Esther Howland (1828-1904) is an artist and businessman responsible for popularizing Valentine's Day greeting cards in America.
Early life
Esther Allen Howland, born in Worcester, Massachusetts, is the daughter of Southworth Allen Howland (1800-1882) and Esther Allen Howland (1801-1860). Sister Charles, Edward, and William Howland. His mother wrote cookbooks, the New England Household and Family Enrollment Book, published in 1844 (and for the next ten years) by his father S. A. Howland.
His father, Southworth Howland, operates S.A. Howland & amp; Children. the largest book and stationery store in Worcester, Massachusetts.
Howland graduated from Mount Holyoke College (then Mount Holyoke Women's Seminary) in 1847, just 10 years after its opening. Although Mount Holyoke does not celebrate Santa Valentine's Day, students often secretly exchange elaborate poems on paper.
Video Esther Howland
Careers
Shortly after graduating from Mount Holyoke College at the age of 19, Esther Howland received a valentine from his father's business partner. The valentine is adorned with elaborate delicate lace borders and cuts of decorated ornamental ornaments. In the center of the valentine there is a small pale green envelope containing notes with red borders and verses suitable for Valentine's Day. At this time the elaborate Valentine greeting cards are imported from Europe and are unaffordable to many Americans.
Determined that he can make a better valentine, he convinces his father to order his supplies from New York City and England. He made a dozen samples that his salesman's brother added to his inventory for the next sales trip for their father's business. Hoping to get a $ 200.00 order, he was heartened when he returned with a business worth over $ 5,000 for him. Howland employs friends and develops a thriving business in Worcester, Massachusetts using an assembly line. At Howlands Residence on Summer Street, a guest bedroom on the third floor was set up for Esther's newly established business. Esther is responsible for cutting the basic design for individual valentines while the assembly group is responsible for carefully copying each card. Esther also employs women who have to work from home by preparing boxes containing all the materials needed. A week later they will be picked up by the driver and turned to Esther for their checks. It is said according to Howland that his girls were paid "freely" and the work was "light and pleasant." He will also check every card produced by his assistant. The cards initially contained four short lines inserted in them like previous English letters. This set-up will eventually become the standard for the valentine market. Although Valentine's Day cards have been available in America for more than half a century before Esther started his business, he was the first person to ever commercialize it in America.
In 1850, his first ad appeared in Worcester Spy. Soon he finds himself in the position of an entrepreneur. He started importing materials from Germany. He also came up with the idea of ​​using silk and embossing lithograph ornaments. Successfully bringing competition. To distinguish her valentines, Esther started handing "H" on the back of her card in red ink along with the price and the letter 'N.E.V.Co.' who stood for his company name New England Valentine Company. While the simple card made by him sold for only five cents. Cards that include ribbons, artistic illustrations, hidden doors, gold-plated lace, and interior envelopes that can hold more secret messages, hair locks or even engagement rings, sell for up to a dollar to fifty dollars. which at that time was quite large. Esther also made Christmas cards, New Year cards, Birthday cards, Booklets, and May baskets. Esther suffered a knee injury in 1866 that forced her to be in a wheelchair. In 1870, Esther Howland incorporated her business as a New England Valentine Company, she continued to work from her home until 1879 when she later moved to the factory. During the same year he published a thirty-one-page Valentine's New Year Valentine's Day Book. The book is intended for customers who find a beautiful card but do not like the verses in it. With the book they can choose from a total of 131 verses all printed in red, green, blue, and gold ink and come in 3 different sizes. With their choice of verse, they can then paste it above the original paragraph on the card they have purchased. In 1879 Esther decided to combine his business with one of its competitors, Edward Taft.
Her Valentine became famous all over the United States and she was called "The Mother of the American Valentine." Since his cards were shipped all over the country, his business eventually earned over $ 100,000 a year, a sizeable amount for the time, and eventually he sold the business to George Whitney in 1880 to care for his ailing father. In 1904 Esther broke her femur and lay in bed for 8 months. He then died at his home at 9 Adams St. in Quincy.
He is also credited for the introduction of "lift" valentine. This valentine consists of several paper-lace motifs built on top of each other in layers. Esther Howland also created many valentine design innovations. He introduced lace coatings, the use of thin-colored paper, a three-dimensional accordion effect and a bouquet in which the flower would move to reveal the verse when stretched by a string. Many are still in use today.
Maps Esther Howland
See also
- Frances Brundage
- Ellen Clapsaddle
References
External links
Media related to Esther Howland on Wikimedia Commons
- Worcester History Museum Archived December 16, 2005 at Wayback Machine.
- American Heritage
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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