Contains valentines spanning 1840s-1980s, valentine ephemera, and a scrapbook. Featured are two cards made by George C. Whitney Co and an array of German stand-up paper lace cards. The series contains an extensive variety of pre-World War I postcards. Many are manufactured by Raphael Tuck and Sons of London and Earnest Nister of Boston. Of special note are the 1850s paper lace envelopes and letters and a heart-shaped valentine drawn by R.F. Outcault manufactured by Raphael Tuck and Sons ca. 1904. Included are a number of German early twentieth century pull-out valentines and wall hangings. The 1950s-1980s cards are mostly American and mass-produced; many are pull-downs. Included are fragments of broken valentines and "swag," little paper embellishments sold in sheets that could be cut out and pasted on to personalize cards. The valentine ephemera include heart-shaped push pins, a chocolates box, heart centerpiece decorations, a small box of "swag," and a small wooden doll. The scrapbook was compiled by an eleven-year old boy, Richard W.A. English, in December 1880 and contains contemporary valentines. Rounding out the series are sketches, articles and newspaper clippings on valentines and the history of valentines.

Contains valentines that Marguerite and Stephen Davol collected over the years, and Mrs. Davol donated in February 1993. Chiefly consists of multi-layered 1890s valentines. Some are on the same basic layer, and many are adorned with swag, little paper embellishments sold on sheets that could be cut out and pasted on to personalize cards. Included are German "boxed" valentines from the 1880s that have many layers of paper and fabric that make them three-dimensional, an 1883 valentine by L. Prang and Co. of Boston, an 1893 George C. Whitney book-card, a few cards by Raphael Tuck and Sons of London, and some fragments.

Contains 1890s valentines and envelopes, including three valentines manufactured by Esther Howland, four valentines by the George C. Whitney Co., and three hand-made cut paper valentines. One valentine came from the memory book of Alice Carter, Class of 1887. Included are 1980s cards produced by Mount Holyoke College and featuring photographs of Howland's valentines housed in the collection. Rounding out the series is a first edition "Love" stamp printed by the United States Postal Service in February 1982.

Contains two books on the history of valentines, A History of Valentines by Ruth Webb Lee and Valentines: A Loving Remembrance by Jean P. Favalora. Both mention Mount Holyoke alumna Esther Howland as the initiator of the valentines industry in the U.S. Favalora's book is inscribed by the author.