1907 Outcault Valentine

Vintage 1907 collectible Valentine's postcard by artist R.T. Outcault.

"Come, let us be valentines". Buster Brown hugs his girlfriend, Mary Jane, as his pet pitbull, Tige, expresses animated surprise.

Artist Signed R.F. Outcault -Richard Felton Outcault (January 14, 1863 – September 25, 1928) was an American cartoonist. He was the creator of the series The Yellow Kid and Buster Brown. He is considered a key pioneer of the modern comic strip.

The character of Buster Brown was loosely based on Granville Hamilton Fisher, a son of Charles and Anna Fisher of Flushing, New York. Fisher's physical appearance, including the characteristic pageboy haircut, was copied by Outcault and given to Buster Brown. The name "Buster" came directly or indirectly from the popularity of Buster Keaton, then a child actor in vaudeville. Another boy, Roger Cushman Clark (1899-1995) of Deadwood, South Dakota, was also described as the "original model" for the Buster Brown character.

The character of Mary Jane was also drawn from real life, as she was also Outcault's daughter of the same name. In Outcault's own words—and his daughter's—she was the only character drawn from life in the Buster Brown strip.

Tige, an American Pit Bull Terrier, thought to be the first talking pet to appear in the comics, and, like that of many of his successors, his speech goes unnoticed by adults. This popular character was the subject of a book in 1905 with the title, "Tige" His Story.

Postcard published by Raphael Tuck & Sons, Art Publishers to their majesties the King & Queen. "Buster Brown" Post Cards. Printed In Germany. This Company was founded in 1866 by Raphael Tuck, a seller of furniture and picture frames. After only a few months in business he expanded to become an important dealer in popular lithographic prints and greeting cards.