Esther Howland is known as the “mother” of the valentine industry in America. While valentines existed before, she was the first entrepreneur to popularize them in this country. A Massachusetts native from a Mayflower family, she was inspired to make valentines after receiving a particularly beautiful one in 1847 from one of her father’s associates. At the time, most valentines were imported from England and Europe and were more expensive than the average American could afford. Convinced she could make even better cards herself, she convinced her father to invest in materials & started designing cards. She hired other women to assemble her designs, many of them working from home.

She merged her operations with a competitor Edward Taft to create the New England Valentine Company in 1870, but sold the company in 1881 to another competitor, George Whitney, to care for her father. 

This particular valentine is stamped N.E.V. Co. at the bottom of the back side, letting us know it dates to the 1870s. The card is in very good condition with no breakage to the lace paper or tears. Refer to photos for size.