The John A. McAllister Collection: Printed Ephemera
Comic Valentines
Comic valentines, very popular in the United States beginning in the early 1840s, are quite different from the lacy, heart-shaped cards that one associates with the holiday today. The cartoons and verses poke fun at various occupations (lawyers, doctors, preachers, butchers, etc.), ethnicities (Black, Irish, German, etc.), human frailties (fat, thin, ugly, nosy, two-faced, etc.), romantic aspirations, habits and pastimes, political activities, and participation in the American Civil War. All of the valentines have been digitally reproduced and are available through ImPAC. The collections can be searched by clicking the checkbox next to the collection on ImPAC’s search forms. To browse the collection, click the plus signs next to the collection until there are no more, then click the first “I” icon. Click “next” to continue.