Valentine's Postcards of the Loch Ness Monster - a List


Similar to our previous list of J.B. White postcards, this is a place holder for a list of Valentine's series of postcards, issued between 1933 and 1957. Recorded on the left is the catalogue number, while on the right is the caption as it appears on the front of the postcard, and where known, the date of issue. 

Along with J.B. White, Valentine's of Dundee were one of the two major producers of Nessie postcards, and titans of the industry.  The centrepiece of their many Nessie productions was a series of at least 16 postcards depicting the Monster at various locales in and around the Loch. This series was issued entirely in 1934, although most of the cards were reprinted on several occasions into 1935.

The Valentine's cards were produced in the Real Photo format, and featured sepia as well as some tinted cards. Views were based both on pre-existing photos of the Loch which had been touched up by artists, or entirely new painted scenes. The inspiration for the various motifs will be examined in greater detail in blog entries devoted to each of these cards and their several variants.

Any assistance that could be offered in completing or adding to this list would be gratefully appreciated and acknowledged! 


Valentine's Postcards issued "hors serie" (1933-1957)

222851J.V.     The Loch Ness Monster                                                    1933-2 

A411                 The Haunts of the Monster                                                1934-1

A242                "Come Up and see Me Sometime!"                                    1934-1

A8060             Nessie - The Loch Ness Monster                                        1939-1 

A8061              Nessie Pops Up Again!                                                       1939-1

B5443              "At Home on Loch Ness"                                                    1957 

D2279              The Haunts of the Monster (w/Cobb memorial)        1957


Valentine's Loch Ness Monster Series (16 cards, 1934)

222851J.V.    The Loch Ness Monster. Castle Urquhart. (1)    

224094J.V.    The Loch Ness Monster. Castle Urquhart. (2)    

224422J.V.    The Loch Ness Monster sights the Government Tug Boat. Fort Augustus. (3) 

224434J.V.    The Loch Ness Monster Obliges the Photographers. (4)

224436J.V.     A Souvenir of Loch Ness. (5)

224443J.V.    Inverfarigaig Calling. Loch Ness Monster Speaking. "Hello Everybody."(6)

224500J.V.    "Thursday" "Tomorrow is Friday" Loch Ness Monster at Fort Augustus. (7)

224501J.V.    "A Good Story" The Loch Ness Monster at the Monastery, Fort Augustus. (8)

224547J.V.    The Monsters of Loch Ness at Foyers. (9)

224560J.V.    The Loch Ness Monster at Foyers. (10)

224560J.V.    "Come Up and See Me at Loch Ness." (11)

A242                "Come Up and See Me Sometime!" (12)

A241                "A Happy Event at Loch Ness." (13)

A1217               Meet Me by Moonlight (14)

A1218               The Loch Ness Monster. Castle Urquhart (15)

A998                It's all Moonshine. (16)

These were all Real Photo cards. Several were reprinted on multiple occasions into the 1950s. A couple also exist without the series numbering, most notably  222851J.V. and A242. Note that the numbering of the postcards in Valentine's catalogue did not always match the sequential numbering of the series (see for example cards 12 and 13!). I know of 16 cards in this series, but it is possible that more exist.


Valentine's "Mail Novelty" Series (1933)

222851       The Loch Ness Monster                                     1933-2

1762            The Loch Ness Monster                                     1933-2

?                   "Still Going Strong!"                                           ?

These three cards used motifs from the first two cards issued in the Loch Ness Monster series. They were not printed using a Real Photo technique, but instead were produced using Valentine's 'Photo-Brown' technique, where the cards were printed in duotone using two halftone screens.


Valentine's "Bonzo" and "Lawson Wood" Series (1934)

2693               "Bob up and see me sometime!"                       1934

2671                "Gran-Pop" visits Loch Ness                             1934

These are signed artist cards featuring the popular 1930s characters of Bonzo and Gran Pop encountering Nessie. 

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