COMPLIMENTARY COPY
Published Weekly By Joel Sater Publications www.antiquesandauctionnews.net
VOL. 43, NO. 5 FRIDAY FEBRUARY 10, 2012
Baby Boomer Valentines Flat, accented valentine with silver sparkles, maker unknown, circa 1960s, $6.
By Katherine Kreider ost of us believe Boomers were born during 1950s through 1960s; reality is, the boomer generation started in 1946 through 1960s. Armed with knowledge that boomers make up 28 percent of our population and are between ages of 50 to 60 years old, it was inevitable that “Boomer” valentines would be the next hot collectible. Each generation wants to recreate its own memories. Well, boomers are not any different. This time frame has a plethora of categories to choose from. Remember, Yogi Bear, Antenna TV, vinyl records and the dance craze known as The Twist? All of these and more can be found in the imagery of school-given valentine cards. Most ephemeral of all boomer valentine collectibles would be the handmade valentine boxes and bags lovingly decorated to receive those grade school valentines. They were one of the
deleted with a flick of your finger. Even though millions of valentines were produced, keep in mind that many cards ended up being thrown away, therefore reducing the numbers available to be preserved in archives. One question I’m often asked goes like this, “If I recycle these old cards, what do I do about a signature on the back of the card?” It’s recommended that you do not erase the first giver’s signature. Just add your signature to back of the card, along with the current date, to turn your recycled valentine into a keepsake. In fact, it’s good to keep in mind that all holiday greeting cards can be recycled helping with the carbon footprint of the planet at the same time! According to Hallmark, Valentine’s Day is second only to Christmas in recognition of celebrating a holi-
now a grown up. For the grown up looking through each and every card, all sorts of memories come flooding back first school crush, figuring out school mates names in numerical code. Or, how about the echoes of school teachers’ voices giving instructions like this, “Make sure you give each and every one of your classmates a valentine card!”. These tangi- Flat, by ble pieces of paper day, have become a great Hallmark, $ 1 0 . w ith way to share with 1 4 4 your children and grandchildren million the day you received your first cards (not valentine including c a r d . This is classroom valentines) sent in 2011. q u i t e During boomer years greeting card manufacturers implemented varia ous changes to their card lines, such as accenting cards with silver sparkles and red flocking, creating boxed cards for school room giving, and one of the best marketed tools, adding personalization to individual cards - for all members of the family. Buyers could now be definitive when purchasing that special card for someone they loved. Classroom valentine card styles varied. Flats and foldedflats were primarily used for classroom cards. During this time frame, most of the manufacturers offered fancier and more expensive styles as well. Dimensional and novelty were Flintstones, flat, by H.B. Productions, $8. some favorites among customers. From speaking to school teachfirst things our parents threw out, different view from the e-cards and fortunately a lot of parents held holiday flash mobs current genera- ers over the years, I’ve learned that on to valentine cards, stored them tions are accustomed to. Unless the ritual of classroom swapping of away in the attic, in a drawer, or those moments are captured on valentine cards is basically gone, other out of way place to be photo film (oops, gone as well) mostly due to economics. Unless found years later by the child, these digital memories can be there are teachers with a particular
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fondness for St. Valentine’s Day that will be willing to bring awareness of the origins of this day to students, it seems that
Flat, by Carrington Company, $4. Valentine’s Day will be gone from classrooms forever. Now that we’ve established the fact that boomer valentines are sought after, the next thing to be addressed is the where to find them. That part does not seem to be a problem. Sauntering through flea markets, antique shows, paper shows, or co-ops, you can usually find a small basket of them. They generally sell from fifty cents to several dollars per card. Taking into account that these cards are already 50 to 60 years old, this is quite a value in my opinion. Before online shopping appeared on the scene the avid collector put many miles on their feet when acquiring a serious collection. Today, new collectors
question when purchasing cards online. As you advance in collecting, this factor becomes more important because paper is so fragile. Any crease, pinhole, etc. can detract from the card and lower its value. The more intricate card requires close examination before purchase, making in - person shopping a valuable process when choosing a card to add to your private collection. Values rise on many cards based on the category and rarity alone. No matter what time frame collected, proper preservation of cards that you cherish is important. Common sense goes a long way in taking care of your treasure trove of cards. Keeping them out of direct sun light and storing them in acid free boxes in a temperature-controlled room helps in the preservation of all paper collectibles. On the East Coast beware of silverfish, the little creatures that love to devour paper. Another method for preserving cards is to frame them. As long as archival materials are used, these cards will live on for many generations. If, per chance, you really get bitten by the love bug, or want to become a serious collector of antique valentine cards, there are many opportunities to advance your collection by adding valentines from decades past. Your knowledge will grow the more you delve into each card. From graphic designs, manufacturer trademarks, paper stock, and artists signatures, you’ll find that the actual card will no longer appear to be just a little valentine. It will turn into an artifact. In conclusion, it’s not too late to start a “Boomer” collection of your choice. For a small investment you can create a memorable teaching moment, or recreate moments from the past that made you happy. Most collectors say their collections bring them enormous happiness on a personal level, and if someone else gains knowledge or interest in collecting from sharing in their collections, these are added bonuses. Who knows? Upon achieving a serious collection, you might become the next Ephemera dealer. Good Luck and Happy Valentine’s Day! (All photos copyrighted and from Kreider Collection)
can have a n instant collect i o n shopp i n g these online sources. (More Photos On Page 4) However, Folded-flat “Cokes” valentine card designed by the touch factor is out of the A-Meri-Card, $10.