The story behind sending valentines on February 14
January 16th, 2011 - 1:37 pm ICT by ANIWashington, Jan 16 (ANI): Did you know the American tradition of sending valentines originated with a young graduate of Mount Holyoke College?
Esther Howland (1828-1904) who graduated from what was then the Mount Holyoke Female Seminary in 1847 was inspired by an ornate English valentine sent to her by a family friend to create her own elaborate renditions of the greeting card.
Each year, the Mount Holyoke Archives and Special Collections displays its collection of valentines in honour of the Worcester, Ma., native.
According to the American Antiquarian Society, Howland was fascinated with the idea of making similar valentines, and she arranged with her father - who owned the largest book and stationery store in Worcester - to have paper lace, floral decorations, and other materials sent to her from England.
Increasing demand made her ask her friends for help.
She began to advertise in a Worcester paper in early 1850, and she eventually turned the assembly line operation that began in her home into a thriving business grossing USD100,000 annually.
The annual Mount Holyoke exhibit contains a selection of original valentines made by Howland’s New England Valentine Co., as well as some by George C. Whitney, to whom she sold her business.
The exhibit also features valentines given to the College in the personal papers of former faculty members Mildred Allen and Ruth Lawson.
The cards display the stylistic shifts within the valentine industry as it endured paper shortages, postcard crazes, and a growing nostalgia for the Victorian-style cards that characterized the golden age of valentine production in both Western Europe and the United States
- Will you be my Valentine? - Feb 09, 2010
- MTV announces MTV TJ 'Twitter Jockey' following nationwide vote - Aug 10, 2010
- Kate Winslet stars in 'Mildre Pierce' remake - Mar 28, 2011
- Despite diktats, Srinagar youths keep tryst with St Valentine (With Images) - Feb 14, 2012
- Is Mildred Patricia Baena Arnold Schwarzenegger's mistress? - May 18, 2011
- Send out personalised paper cards this New Year - Dec 25, 2011
- 19th century Valentine's day letters, cards discovered - Feb 12, 2010
- When a footman got a Valentine's card from Diana - Feb 14, 2012
- Lara Dutta Invites Both Salman And Shah Rukh Khan On Her Wedding! - Jan 12, 2011
- Mumbai sees peaceful V-Day - Feb 14, 2012
- Mumbai youth enjoy Valentine's Day as MNS, Sena lie low - Feb 14, 2011
- Crafting a new life out of waste paper - Apr 05, 2011
- Free E-Cards For Recession Struck Valentines - Feb 14, 2010
- Kate Winslet struggled with 'tough' break-up scenes in 'Mildred Pierce' - Mar 29, 2011
- Ann Curry Apologizes For Mistakes At Wheaton College (FULL TEXT) - May 26, 2010
Tags: american antiquarian society, american tradition, assembly line, c whitney, crazes, esther howland, family friend, floral decorations, graduate of mount holyoke, holyoke female seminary, mount holyoke college, paper lace, personal papers, renditions, special collections, stationery store, style cards, thriving business, valentines, victorian style