Celebrate romance this month with a local outing with someone you love. The ArtsaRound Gallery on the Original Circle is hosting a collection of antique valentines on Saturday, Feb. 13, Feb. 20 and Feb. 27 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.at 135 W. Main Street, Circleville.
To make your outing even more special, ArtsaRound will offer visitors a glass of wine, a cup of hot cocoa and a chocolate from Wittich’s Candy Shop, Circleville’s historic family-owned confectionary. Donations will be accepted.
The show features two valentine collections contributed by Carolyn Walters Seitz and Gayle Simms.
One collection of valentines was given to Carolyn’s mother, Mary Crist Walters, in 1922-1924. Mary was a lifelong Circleville and Pickaway County resident. Born in 1908, Mary would have been 14 to 16 years of age and a student at Circleville Everts School when she received the valentines from friends, whose names are familiar Circleville families of the time.
The collection contains valentines “printed in Germany” and are considered “mechanical” for the time. Today we would use the term 3-D. Others are “made in Germany.” According to the Vintage Valentine Museum, Germany was the heart of printing for several decades prior to WW II.
Some of the valentines were made by the Whitney Company of Massachusetts. According to the Vintage Valentine Museum, this family-run business started in 1858 and operated for 77 continuous years, making up a generous share of the market in the 20th century. There are also valentines without markings. Some items in this collection are for sale.
The second collection is contributed by Gayle Simms. Gayle was born on Valentine’s Day and began collecting in the 1970s because she is a self-described ‘romantic at heart.’ The collection features 40 valentines from the 1930s, including a honeycomb valentine made by Beistle of Pennsylvania. Beistle’s opened in 1900 and is still in business today.
ArtsaRound formed in 2001 and is a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting art and artists in Pickaway County and the regional area.
The ArtsaRound Gallery on the Original Circle is housed in the former Marfield Bank Building owned by the Pickaway County Historical Society. This rare pie-shaped property was part of the original circle of Circleville. The gallery is operated by local volunteers Saturdays from 10 am to 4 pm for the winter. Hours may vary based on volunteer availability, special classes, gallery events, and other advertised downtown events. Look for more gallery information on Facebook or email [email protected].
