Artist - Jessie Louise Taylor

POP! Goes the Question.

4 7/8" x 4 1/4"
circa 1920s/1930s
by Jessie Louise Taylor
for Carrington

Jessie Louise Taylor is best known for her paper doll series from the 1920s, Twins Around the World. The series featured her double-sided Fold-Away figures with unique clothing cleverly made to fold around both sides of her characters. It was inspired by the Twin books for children written by Lucy Fitch Perkins.

The series first appeared in the Ladies Home Journal between January and October of 1922. Dover reproduced the series in a single book in 1989. 

Taylor also created images for advertising in the 1910s. Her valentines appear to date from the 1920s to the 1930s. Little has been published about the artist and her life. I have found several Jessie Louise Taylors on genealogical sites that that are the right age to be possible creators of these images, but not enough information to be able to pin down which one, if any, may be this artist. I would encourage readers with any additional information regarding this illustrator to leave a comment. 

You are my Love Song ~ I Love You.

mechanical flat
circa 1930s
by Jessie Louise Taylor

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Companies Taylor is known to have worked for:

• Whitney
• Carrington
• AC Co (American Colortype Co)

Artist - Ellen Calpsaddle, Victorian Era creator of Vintage Valentines

Love's Fond Message ~ St. Valentine's Greeting.

6 7/8" x 6 3/8"
circa 1900s - 1910s 
 Standing Fold-Out
Figure in purple dress is also seen on the postcard shown below:

A Greeting of Love.

5 1/2" x 3 1/2"
circa 1900s - 1910s 
 Postcard
International Art Publishing Co
marked: Series No. 945

Ellen Hattie Clapsaddle was born to Dean L. and Harriet Beckwith Clapsaddle during the American Civil War on January 8, 1865 (although some sources state the year as 1863). Her family was well-to-do enough that she completed secondary school at Richfield Springs Seminary in Richfield Springs New York at a time when most Americans' education ended by 8th grade. She went on to study art at New York City's Cooper Institute in the early 1880s (roughly from 1882 - 1884). After this, she returned to her birthplace of South Columbia, NY, where she gave art lessons, painted commissioned work and began free-lancing, with her art soon adorning all sorts of sundries from calendars to decorated china.

 Cupid's Token of Love.

6 5/8" x 10 3/4"
dated 1915
 Flat with Easel Stand
This clown can be found on a variety of cards from the 1910s including postcards and has also been reproduced fairly extensively making appearances on fabric blocks, wooden displays and a variety of decorative items.

By 1898 she was in the employ of International Art Publishing Co. It is for them that many of her most sought after postcards were created. Like  Frances Brundage, key to identifying her work on die-cut greeting cards is knowing her signed work on postcards. Many of the characters, or variations of them, and even some of the complete scenes portrayed on postcards appear again and again on the die-cuts used in standing fold-outs, dimensional pull-downs, or enjoyed just on their own. There are somewhere over 3000 known different signed postcards by Clapsaddle.

To the One I Love ~ Accept this humble gift of mine, And take me for your Valentine.

3 1/2" x 5 1/2"
dated 1924
 Postcard
Signed by Ellen Clapsaddle
with Wolf logo
marked: 252
made in USA

Soon after the turn of the century (anywhere from 1906 to around 1917 depending on which source you believe) Clapsaddle moved to New York City and began a close (or closer may be more accurate) association with Wolf Publishing Co. While she was not their only designer, she was their most prolific by far and may have been the only designer they employed during some (many?) of the years she worked for them. 

My Thoughts Are of Thee.

9 1/4" x 4 1/4"
circa 1900s, 1910s
 Flat with Easel Stand
by Ellen Clapsaddle
no publisher's marks

Wolf had been founded in Philadelphia, PA by brothers Edward, Isaac, and Gustave Wolf back in 1879. Along with the Art Lithographic Publishing Co headed by Samuel Garre, they formed the International Art Publishing Co to handle all of their postcard work beginning in January of 1896. This was the company, a subsidiary of Wolf, that Clapsaddle had worked for beginning just a few years after its creation. Reading some versions of the life and artwork of Clapsaddle can be a bit confusing because this relationship between International Art Publishing Co and Wolf and Co is not made clear. Some accounts seem to imply that Clapsaddle was a founder of Wolf, with Wolf coming into existence in the 20th century, which is not correct. Clapsaddle may have come to own a financial interest in Wolf, but this was a company already in existence prior to her involvement.

To the One I Love ~ I love you, little Sweetheart mine, And want you for my Valentine.

3 1/4" x 4 3/4"
circa 1920s
 Flat
attributed to Ellen Clapsaddle
marked: 458
made in USA
Likely a Wolf Card

At some point she moved to Germany where the printing for the postcard and greeting card industry was done at the time. There are many stories of her being stranded in Germany during WWI and rescued from there, destitute and possibly emotionally devastated, by one of the Wolf brothers (which brother is not specified in any of the accounts I've read). Given that there are plausible claims of her work for Wolf continuing well into the 1920s (therefore Clapsaddle would have been well enough to continue working) and that it is in these accounts of the stranding in Germany that I find the confusion of information regarding Wolf and Co/International Art Publishing and their relationship with Clapsaddle as mentioned above, I suspect this may be an apocryphal tale. It is an awfully compelling story and it may very well be true in at least part, but there seems to be a lack of any real supporting evidence of the tale's veracity. This and the lack of details in all the accounts of this rescue make it somewhat suspect. Granted, wartime circumstances could explain the lack of "proof," but the swirl of misinformation around the publishing companies does leave one unsure and it is clear that Clapsaddle was working actively well into the 1920s. At minimum, the devastation of Clapsaddle at the end of the war seems likely exaggerated. 

Be My Valentine ~ Though clouded the sky and storm does whine, In my heart shines love for my Valentine.

9" x 7 5/8"
circa early 1900
by Ellen Clapsaddle
The same figures appearing on this die-cut card can be found on postcards
Card has easel stand on the back the bottom of which is seen above under the heart at their feet.

What is known for certain is that the war did devastate the card publishing industry in general and Wolf and Co was no exception. However, they did manage to keep on producing cards well beyond the end of WWI. 

To the One I Love ~ I love you, little Sweetheart mine, And want you for my Valentine.

3 1/2" x 3 7/8"
circa 1910s
 Flat
by Ellen Clapsaddle
marked: Printed in Germany

Soon after the demise of the company (which came around 1931), Clapsaddle entered the Peabody Home of 1000 Pelham Parkway, NY (around 1932), where she died just one day short of her 70th birthday on January 7th, 1934.

Love's Greeting ~ I have to join two hearts in one, And wish this tender task were done.

3 1/4" x 4 3/4"
circa 1920s
 Flat
attributed to Ellen Clapsaddle
marked: 458
made in USA
By Wolf and Co

To My Valentine - My Heart beats warm, as warm can be And this is 'cause of loving thee.

3 1/4" x 4 3/4"
circa 1920s
attributed to Ellen Clapsaddle
marked: 458
made in U.S.A.
no other publisher's marks
Series number (458) indicates Wolf and Co as publisher 

Something to watch out for in your quest for cards by Clapsaddle are the reproductions - many of them by now vintage in their own right as some date to the 1980s - by companies like The Old Print Factory, Merrimack Publishing, and Shackman. Most that I have seen are clearly marked as by the company making that reproduction on the backside of the card and are not intended to fool collectors. These cards are not without value, but certainly are not as desirable as the original ones.

To my Best Love.

6" x 3 1/4"
circa 1910s
 Flat with Easel Stand
attributed to Ellen Clapsaddle
marked: 4038
Printed in Germany

To my Heart's Elect.

6" x 3 1/8"
circa 1910s
 Flat
attributed to Ellen Clapsaddle
no publisher's marks

 To my Valentine with Fondest Love.

4" x 4 1/4"
dated 1924
 Flap opens to reveal text
attributed to Ellen Clapsaddle
no publisher's marks
embossed detailing
note reuse of lady in green portrait

As a note, many of the dates given here are approximate and may not be exact. There is a lot of disagreement between sources on everything from Clapsaddle's birth year, to when she began working for International Art Publishing, the demise (and start) of Wolf Publishing, etc. I do find the information regarding the relationship between Wolf and Co and International Art Publishing to be credible which supports the earlier date (19th century) for the creation of Wolf Publishing and that it was already well-established before Clapsaddle began her relationship with that company. The source for this information comes from page 1245 of The Publishers Weekly, Vol 48 from December 28, 1895:

"New York - Wolf and Co., of Philadelphia, and Samuel Garre, the manager of the Art Lithographic Publishing Company, have organized the International Art Publishing Company, Limited, and this new company will open up for business in the new building at Nos. 3 and 5 Waverley Place, two doors from Broadway, New York, on January 1. This company will take over the Christmas card and souvenir business of Wolf and Co. and of the Art Lithographic Publishing Company, and besides these will have a number of other lines. Mr. Garre will have the management of the new company."

To My Sweet Valentine ~ My hope, my heaven, my trust must be My gentle guide, in following thee.

3 1/4" x 4 3/4"
circa 1900s, 1910s
 Fold-Out with Stand on Back
by Ellen Clapsaddle
no publisher's marks
Note reuse of Girl in Red Coat portrait above and below.

With Love.

6 3/8" x 5 3/4"
circa 1900s, 1910s
 Riveted, Layered Card with Easel Stand
by Ellen Clapsaddle
no publisher's marks

To My Valentine Ye're a Bonnie Lassie, Valentine.

7 5/8" x 3 1/2"
circa 1910s, 1920s
 Flat with easel stand
attributed to Ellen Clapsaddle
marked: No. 752
made in Bavaria
Ernest Nister/E P Dutton

Love's Greeting.

6 5/8" x 5"
circa 1910s
 Flat with Easel Stand
by Ellen Clapsaddle
marked with an "E" in the Circle on the Back

I know some one real nice I want for my Valentine.

6 7/8" x  7 1/2"
circa 1910s
 Standing Pull-Out card with 2 layers
by Ellen Clapsaddle
no publisher's marks

To you on St Valentine's Day.

7 1/8" x  6"
circa 1910s
 Mechanical Flat
attributed to Ellen Clapsaddle
published by Sam Gabriel
marked: Trade Mark 'G'
printed in the U.S.A.

To my Valentine In this great heart locked fast and firm, Is a treasure intended for me. I would like to look in, and I think I might If I thought nobody would see.

5 1/2" x  3 1/2"
circa 1910s
 Postcard
signed by Ellen Clapsaddle
published by International Art Publishing Co.
series No. 4242
marked: printed in Germany

To my Valentine.

5 1/2" x 3 1/2"
dated Feb 14, 1910 
  Postcard
   Divided Back
 marked: Printed in Germany
embossed

   ********************************************

Companies Clapsaddle is known to have worked for:

International Art Publishing Co

Wolf Publishing Co

Raphael Tuck and Sons

Stewart and Wolff

J. M. Jackson and Son

Hammond Publishing Co
Ernest Nister/E P Dutton

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Sources:

Ellen Clapsaddle Profile - The Artistry of a Postcard Illustrator by Pamela Wiggins

Ellen H. Clapsaddle Signed Postcards - An Illustrated Reference Guide by Ellen H. Budd
Valentine Treasury - A Century of Valentine Cards by Robert Brenner
Publishers Page from MetroPostcard.com

Animal - Mouse, Mice and Mouse Traps

To My Valentine - It's a CRACK-UP but I'll stick to You.

3 5/8" x 4 3/8"
circa 1930s 
 Mechanical Flat
 made in USA
 marked: No. 211-2

The popularity of both Disney's Mickey Mouse and George Herriman's Krazy Kat led to an awful lot of valentine graphics in the 1920s through the 1940s featuring little black mice. Most of these are not officially associated with either Mickey or Herriman's Ignatz character, but rather are other artists jumping on the bandwagon of a popular cartoon figure. From the beginning Disney was keen on marking his creations as part of his 'brand', so even the very early cards featuring his characters are marked (usually with a WDP for Walt Disney Productions along with a date). 

Herriman was not so inclined, so the cards that get identified as Ignatz are not necessarily marked as such - perhaps none are. Given that he started his comic strip in 1913 (1910 if you count the characters' debut in The Dingbat Family strip) when such markings on cards were not the norm in the industry as became the case later on, this wasn't unusual. It does make it harder to know for sure if a particular mouse on a card is really meant to be Ignatz or is merely an imitator riding Herriman's coattails. It is even possible that there were no officially released valentines with Herriman's characters, just a lot of copy cats doing a really good job at evoking his style. While Herriman's strip was long-running, it was never as wildly popular as Disney's work. Rather, his comic was very popular within a certain creative class, having quite an impact on other artists within the comic field and beyond.

Even someone as successful as Charles Twelvetrees made quite a few cards with mice in the mid-1930s to mid-1940s. His mice are definitely a bit more "stick-like" in how they were drawn than say his dogs, elephants or other animals. That's not to say he was "ripping off" these characters, but rather following a trend. 

This type of "borrowing" can be found elsewhere in the greeting card industry too (and beyond - what we see done in cards is nothing compared to the copying rampant in the glass collecting field for example). At the time, I suppose the odds of being caught at this were relatively low and copyright laws prior to the 1930s were not what they are today even if one were nabbed. Plus, there is certainly nothing illegal or even necessarily unethical with an artist recognizing that people like little black mice with skinny legs and big shoes and then drawing their own take while the fad lasts. It's a fine line between homage and outright copying - and Disney was smart to see to it that his version could always be distinguished from the pack.

Goodness Gracious My-Oh-Me! I like you lots, that's plain to see Be my Valentine.

6" x 4 3/4"
circa 1930s

anthropomorphized mouse
flat

I'm willing to be caught (reverse) By you My Valentine.

6 7/8" x 4 1/4"
circa 1920s, 1930s
   Flat
  embossed detailing
 no publisher's marks

Maker - Golden Bell

Let's be Valentines ~ You've won my heart, dear Valentine So won't you give me yours for Mine?

4" x 4" (8" x 4" opened)
circa 1940s
  Folder
    marked: GB logo with Bell
(for Golden Bell)
7047-B
 Made in U.S.A.

How'm I doing, Valentine. Words fail me at a time like this, But here's a SIGN you just can't miss.

4" x 5" (5" x 7" opened)
dated 1945
Modified French Fold
made in USA
by Golden Bell
marked: P-7115-B

Golden Bell was a line of greeting cards published by Gartner and Bender. They were located at 1104 S. Wabash in Chicago, Il in the 1940s. This appears to be when the line were most active. Gartner and Bender had earlier in the century (during the 1910s) published many postcards. 

The company was featured in an exhibition at the Brooklyn Museum in 1947 titled The Artist in Social Communication.  

“This showing is planned to attract into the field of greeting card art the highest type of artist for the benefit of the greeting card industry and the consuming public”, according to explanation from Robert J. Bender, president of Gartner and Bender. “It was also designed to dramatize and vivify the high skills of the greeting card artist. The show will travel around the country, and is being made available to art schools, colleges and high school art departments, and museums.”

I have not been able to find exact dates for the beginning or end of the Golden Bell line. It was in the 1940s that Gartner and Bender ran ads for the line in Life magazine and garnered mentions in other publications so that does seem to be when the line was most active. 

Chalk me up for your Valentine It's just as plain as ABC That you're the Valentine for me!

8" x 3 3/8"
circa 1940s
Standing Fold-Out
by Golden Bell
made in USA
marked: P 7127-D
with a '5' in a circle above the GB Bell logo

I have just one thing to say, Please be my Valentine Today.

3 1/8" x 4 1/2"
circa 1930s, 1940s 
 Flat
 made in USA
 by Golden Bell
 marked: 7081c


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Artists known to have worked for Golden Bell:

• John Atherton
• Jan Balet
• Erica Gorecka-Egan
• Reginald Marsh
• Hans Moller
• Gregory Prestopino
• Lloyd Parsons
• Audrey Bueller
• Lucille Corcos
• Ben Shahan
• Lynd Ward
• Joanne Yee Wong

*****************************************************
Sources:

Brooklyn Museum Archives Records of the Department of Public Information Press Releases 1947-52, 10/12/1947

Carnivals, Fairs and Amusement Park Rides, Games and Roller Coasters

Please be a good sport and take my HEART.

7 1/2" x 4 3/8"
circa 1940s, 1950s
Mechanical Flat
marked: Made in U.S.A.
No other publisher's marks
carnival shooting game with gun

Life's "ups AND downs" would ALL be "THRILLING" If you would only say You're willing to be My Valentine!

7" x 4 5/8"
circa 1920s, 1930s
   Paper Puff
   marked: made in U.S.A.  

Can't we SWING along Together? To My Valentine.

3" x 4"
dated 1950
 Standing Fold-Down
 made in USA

Cleaning Up - Household Chores: Laundry, Clothes Lines, etc

This is My 'Line' ~ I'll be a 'Washout' unless you'll be my Valentine!

3 5/8" x 4 5/8"
circa 1950s
Folded
marked: 230
A-Meri-Card
made in  U.S.A.

To my Valentine ~ I'm asking you my Valentine TUB-be.

3 1/4" x 4 1/2"
circa 1930s, 1940s
 Single Fold

Come CLEAN now and say you'll be My Valentine.

4 1/4" x 4"
circa 1930s
Mechanical Flat
made in USA

This line of mine Will tell you true How very much I think of you My Valentine

3 1/2" x 3 7/8"
dated 1935
Flat
marked: made in USA

AIRING that good old greeting - Be My Valentine!

3 7/8" x 3"
circa 1930s
cleaning rug
flat

This should SWEEP you off your feet.

3" x 3"
dated 1935
figure with broom

My Life would be a VACUUM without you Valentine

3 7/8" x 3"
made in USA
vacuuming with canister-style vacuum

 I've got a PRESSING question For you, Dear Valentine ~ I like you very much, and so - I want you to be mine!

5 5/8" x 4 1/8" (flat)
circa 1940s
ironing on ironing board
by A-Meri-Card
#229