Three antique Valentine's Day postcards, each actually mailed between 1908 and 1911. Real handwriting. Real postmarks. One premium thick card with a stunning embossed Cupid. Together they tell a small, sweet story about how love was sent through the mail over a century ago.
Quick Specs
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Genre/Category: Holiday ephemera — Valentine's Day postcards
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Quantity: Lot of 3
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Dates: 1908, 1911, circa 1910–1915
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Publisher noted: Whitney Made (Worcester, MA); Valentine Series No. 1
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Condition: Good to Very Good (see individual card notes in Etsy listing)
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Size: Approx. 5.5 × 3.5 inches each (standard divided-back postcard format)
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Material: Printed cardstock; Card 1 is premium multi-ply construction
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Storage: All cards are stored in a climate-controlled environment and kept in individual protective sleeves until shipment.
Condition Fair: Heavy wear; collectible for content, not condition
Card 1 (Cupid/Red Heart): Grade: Very Good — Colors vivid and bright. Gold border edges show minor age-related wear at corners. Back has legible handwriting, postmark, and 1-cent stamp. Some light toning on back consistent with age. Front presents beautifully.
Card 2 (Cupid Reading Letter): Grade: Good+ — Embossing well-preserved. Some edge and corner wear visible. Back has clear handwriting, Feb. 14, 1908 postmark, 1-cent stamp. Light soiling on back typical of mailed cards.
Card 3 (Children on Bench/Whitney): Grade: Good — Red border shows some wear and minor edge damage at corners (visible in photos). Back has handwritten message, partial postmark, 2-cent stamp. Surface wear consistent with age.
See all photos for detail — sold as pictured.
About These Cards
The three cards in this lot each carry their own history.
The Cupid with the red heart (Card 1) is a 'Valentine Series No. 1' postcard sent by a college student named Clara to her schoolmate Miss Laura Holz in Rochester, Indiana, in 1911. It's the star of the lot — premium thick construction, gold-bordered edges, deeply embossed, and richly colored.
Card 2 is a soft lavender embossed Cupid mailed on Valentine's Day 1908 from Buckley, Illinois — also addressed to Miss Laura Holz, suggesting she was quite popular at Valentine's time.
Card 3 is a witty Whitney-made card depicting two children on a park bench with the caption 'Only Suppose If He Should Propose,' sent to Miss Frieda Geske in Howard Lake, Minnesota.
Shipping + Trust (Reading Vintage standards)
- Photo-verified condition (no surprises)
- Packed with our protective packaging standard
- Ships in 1 business day
- Free Shipping on $35+ (U.S. only)
Disclaimer
All items are vintage and may show signs of age, wear, or use consistent with their history. Photos show the exact condition of each piece—please review them carefully, as they are part of the description.
Care and Handling:
Handle with clean, dry hands. Store upright, out of direct sunlight, at about 68°F and 40–50% relative humidity. Avoid damp areas and extreme temperature swings. Please note: If you have any questions
