Vintage valentine cards, charming and collectible
MercuryNews.com | 02/10/2007
By Steven Wayne Yvaska
“Valentines dating back to the late Victorian and Edwardian eras (1895-1910) typically feature hearts and flowers, doves and Cupids. But those depicting innocent, immaculately groomed, wide-eyed children long ago stole my heart.
…Companies such as Louis Prang, McLoughlin Brothers and Esther A. Howland were among those supplying the nation with valentines, but many more were imported from Europe, where the art of printing had been perfected. British and German firms, most notably Raphael Tuck and Sons, produced scads of cards for the American market.”
The story also mentions that Richard Felton Outcault occasionally created cards for Tuck and sons. Outcault is known as the creator of “Yellow Kid”. In 1902 he created the famed character “Buster Brown” along with his dog Tige. Those characters sometimes showed up in the cards, some of which now can go for up to $100.
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