Vigo County Historical Society

Historical Treasure Article

Historic Treasure of the Week - February 13, 1983

By Dorothy Jerse

Vigo County Historical Society

Valentines provide peek into the past

Among the treasures in the Vigo county Historical Society's postcard collection are these two valentine greetings. Each reflects the decade in which it was mailed and provides a glimpse into the past.

The one depicting an office romance shows the type of clothing and typewriter in use at the time it was mailed in 1912. The verse reads:

TO MY VALENTINE

If lovers work together, dear,
Their work becomes as play;
If spent with me, your life will be
One happy holiday.

It was published by Raphael Tuck & Sons, the well-known English firm, but it was processed in Saxony.

The second card, mailed in 1924, is evidence of the beginning of radio with headset and all. The greeting reads:

St. Valentine's Greeting

Through the Radio
Dearest, if I did not know,
The reason why I love you so.

The printing of these divided back postcards (one side for address; the other for the message) was first permitted in 1907. This event marked the beginning of the popularity in the exchange of postcards. The postcard was the television of the early 20th century. It recorded wars, political events, personalities, fashions, new inventions and holidays.

Millions of good quality cards were published between 1907 and 1916, the majority in Germany. High tariffs and the beginning of World War I stopped the German imports. From this timeuntil the 1930s, most cards were produced in the United States and their quality was inferior to their German predecessors. The beautiful photochrome cards were not published until the late 1930s.

The Historical Museum of the Wabash Valley is closed, but will open March 1.