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Esther Howland
(1828-1904)
Mother of the American Valentine
Esther Howland (1828-1904) | It is astounding that this one woman
could have had such a long-lasting impact upon the millions of
Valentines sent yearly in this nation. This is the story of one imaginative, whose flair, thoughts, devotion,
and determination created the modern Valentines day card industry, and whom the
Greeting Card Association has
honored with the creation of the annual Esther Howland Award. Esther Howland is credited with several innovations in valentine design. One was the small brightly colored wafer of paper placed to give contrast under the white paper lace; another was the built-up shadow box that became popular in the latter part of her career. Although the origins of the greeting card are obscure, it is well documented that in the 6th Century B.C. the Egyptians included written messages with their New Year's gifts. The great popularity of greeting cards, however, began in 19th Century England and America, with cheap, efficient colour printing methods and low postage rates. |
The Howland Family operated the largest book and stationery store in Worcester, Massachusetts. As a susceptible young student at The Mount Holyoke Female Seminary, Class of 1847, and a contemporary of the poet Emily Dickinson, Esther had been exposed to the annual Valentine celebrations. After graduating at the age of nineteen, she received an intricate English Valentine from one of her fathers' business acquaintances, and was sure that she was capable of making similar or even better ones. She persuaded her father to order lace paper and other supplies from England and New York City and, with determination, made a dozen samples, which her brother added to his catalog for his next sales trip. Hoping for as much as $200 in orders, they were shocked when her brother returned with more than $5,000 in advance sales, more than she could make herself. Faced with the huge order, she asked her three best friends to help her. A Valentine assembly line was born at the Howland home. Esther placed her first ad in the local paper, The Daily Spy on February 5, 1850. Business grew rapidly and in 1879, The New England Valentine Company was born. She rented a building and moved the business. She published 31 pages of verse in a small book called The New England Valentine Co.'s Verse Book for 1879, and this book allowed the customer to choose the verse for the card. |
Fancy Valentines were made with real lace and ribbons, with paper lace introduced in the mid 1800's by Esther Howland. |
Designing and creating these unforgettable cards required creativity and inspiration,
as well as a bit of luck. The finished products suggested fantasy and romance, and set trends for more
than thirty years. While other companies competed for sales to the public, none could compete with the
value, taste, and style of Esther Howland. While she was not the first to create Valentines in America,
she is credited with having popularized the lace Valentine, and turning it into a major industry. The honor,
"The Mother of the American Valentine" first appeared in a newspaper article shortly after her death. Valentine's
Day has become an integral aspect of our culture.
The business flourished despite her semi-retirement in 1866, a recurring knee injury forced her to function from a wheelchair for the next fifteen years. She sold her business to George Whitney, in 1881 to care for her father. George Whitney patterned many of their cards in the Howland Style. She died in Quincy, Massachusetts in 1904 - never having married, but certainly having vicariously lived a magical love story. An Esther Howland original valentine is identified by the mark on the back of the card, either an early Howland sticker with a red H or a printed red H. The embossed "NEV CO" is on the later cards. |
Valentines Links
- Origins of the Valentine - American Antiquarian Society origins of making Valentine's Day cards.
- Esther Howland ~ Valentine's Day Card History ~ History of the Valentine Card ~ The Valentine Gallery Page One - Emotions Greeting Cards Museum
- Esther Howland - Mother of the American Valentine A Victorian Treasury
- The History Channel - Every February, across the country, candy, flowers, and gifts are exchanged between loved ones, all in the name of St. Valentine. But who is this mysterious saint and why do we celebrate this holiday?
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