Oldies but Goodies......

I have a stach of my mom's old Valentines that she had saved for years.  The oldest date of them is around the early 1930's when she was in high school. There are also ones from country school children given to my mom around 1938. I am assuming that 80 years plus makes them their average age.

The have a fancy colorful front but the inside of the card has another great illustration and verse.

Some of them are more humorous using the dog in a basket to be cute. I think this card had a base on it originally so that it could stand up to be appreciated.

The sailor boy has his eyes on his valentine and I do notice she is looking back at him too.

Some of them were more of a proposition which could have set up a serious relationship. The single color print of the verse and cupid made the process go faster rather than a multicolored design on the inside.

I have had a curiosity if the cards actually did lead to a courtship and marriage.  I know as a kid they were just a tradition but a little earlier in history the verses could have been more intentional and direct.

I have a lot of these and I guess I will just share the ones that I have.  I might show one that may interest some more than others.

Another sailor boy makes me think that I may not have the valentines dated old enough.  I just don't have anyone around to question to find out the date of the people who wrote in them.

A little pigeon toed here as a student probably shared a card with his teacher.

As I write this I do have a memory of one of the valentines being older than 1930's.  My mom's oldest brother was sent to  live with an uncle during his teen years for a couple of reasons.  He was suppose to help with farming.  The second reason was that he was ill-tempered and his parents, my grandmother and grandfather, couldn't make him behave.  One valentine that was in the pile was one from Uncle Lee's kids and my mom's brother.  That would date that one card in the 1920's.

The googly-eyed girl here reminds me of the old movie stars and their big eyes. It is manufactured from a company completely different than all the other ones that are in the pile. It has a glossy ink on it.

Hallmark now controls most of the market with their very beautiful Valentine cards.  Some are very serious and some are funny to read also.  It is sometimes hard to find the just right card as the people of Hallmark write all that they think we might like to share with our loved ones.

Check out all the others who are participating with SEPIA SATURDAY today by clicking here. I have joined many others who will be sharing their thoughts on this Valentine's Day.