Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1867-02-14
2,HI valentines at.

Here we have an aggregate of over
! two and half million valentines rang
! inc in price from three cents to one hun
| dred dollars, and the total of which, as
sold at retail, Is more than three hum
dred thousand. This, too, be it remem-
| bered is the production Of single firm.
| The firm in question undoubtedly does q
heavier business in this line than any
other in the city, but if We suppose all
other manufacturers located here make
only as many more we have a total of
five millions made here each year, and
adding to this say two and half mill
lions made in other cities, which is as
suredly q low estimate, we have no less
than seven and a half millions valen-
tines, for which love-lorn men and
maidens have expended, or are likely 10
expend, nearly 81 ,0O0. 900 this year. II
the population of the United States
numbers no more than thirty millions, it
is plain that there have been valentines
enough made TO allow every fourth man,
woman and child to send one of these
miss ives.
As regards the style in which valen-
tines are manufactured nowadays, very
little need be said. Those of the lower
grades-the ''comics, - as they are known
In the trade land-are just as coarse in sem
timent and design as they ever were and
a very good reason for this is the fact that
many of the same verses do duty now
which have been used for the last eight,
ten or twelve years. The same exag
gerated designs which found favor ten or
twelve years age, are popular now.
Nearly two hundred varieties of "cOm-
les " are manufactured by the firm to
which we have referred above, and they
are adapted to all trades, professions, Oc-
cuGations and conditions of life" cod
fish aristocracy,n "Fenians,u shoe
Makers chambermaids," I" SLOW
ems" y" Molly Mops," etc, etc. AS
the prices of sentimental valentines
indicate, the manner in which they are
produced varies from the plain to the
most carefully and gorgeously elaborate.
1t puzzles many to understand how one
of these trites can be gotten Up in such
a shane as 10 make il sell for one hundred
dollars but the fact is that even this
figure is not by any means the limit OF
their price There is tradition that
one of the Broadway dealers, not many
wears ago, disposed of no less than seven
valentines which cost five hundred dol
lars each, aud it may safely be asserted
that if any individual was SO simple az
to wish TO e8pend ten times that sum
upon upon one of ~these missives, some
euteTprising manufacturer would lnd a
way to accommodate him. Valentines
of this class are not simply combinations
Of paper eCrgeously gilded, carefully
embossed aud elaboraJely laced. To
be sure they show paper lovers seated
in paper grOttOes, under paper
roses, ambushed by paper cHpids,
and induiging in the luxury Of paper
| kisses but they also show something
more attractive than these paper delights
| to the overjoyed receiver. Receptacles
cunningly prepared may hidein watches
! OF other jeyelry, and, of course, in this
| direction fire is no limit to the lengths
| to which WEALTHY and foolish lovers may
90. As will be seen by reference TO the
| table given above, in the $500, 600 worth
| of Valentines there summarized there
were but two included which were worth
| 500 each, and the chances that any OF
| the readers of the Times may receive one
| of those, or perhaps one OF the $500 val
entines for this is lottery in which all
are likely 10 have shares are cOnsidera-
| bly, less than they were that any Of this
same highly favored circle tthe readers
of the Tines we mean would draw the
| Crosby opera house, or the ten thousand
dollars ia greeubacks given in the union
| home and school enterprise.
Among the sentimental valentines the
most popular just now is style lately
| introduced, the peculiarity of which is
| indicated by their designation, "Per-
| fumed 5aohets.H These are manufac-
tured in all the shapes and forms which
| ingenuity can devise. The most attract
i've arrangement, however, is one for
holding photographs; and this ides
alone, it will at once be perceived, is ca
pable Of being elaborated in forms innu-
merable. Then, too, there are card val
entines, of various sizes, printed in
colors beautifully and artistieally blend
ed, and quite equal to foreign productions
| 'tI,n so no limo