In honor of Valentine’s Day, here is a vintage 1883 advertisement for Prang’s Valentine Cards which shows a woman holding a group of tethered cherubs, who float like a bunch of balloons above her head. The advertisement also shows that the sale of Valentine’s greetings has been of commercial importance for well over a century. Second only to the exchange of Christmas cards, Valentine’s Day is a busy one for the postman as well as for Cupid.
Prints & Photographs takes this opportunity to share the love with all the many angelic creatures both within and outside of the Library of Congress who share our love of pictures and help to expand our understanding and appreciation of these rich pictorial resources. Thank You and Happy Valentine’s Day!
Learn More:
Peruse historic Valentines in the Prints & Photographs Online Catalog.
Our recent post about our Flickr anniversary highlights how Flickr members have contributed to our understanding and appreciation of selected pictures in our holdings. Others have written to us directly with information and insights.
Comments (5)
Wow! Valentine Day advertisements go quite a way back!
Great card! Happy Valentine’s Day!
The Library of Congress has been doing a wonderful job on keeping these pictures prints, in order that the new generation might change to learn what has happened during the founding fathers, moreover, it helps the people to figure out the primary sources though they are pictures and enhance the researchers to get their job done properly.
Awesome pictures from Prang’s Valentine Cards. Happy valentines day.
Wow! Valentine Day advertisements go quite a way back! it helps the people to figure out the primary sources though they are pictures and enhance the researchers to get their job done properly.