Barbara Loe shares some "nice" Valentines, the kind you'd send to your sweetie back in the Victorian era

 

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Frequent Rare Book Cafe guest Barbara Loe returns with a follow-up for her last appearance on the program, when she shared a genre of greeting ca

Frequent Rare Book Cafe guest Barbara Loe returns with a follow-up for her last appearance on the program, when she shared a genre of greeting cards called Vinegar Valentines. 

 

They’re full of insults and spiteful comments and they became popular in the mid-1800s. Some were quite funny, if you weren’t on the receiving end. With Valentine’s Day approaching, in this episode Barbara shares some of the vintage Valentines in her collection, ones designed to express a sweet sentiment to a sweetie or heartthrob. Awww! 

 

 Barbara and co-host Lee Linn also discuss the upcoming Florida Antiquarian Book Fair, both agreeing that it’s one of their favorite book fairs all year. Their enthusiasm is evident as they ventured off into discussion of the book fair and the reasons it holds a special place for them 

 

A SPECIAL REQUEST: Please SHARE this program with your book loving friends. If this is the first time you've watched Rare Book Cafe, let us know what you think in the comments. If you're a regular watcher, tell us in the comments how often and what you enjoy about the show. Our Rare Book Cafe COFFEE BREAK series offers short programs, usually on a single topic. 

 

Watch for more in the series. Co-hosts Lee Linn and Richard Mori are veteran antiquarian booksellers. Lee owns The Ridge Books in Calhoun, Georgia. Richard owns Mori Books in Franklin, New Hampshire. Barbara, Lee, and Richard will exhibit at the Florida Antiquarian Book Fair on March 7-8, 2026 at The Coliseum in downtown St. Petersburg. 

 

More information at floridaantiquarianbookfair.com The event is the oldest and largest rare, used, and collectible book fair in the southeastern United States. Rare Book Cafe is made possible by the Florida Antiquarian Book Fair. 

 

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Music by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, performed by Brendan Kinsella Piano Sonata in B-flat major III Allegretto Grazioso Creative Commons Copyright-only Dedication (based on United States law or Public Domain Certification. http://www.chosic.com/download-audio/... 

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Rare Book Cafe is a gathering of collectors and lovers of old, rare, and collectible books. It is a virtual cafe, accessible anywhere in the world, where the subjects are priceless and the conversation is free. It is truly the book lovers' rendezvous. 

 

Join us on our Facebook group Book Lovers’ Rendezvous. Rare Book Cafe is based in Florida. Rare Book Cafe The Book Lovers' Rendezvous™ YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram. Also as a podcast on YouTube Music 

 

 #rarebooks #collectiblebooks #ephemera #ephemeraforsale #leatherboundbooks #leatherbound #antiquemapsandprints #bostonbooklovers #booksinboston #floridabookfair #floridaantiquarianbookfair #rarebookcafe #bookloversrendezvous

Edward Lemon and The Atlanta Rare Book Fair: It's a week before the Florida Antiquarian Book Fair in St. Petersburg

Edward Lemon of Fine Book Fairs is our guest and Rare Book Cafe co-hosts Lee Linn and Richard Mori are particularly elated because they’re anticipating participation in The Atlanta Rare Book Fair at Oglethorpe University February 27-March 1, 2026. 

 It has been several years since there was an antiquarian book in Atlanta, and so Lee, who lives near Atlanta is quite excited, about you might expect. Richard is becoming an old hand at doing Fine Book Fairs events, so he’s elated, too. 

 The discussion morphed into Edward recounting how the Fine Book Fair started and also into the news that Kermit Roosevelt III, the great-great grandson of President Theodore Roosevelt, will offer a talk during the book fair event. 

A SPECIAL REQUEST: Please SHARE this program with your book loving friends. If this is the first time you've watched Rare Book Cafe, let us know what you think in the comments. If you're a regular watcher, tell us in the comments how often and what you enjoy about the show. 

Our Rare Book Cafe COFFEE BREAK series offers short programs, usually on a single topic. Watch for more in the series. Co-hosts Lee Linn and Richard Mori are veteran antiquarian booksellers. Lee owns The Ridge Books in Calhoun, Georgia. Richard owns Mori Books in Franklin, New Hampshire. 

Lee, and Richard will exhibit at the Florida Antiquarian Book Fair on March 7-8, 2026 at The Coliseum in downtown St. Petersburg.

 More information at floridaantiquarianbookfair.com The event is the oldest and largest rare, used, and collectible book fair in the southeastern United States. Rare Book Cafe is made possible by the Florida Antiquarian Book Fair. 

************** Music by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, performed by Brendan Kinsella Piano Sonata in B-flat major III Allegretto Grazioso Creative Commons Copyright-only Dedication (based on United States law or Public Domain Certification. http://www.chosic.com/download-audio/... ************** 

Rare Book Cafe is a gathering of collectors and lovers of old, rare, and collectible books. It is a virtual cafe, accessible anywhere in the world, where the subjects are priceless and the conversation is free. It is truly the book lovers' rendezvous. Join us on our Facebook group Book Lovers’ Rendezvous. 

Rare Book Cafe is based in Florida. Rare Book Cafe The Book Lovers' Rendezvous™ YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram. Also as a podcast on YouTube Music 

 #rarebooks #collectiblebooks #ephemera #ephemeraforsale #leatherboundbooks #leatherbound #antiquemapsandprints #bostonbooklovers #booksinboston #floridabookfair #floridaantiquarianbookfair #rarebookcafe #bookloversrendezvous 

Victorian ephemerist Barbara Lowe's Vinegar Valentines

Collectors know that funny Valentine somebody gave a friend a century ago was never meant to still be around today. And, yet, it is. They also know that’s exactly what makes it fascinating, at least to some.

It’s a glimpse into another era, how people lived and what they cared about. Collectors of ephemera delight in discovering arcane details as well as a big-picture perspective of days gone by. 

In this episode of Rare Book Cafe, Victorian ephemera collector shares some of the funny (or blatantly cheeky valentines with insulting poems) in her collection, and shares some background and insight into these novelty items. 

Suffice it to say that these bits of ephemera carry a sentiment that’s far from the 1937 Rodgers and Hart song My Funny Valentine. 

You can see valentines from Barbara Loe's collection as well as ephemera collections of other exhibitors at the Florida Antiquarian Book Fair March 7-8 at The Coliseum in downtown St. Petersburg. 

🇺🇸 Founding Voices: George Washington on Knowledge

“Knowledge of books is the basis upon which all other knowledge rests.”
— Attributed to George Washington

George Washington’s life demonstrates a deep respect for reading and self-education. Though not a formally trained scholar, he built a wide personal library and relied on books to guide his thinking on agriculture, military strategy, Enlightenment philosophy, and governance.

His belief that knowledge must precede leadership reflects the intellectual spirit of the early Republic.

As the United States approaches its 250th anniversary, Washington’s insight feels especially timely. The Revolution was shaped not only by the willingness to fight, but by the exchange of ideas — spread through pamphlets, newspapers, letters, broadsides, and books.

Collectors today still seek these early printings because they offer something extraordinary: a direct link to the world the Founders knew.

This is the heart of the Florida Antiquarian Book Fair. Each year, we gather to celebrate the printed materials that shaped history, preserved ideas, and continue to inspire curiosity.

You’ll be seeing George Washington again soon as part of our Let Freedom Read campaign — in several unexpected situations, in fact. 

Stay with us as we explore more Founding Voices in the weeks ahead.

And plan to join us at the Florida Antiquarian Book Fair, March 7-8, 2026 at The Coliseum in downtown St. Petersburg.