Valentine’s Games

Valentine & Sons Ltd, Dundee & London, were greeting card manufacturers who also sold photographs and postcards, plus a range of small books of photographic views of England and Scotland (dated between 1895 and 1910). They also published other books, many with illustrations for children, and playing cards and party games during the early 20th century. Well known amongst playing card collectors for their packs of scenic playing cards for Webb’s, Isle of Man, they also produced a small fortune-telling pack and a patience pack in around 1900. At least five card games are known (shown below):

The Muddled Menagerie

The Muddled Menagerie, c.1900  see more →

Freddie the Fox

Above: “Freddy the Fox” published by Valentine’s Games, c.1910  see more →

Spy

Above: “Spy” published by Valentine’s Games, c.1915  see more →

Cardomino

55 cards in telescopic box. See the Rules►

Above: Valentine’s Cardomino, c.1910.

Sister Susie Snap

At least two editions of this game are known, probably from around first world war times  see more →

Above: Sister Susie Snap, c.1915. all above images courtesy Rex Pitts.

The Soldier’s Compendium

Above: The Soldier’s Compendium produced by Valentine’s Games, c.1915. Images courtesy Ken Lodge.

References & Credits

Very informative site about Valentine Books►

Photographic archive of J Valentine and Co., Dundee: here►

Lodge, Ken: The Standard English Pattern (second revised and enlarged edition), Bungay, Suffolk, 2010, pp.143-44.

Ken Lodge’s Blog: playing cards for Webb’s, Isle of Man and more info here►

Thanks to Rex Pitts for kindly supplying scans from his collection and to Ken Lodge for additional research.