Selling Valentines

In my last post about the Geyer’s publication, I had indicated that I might revisit the title because I knew I had found interesting items related to Valentine’s Day cards. Since Geyer’s was the source that many stationers looked to learn who was selling what, I found a few articles that provided a small window into the turn of the century Valentine’s Day trade.

An article in the November 20, 1902 issue was particularly interesting because it looked specifically at the case of George S. Carrington, a stationer in Chicago who had been in business for 19 years. He bought a lot of valentines. He bought so many that the word “carloads” was used as an indication of size. Given that this was an imprecise measure, they provided a bit of clarification:

“Mr. Carrington buys in car lots, this year it will require seven carloads or about 80 tons of valentines to fill his order. He keeps one of the largest factories in the East working night and day for weeks getting out goods enough to supply him. The number of valentines that Mr. Carrington already has orders for, and it is still early in the season, runs into millions, or to be exact, 3,134,500 valentines. Of this number 145,000 are drops, 868,5009 cards and booklets, 114,000 mounts, 120,000 valentines in envelopes, 573,000 lace.” (p38)

One brand that was featured several times in Geyer’s issues was Raphael Tuck & Sons. A front-page piece, in the December 25, 1902 issue, about the Tuck line of valentines, indicated some pricing information, likely what the stationer paid. Large ornate souvenir variety valentines ranged in price from $4.50 to $6, while more regular valentines cost about 25 cents to $2.50, depending on size. Tuck brand cards were also featured in the November 20 issue, where they made sure to highlight the humorous valentines. The humorous valentines from the Tuck line were featured again in the January 4, 1904 issue, and I can honestly say, I wouldn’t have minded getting one of those cute formally attired animal cards (see image).

The front-page piece in the January 4, 1900 issue showcased valentines from the George C. Whitney Co. The author thought they were dainty, with a “beauty that is all their own.” If the name Whitney is familiar to Valentine’s card enthusiasts, it is because Whitney was one of the largest manufacturers of Valentine’s cards and ultimately purchased the businesses of L. Prang & Co. and Esther Howland, two other business known for their Valentine’s Day creations.

Tastes change and what people want from their Valentine’s card has changed, but cards are still popular items for Valentine’s Day.

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