"Vinegar Valentine": A Gentleman's Pipe Dream

Here's a "vinegar valentine" postcard from the early 1900s, featuring a bachelor's "pipe dream". This gently joshing card was sent between friends, and saved in an album for over 100 years before I found it. It's really a beautiful card.

"Vinegar Valentine": 'Tis a Lemon That I Hand You...

Here's a postcard from my collection of "vinegar valentines," sarcastic, sly, or downright cruel cards that people sent to friends (as jokes) or to their enemies (not as jokes). 

These were quite popular in the early 1900s.

This card dates to about 1906, and is one of my favorites. 

Antique Dollhouse Icebox

We just had a big snowstorm here, and the day before, everyone scurried around like squirrels, stocking up on groceries in case they got snowed in. Coincidentally, I had just received my latest miniatures purchase: this 5 inch tall dollhouse icebox made by Hubley in the 1920s-30s, complete with its original glass "ice block," so I loaded it up too. Now everyone is prepared, including my dollhouse residents, and we won't suffer any Donner Party type disasters.

 

Here's the provisions:

And here's a close-up of the glass ice block. 

Amazing that this has survived!

Mundane Object Valentines

These little 1920s cards are some of my very favorites, and comprise what I refer to as my "Mundane Objects" valentines. I've found these over a number of years from different sources, but they seem to make a set. Many of the messages inside are puns, and feature a lot of intriguing historical slang. 

The brick reads: "You're a Brick...I'm 'Building Up Great Hopes' That You Will Be My Valentine"; "the pie: "If I Only Had the Crust...I'd Ask You To Be My Valentine"; the cork: "Gee! But You're a Corker...That's Why I Want You For My Valentine"; the briefcase: "To Make It Brief...I Have an Awful 'Case' On You"; the glove: "Do You Glove Me?... Be My Valentine"; and the plum: "I'm Plum Crazy About You!...Will You Be My Valentine?".

Flip Book Valentine

One of the most unusual valentines in my collection is this comical flip book from the 1930s. By turning the pages, you can make different characters (each with a great '30s marcelled platinum 'do!). Below you can see the three primary characters; by flipping the head and body pages, you can make variations, like the head of the first girl on the body of the third.