Valentine by Esther Allen Howland, "Forever Yours," circa 1855
Add to SetSummary
Esther Howland--the daughter of a stationery store owner--received an ornate English valentine from her father's business associate. She became intrigued. Using family connections to gather materials like lace and colored paper, 20-year-old Esther made her own hand-crafted valentines in 1848. The enterprising Esther was soon employing her friends in an assembly line method to satisfy customer demand. Her New England Valentine Company became a great success!
Esther Howland--the daughter of a stationery store owner--received an ornate English valentine from her father's business associate. She became intrigued. Using family connections to gather materials like lace and colored paper, 20-year-old Esther made her own hand-crafted valentines in 1848. The enterprising Esther was soon employing her friends in an assembly line method to satisfy customer demand. Her New England Valentine Company became a great success!
Artifact
Valentine
Date Made
circa 1855
Collection Title
On Exhibit
By Request in the Benson Ford Research Center
Object ID
54.4.48.1
Credit
From the Collections of The Henry Ford.
Material
Paper (Fiber product)
Foil (Metal)
Net (Textile)
Scraps (Decorations)
Tissue paper
Technique
Embossing (Technique)
Color
Multicolored
Dimensions
Height: 6.875 in
Width: 4.5 in
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