Valentine Card, Vintage 1920s, Boy with Puppy & Girl with Daisy, George C. Whitney, Ephemera

Two small scenes, one heart-shaped card — a boy and his puppy on one side, a girl playing “He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not” on the other.

• Maker: George C. Whitney Co. (unmarked, attributed)
• Materials: Paper, die-cut
• Dimensions: 5 × 4 inches
• Origin: Massachusetts, USA
• Era: Vintage 1920s
• Condition: Very good vintage condition — pencil writing present; no envelope; otherwise no issues. Please review photos closely before purchasing, as all sales are final.

This card is unmarked, but the artwork is unmistakably the work of the George C. Whitney Company, one of the largest and most prolific valentine makers in America. The die-cut swirl border was a hallmark of Whitney's designs, and this piece shows it off beautifully — red hearts trace the edge, and the inside opens to an illustration of a boy and girl seated together, holding a heart between them.

A charming find for arts and crafts, a Valentine's display, or a collector of early American ephemera.

George C. Whitney began making valentines in Worcester, Massachusetts, in the 1860s and went on to buy out numerous smaller valentine makers, including Esther Howland's New England Valentine Company in 1881. By the late 1880s, the George C. Whitney Company had grown into one of the largest valentine publishers in the country, with offices in New York, Boston, and Chicago, and by 1915 Worcester was producing an estimated 90 percent of all valentines exchanged in the U.S. The company operated until 1942, and its cards — often stamped “Whitney Made” on the back — remain a favorite among collectors of antique American valentines today.

Pairs nicely with our other vintage Whitney valentines for a small paired display. Browse our shop for more vintage Valentine's Day ephemera to round out your collection.