The Fort Dodge Messenger: Feb. 15, 1907

Town Topics

Said one valentine dealer: “The tendency this year was more marked than ever in favor of artistic valentines. The coarse penny valentine is losing ground, and on the other hand the very elaborate, high priced, satin trimmed valentine is not so popular as it was. The prices of the popular valentines today range from one cent (23 cents today) to 75 cents ($17.32). When a young man feels like spending more than that on the object of his affection he will usually send candy or flowers, not a valentine costing as much as $10 ($231) or $15 ($346), which will be looked at once and then put aside.

Valentine postcards are among the latest innovations in connection with the observance of St. Valentine’s Day. To the man whose sentiments have been mildly stirred by Cupid the valentine postcard is a blessing. Without going to the trouble of placing it in a separate wrapper he may mail it to the object of his affection by simply affixing a one cent cent (sic) stamp. Each card is inscribed with some expression supposed to emanate from the heart and ranging in length from a single word to several lines of verse.

Another new thing is the valentine toast. These valentines constitute a series of well known and popular toasts neatly printed on a large card in colrs and suitably illustrated in colors. Such cards are intended for framing, and each is accompanied by a separate smaller card bearing such an inscription as “Valentine greetings” or “To my valentine,” etc.

The ragtime valentine is one of the new comers which is taking the place of the cheap comic. There is nothing vulgar in its laughable makeup. In this valentine grotesque figures are cut out and pasted on a heavy card. Each of the figures is neatly colored and made up with real cloth ties, cloth coats and cloth dresses. A feature of the ragtime valentine which commends it to purchasers is that it comes in a mailing case.

Other new comics include valentine jumping jacks, which are popular with the children. By pulling a strong these grotesque figures are made to go through all sorts of antics. There is a new series of valentines, styled “tender reflections,” in which a little mirror is fastened into the card. There is a series styled “on love’s highway,” in which love is depicted in every kind of vehicle, from a horsecar up to a 40-horsepower automobile.

Tags: 1907