Top 10 Museum Collection Valentines

Written By National EMP Network

Written and Compiled by Susie Whalen, NEMPN Committee Member

With Valentine’s Day having just passed, we are taking a second to highlight 10 Valentines in museum collections! There are years and years of Valentine’s-related objects stored in history and art museums all across the country. I picked out 10 of my favorites from a couple different museums to share with you all! The criteria for this selection is: 

1. Cool backstory 

2. Over 100 years old 

3. Creative 

Though today we send $5 drugstore cards (seriously, when did cards get so expensive?) and post Instagram stories for our significant others, you would not BELIEVE the lengths people went to express their feelings to friends and lovers. While this article barely scratches the surface of museum valentines, here are the 10 coolest valentines I found from a handful of museum collections in the United States. And if you’re someone who loves a craft, maybe this can give you some inspiration for next year’s handmade cards.


Valentine sent in 10c Washington cover, c. 1848-1851

A very fun fact unrelated to Valentine’s Day is that the first postage stamps were issued in 1847! This valentine, housed in the National Postal Museum collection, was mailed on February 8th of an unknown year. The collection also contains the card’s envelope, along with a 10 cent stamp of George Washington. The card only traveled a short distance, from Potsdam, NY to West Potsdam, so the 10 cent stamp cost was associated with the weight of the envelope. Can we take a second and admire the detail on the envelope?

To my Valentine, c. 1905-1915

This valentine, housed in the National Museum of American History, was given by David E. Ream to Marion A. Hartman early in their lives together. They were married in 1915. The curator of the museum dates the card to about 10 years prior. The Valentine was displayed in their Pennsylvania home every February, a tradition continued by their granddaughter Pat Compher who donated the card to the museum in 2013.

Metallic Double Cobweb Valentine, c. 1845

Cobweb Valentines! Cobweb valentines are 3-D paper valentines with a mechanical element. They are very intricate and likely were pretty expensive at the time that they were popular. The valentines look pretty simple at first glance, simply consisting of a textured center. However, when you pull the string, the cobweb lifts and you can see a picture in the center circle! The valentine in this specific example is a double cobweb, meaning there are two separate pictures within one web or cage. These valentines are especially rare, and as you can imagine, do not preserve well with the excessive pulling of pieces required to really view the picture inside. They were popular during the Victorian Era, peaking from the 1830s-1850s. This specific example comes from the MET. Here is an article published by the MET, all about cobweb valentines! https://www.metmuseum.org/perspectives/valentines-day-romance-of-cobwebs

Valentine: Puzzle Purse, c. 1826

Puzzle purse valentines! This is another unique trend in valentine history. These valentines were folded in a very specific way so that each message was read in order. This specific valentine, held by the MET, dates back to 1826 and features watercolor images and gold paint. My favorite part of any historic valentine, and probably the most invasive, is reading the handwritten messages!

Valentine with lace paper and faux pearls, c. 1855

Though you can’t see it from just this image, this valentine actually has a lot of flaps and openings revealing even more detail and imagery underneath the card’s cover. While not specifically a puzzle purse valentine, this valentine has a few pages or layers to it. This valentine, housed at the MET, was given to Elizabeth Rowe Bogert from J. Augustus Bogert, likely around 1855. It is thought to have been made by Esther Howland, an artist who is arguably most famous for her work on Valentines and is sometimes referred to as “the mother of the American valentine.” What a title.

Valentine Card, c. 1800-1840

This valentine, held in the National Museum of American History’s collection, belonged to a member of the Copp family of Stonington, CT in the 18th century. This valentine is another example of my most favorite thing- old messages that were not written for me to read!

Eero Saarinen letter to Aline B. (Aline Bernstein) Saarinen, c. 1954

This valentine, held in the Smithsonian collection, was made by Eero Saarinen on Eero Saarinen and Associates letterhead and written in red crayon. Eero Saarinen was a Finnish-American architect and industrial designer. Aline was his second wife and they were married for 7 years.

“Valentine Greetings to Mary MacDonald” Watercolor Drawing, c. 1944

Now for some funny ones! This valentine, held in the National Postal Museum’s collection, was made by Jack Fogarty in 1944. Jack himself is pictured in the center. Mary Macdonald is the wife of John Macdonald, who is pictured as the man standing behind Jack. HILARIOUS! Jack Fogarty served with the U.S. Army’s Evacuation Hospital during WWII, where he met John while working in the hospital’s administrative office. Jack and John both wrote regularly to Mary, and Jack filled his correspondence with drawings and watercolors like the one pictured here.

Valentine, c. 1920

Of course we have to include some anti-valentines. This valentine is housed by The Strong National Museum of Play. These sarcastic types of valentines are known as “penny dreadfuls” or “vinegar valentines”. This trend lasted from about the 1840s, into the twentieth century, where insulting cards were just as common as romantic ones. And no one was safe. There is a vinegar valentine out there for almost every circumstance. These cards made fun of a person’s looks, all different professions, personality types, marital status, the list goes on! Vinegar valentines made up about half the valentine market and were cheaper than your typical romantic valentine. Valentine’s Day used to also be a holiday for haters!

Valentine, c. 1874-1945

This one is evil. This penny valentine comes from the Alice Marshall collection, held at Penn State University Libraries. The collection contains 170 of these penny dreadful valentines, along with ten valentines from WWII, and 5 suffrage valentines. These penny dreadfuls are so mean I would honestly be living in fear. What a beautiful holiday for expressing ALL your feelings!

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