Alan Mays' photos with the keyword: codes

The notion that men and women could use handkerchiefs to secretly signal their romantic intentions may seem far-fetched, but that's the idea behind this "Handkerchief Flirtation" list. In fact, using hankies to flirt seems downright dangerous. You might accidentally drop your handkerchief on the floor and end up telling the wrong person, "We will be friends." Or even worse, you could draw your handkerchief across your cheek as you blow your nose, inadvertently saying, "I love you." Despite the potential for miscommunication, flirtation lists like this circulated widely in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. In addition to handkerchiefs, you could supposedly also use flowers, gloves, parasols, hats, cigars, pencils, and even buggy whips and handheld fans for covert courtship. For further discussion of these secret flirting methods, see the following: Esti Brenna, From the Stacks: Victorian Courtship and the Language of the Fan , Clements Library Chronicles, June 6, 2012. "Unfortunately, the fan language--and other, similar codes like the language of the handkerchief and the language of the parasol--were largely the result of advertising campaigns meant to popularize and sell accessories. There is little evidence that the fan language was ever in widespread use, though the concept was satirized by several writers in the 18th and 19th centuries." Natasha Frost, The Victorian Cards That Explained How to Use a Book to Flirt , Atlas Obscura, March 23, 2018. A "Book Flirtation" card and other alleged flirting techniques. (Full disclosure: I'm quoted in this article, and it includes some of my calling and acquaintance cards .) Handkerchief Flirtation Drawing across the lips—Desirous of an acquaintance. Drawing across the eyes—I am sorry. Taking it by the centre—You are too willing. Dropping—We will be friends. Twisting in both hands—Indifference. Drawing across cheek—I love you. Drawing through hand—I hate you. Letting it rest on right eye—Yes. Letting it rest on left cheek—No. Twisting in the left hand—I wish to be rid of you. Twisting in the right hand—I love another. Folding it—I wish to speak with you. Over the shoulder—Follow me. Opposite corners in both hands—Wait for me. Drawing across the forehead—We are watched. Placing on the right ear—You have changed. Letting it remain on the eyes—You are cruel. Winding around forefinger—I am engaged. Winding around third finger—I am married. Putting it in the pocket—No more at present.

A membership card for a children's fan club celebrating cartoon character Felix the Cat . The card also served as a way to encourage kids to watch the cartoons on Satellite Six , a TV show hosted by Glendora (Glendora Vesta Folsom) on WRGB in Schenectady, New York, in the early 1960s. 13 22-3-7-1 13-17 26-13-26-19-17 17-12-2-1 11-3-8 17-3-3 10-3-19-5 17-3 26-1-6-3-26-1 17-22-13-4! 8-) Felix the Cat Fan Club This is to certify that Eloise Trainor is now enrolled in Glendora's Satellite Six Felix the Cat Fan Club and is entitled to all privileges and special information reserved for members. Glendora, Commander, WRGB Satellite Six, 4:30, Monday-Friday. No. 65271. Felix the Cat Secret Code For members only! (1) E, (2) K, (3) O, (4) S, (5) G, (6) C (7) P, (8) U, (9) F, (10) L, (11) Y, (12) A (13) I, (14) B, (15) J, (16) M, (17) T, (18) Q (19) N, (20) W, (21) Z, (22) H, (23) X, (24) V, (25) R, (26) D Messages will be given by numbers. Simply copy the numbers, then figure out the message.

Flirtation lists like the ones printed on this card also circulated in books, newspapers, and other media in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. These lists suggested that common objects like buggy whips and handheld fans could be used by men and women to secretly signal their romantic intentions, but the coded gestures really seem too complicated for easy communication. Flowers, handkerchiefs, gloves, parasols, hats, cigars, and pencils were other items allegedly employed for covert courting. For more on flirtation cards and acquaintance cards , see " When 'Flirtation Cards' Were All The Rage ," an article by Linton Weeks on the NPR History Dept. blog. See The Ghost Card, or the Skeleton on the Wall (below) for the other side of this card. Whip Flirtation Holding stock in left hand and lash in right—Desirous of an acquaintance. Holding the same, and placing center against the waist—I am sorry. Holding in left hand by center—Will you bathe with me? Lash in right hand, stock down—I love you. Same in left hand—I hate you. Taking in both hands by center—I love another. In center, hands crossed—We are watched. Right hand in center, left on lash—Yes. Left hand in center, right on lash—No. Butt against right eye—I am engaged. Against the left eye—I am married. Holding it with the left hand against the right shoulder—Follow me. In right hand against left shoulder—Wait for me. End in each hand, center bent down—You are cruel. Same, with center up—You are too willing. Winding lash around forefinger—Repeat your last signal. Fan Flirtation Carrying in right hand in front of face—Follow me. Carrying in left hand in front of face—I wish to be acquainted. Placing on right ear—You have changed. Twirling in left hand—I wish to get rid of you. Drawing across the forehead—We are watched. Carrying in right hand—You are too willing. Twirling in right hand—I love another. Closing—I wish to speak to you. Drawing across eyes—I am sorry. Resting on right cheek—Yes. Resting on left cheek—No. Open and shut—You are cruel. Dropping—We will be friends. Fanning slowly—I am married. Fanning quickly—I am engaged. Handle to lips—kiss me. Shut—you have changed. Open wide—Wait for me. Drawing through hand—I hate you. Drawing across cheek—I love you.

"Love's Cable. Handed in at Cupid's Court. No code book is needed for these cables, true love deciphers them. St. Valentine. Bow and Arrow Avenue, Feb. 14. To my valentine, I cable to say, I am yours today, my heart is true, my love to you. If the accuracy of this message be doubted, it will gladly be confirmed on payment of twenty kisses." This folded Valentine's Day greeting was a parody of a "cablegram" (often shortened to "cable"), which was a message transmitted over the submarine communications cables that were laid across the Atlantic Ocean and elsewhere as early as the 1850s. So why would you need to use a code book to send a cablegram? Author Frank C. McClelland described how these worked in the following excerpt from his book, Office Training and Standards (Chicago: A. W. Shaw, 1919), p. 49: How to use a code book. Firms with foreign connections or correspondents also find use for a cable-code book which helps greatly to cut down the expense of cable messages by shortening the number of words required to convey the message. A code book is simply a directory of code words arranged alphabetically, each word being the code for a certain phrase. For example, the word "Dardejante" may stand for "Draft has been presented for payment." and the word "Daricus" may stand for "Draft is correct; please pay." Nearly every kind of message is given in a code book. Suppose we desired to send a cablegram to London reading "Merritt Brothers draft has been presented for payment for two hundred dollars Shall we pay for your account?" If we did not use a code book the cablegram would contain 18 words in addition to the name, address, and signature, which might bring the number of words up to 27. At 31 cents a word, the cablegram would cost $8.37. By using code words we would get this result: "(name) (address) Merritt Brothers Dardejante Morderesti Genageld (signature)," making only eight words, which would cost only $2.48, a saving of $5.89.

Printed on the back of this sample cigar box label: "Geo. S. Harris & Sons, Philadelphia, New York, and Chicago. No. 4505. Prof. Morse, trade mark. $6.00 per 1000. 70 cts. per 100. Also furnished blank." For two additional cigar box labels printed by the same lithographic firm, see First Rate and Prime .