll need to click on the pages to make them large enough to read.
Happy Valentine's Day and ephemera collecting!
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Great old Valentines! Some seem rather silly now, but who cares. Modern or old, they all say & mean the same thing: LOVE. :))
ReplyDeleteIndeed, except for the fella with the voyeur problem.
DeleteQuite a collection! Mother's, daughter's, friend's and my favorite, the dancing couple. Love is in the air.
ReplyDeleteIf you dig deep enough in vintage Valentine's cards you'll be stunned by some of what you find.
DeleteWhat fun cards -- love the cliches and sweet old expressions, and the jokes too. Many of these remind me of kids' cards like we gave our friends in elementary school.
ReplyDeleteValentine's Day at school always carried such angst. The night before was spent picking out which card to give which person. Only when teachers required that you give a card to every child in class did it seem fair. When you got to pick and choose who you gave to there were always a couple of kids who weren't well liked that received few or none. You know that left a little scar.
DeleteMy favorite is the mechanical cat. I collect cat Valentines in addition to postcard Valentines. I like your animations. Maybe I should try some--but I haven't tried to make any animated gifs for a long time and don't remember how. (Maybe I'm just too lazy)
ReplyDeleteThe cat is my favorite too. He is 9.5" tall and was purchased just after I'd lost my boy who I'd had for 18 years. The card cat looks so much like my boy.
DeleteI had a cat that looked like that too.
DeleteI enjoyed going through your assortment of vintage cards.
ReplyDeleteThank you.
DeleteAn enjoyable romp though the gallery of Valentines. Do people send them to children any more I wonder?
ReplyDeleteYou have an amazing collection of print memorabilia and your Valentine set is a great example. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteI like the first card - that era is so stylish.
This a terrific gallery of how romantic cliches have evolved over the years. I think the earlier ones before WW1 were printed in Germany and reflect European styles while those from the 50s and 60s seem to have a Japanese flavor. I wonder how this tradition translates in other countries.
ReplyDeleteAhhh, the innocence!
ReplyDeleteMarvelous collection. My favorites are the animated cards. All the illustrations are lovely.
ReplyDeleteSome, or most, are so very corny. I don't think parents give them to children here in Aus. How did you do the animations?
ReplyDeleteScan the image multiple times, then take the images into Photoshop and animate. Time consuming.
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