These nasty Victorian "vinegar valentines" prove that romance has been dead for quite some time.
1 of 33
Although many of the vinegar valentines targeted women like mistresses and unmarried women, single men were also frequently sent such messages.Royal Pavilion & Museums
2 of 33
This vinegar valentine from 1907 took aim at a man's bald head. Collectors Weekly
3 of 33
Vinegar valentines featured every insult under the sun. This one appears to mock a woman's vocal abilities, claiming the squeals of slaughtered pigs were better than her 'trills.'The Strong
4 of 33
This vinegar valentine of the 19th century shows a woman walking away from her shocked suitor after rejecting his offer of marriage.
Women were often the subject of ire from rejected men, which sadly continues even into the 21st century.Royal Pavilion & Museums
5 of 33
Just like romantic valentines, these terrible insults were sent anonymously through the postal service.Wikimedia Commons
6 of 33
Those who displayed greedy behavior were commonly targeted in Vinegar valentines which made up half of Valentine's Day sales by the mid-19th century.Wikimedia Commons
7 of 33
The origins of Valentine's Day itself grew from the martyrdom of St. Valentini, who was said to have married persecuted Christians in the 3rd century.The Strong
8 of 33
In the Victorian era, when marriage was deemed the highest achievement for both men and women, those who remained partner-less were mocked as well.Royal Pavilion & Museums
9 of 33
Vinegar valentines were cheap so they were popular among the working class. But the elite were not immune to the temptation of expressing their distaste for one another, either. Royal Pavilion & Museums
10 of 33
Before mass-produced valentines hit the market, people hand made their own cards, both sentimental and vinegar.The Strong
11 of 33
Those who experienced failed courtships and those who had too many suitors were both ridiculed.Royal Pavilion & Museums
12 of 33
Vinegar valentines were very popular but they also sparked public condemnation because they were deemed to encourage depraved behavior through insults. The Strong
13 of 33
The Victorian age was rife with sexist ideas about gender roles which was a popular theme among the vinegar valentines, particularly targeting husbands who were considered submissive to their wives.Royal Pavilion & Museums
14 of 33
'Why do they call you a nasty old cat' reads this vinegar valentine from an album dating from the 1870s.Royal Pavilion & Museums
15 of 33
Although throwing insults at other people shouldn't be encouraged, some of the vinegar valentines featured righteous criticism of poor behavior, like this one mocking a peeping tom. Royal Pavilion & Museums
16 of 33
Sexism and misogyny were the orders of the day in the 19th century. As the suffrage movement to win the right to vote for women grew, so did animosity from its opponents.
Suffragettes were often targeted by mock valentines, too.Ken Florey Suffrage Collection/Gado/Getty Images
17 of 33
A lot of these vinegar valentines conveyed hurtful messages about other people's appearances. Even men were targeted by physical insults.Royal Pavilion & Museums
18 of 33
Back then, postage was paid upon delivery which meant that the receiver of a vinegar valentine had to endure the insult and pay for it.New York Public Library
19 of 33
Some of these cards brought out the worst in people. In 1885, London’s Pall Mall Gazette reported a husband had shot his estranged wife in the neck after receiving a vinegar valentine that he knew was from her. Wikimedia Commons
20 of 33
"Anonymous forms [of communication] do facilitate particular kinds of behavior. They don't create them, but they create opportunities," said scholar Annebella Pollen about the vicious nature of these cards.Royal Pavilion & Museums
21 of 33
It's unclear precisely how Valentine's Day came to be but many credit British author Geoffrey Chaucer for making the concept mainstream through his work Parlement of Foules.The Strong
22 of 33
People were making handmade Valentine's Day cards — both sweet and mocking in nature — even before private companies began to capitalize on the celebrated day.The Strong
23 of 33
Vinegar valentines were nearly as popular as romantic valentines but they didn't escape public criticism.
In 1866, the New York Times condemned vinegar valentines claiming they encouraged "a fearful tendency to the development of swearing in males of all ages."Royal Pavilion & Museums
24 of 33
Grotesque and absurd drawings on these vinegar valentines caricatured stereotypes and mocked a recipient’s physical attributes.Hulton Archive/Getty Images
25 of 33
Some of these cards were likely sent in good humor but the nastier ones were likely meant as real insults — and caused serious harm with reports of suicide by people who had received a vinegar valentine. Missouri Historical Society
26 of 33
This vinegar valentine card was published sometime in 1875, around the height of the "valentine craze."Royal Pavilion & Museums
27 of 33
Vinegar valentines were very common and could readily be purchased at any convenience store.
In 1857, The Newcastle Weekly Courant complained that 'the stationers' shop windows are full, not of pretty love-tokens, but of vile, ugly, misshapen caricatures of men and women, designed for the special benefit of those who by some chance render themselves unpopular in the humbler circles of life."Royal Pavilion & Museums
28 of 33
Even those who possessed an attractive physical appearance couldn't escape the harassment of vinegar valentines. This one mocks a lady's nonsense and "peaco*ck pride."Royal Pavilion & Museums
29 of 33
Vinegar valentines were also commonly referred to as "mock" or "comic" valentines though the humor they featured was quite insidious in some ways.Collectors Weekly
30 of 33
A rare vinegar valentine from the 1860s focuses on the grim reality of doctors treating veterans of the Civil War. Collectors Weekly
31 of 33
Vinegar valentines began to fall out of style only in the 1940s but some actually stayed in circulation until as recently as the 1970s. Royal Pavilion & Museums
32 of 33
Similar to the then-unbecoming reality of old maids, this 19th century vinegar valentine reads 'must settle down sometime, but won't throw himself away too early' was meant to insult aging bachelor men. Royal Pavilion & Museums
33 of 33
Vintage card historian Barry Shank wrote that vinegar valentines "were a part of the valentine craze from the earliest years of its commercialization."Royal Pavilion & Museums
33 Nasty ‘Vinegar Valentines’ That Victorians Sent To Mock Each Other For Every Fault You Can Imagine
View Gallery
During the Victorian era, Valentine's Day wasn't just a time for expressing love. It was also a day when you could anonymously insult your enemies. In 19th century Britain and the U.S., that meant sending them ridiculously mean Valentine's Day cards, now known as vinegar valentines.
Take a look at the most insulting illustrated vinegar valentines that would make even your nastiest enemy blush.
How Valentine's Day Began Capitalizing On Romance
Collectors WeeklyThe origin story of Valentine's Day allegedly dates back all the way to the 3rd century.
The origins of Valentine's Day date back to the 3rd century, but the first Valentine's Day didn't have much to do with love.
According to ancient sources, there were at least three different saints who went by the moniker 'Valentini' and had died on Feb. 14, now deemed as the official date of Valentine's Day by cultural society.
Two of them were executed during the reign of Roman Emperor Claudius Gothicus who ruled between 269 AD and 270 A.D. and was on a rampage to execute every single living Christian he could find.
The martyrdom of the last two St. Valentines — whose death accounts historians believe may have actually been about the same Valentini — was etched into history by the Belgian Bollandist monks in the book Acta Sanctorum or Lives of the Saints.
According to legend, St. Valentine was deemed the patron saint of love, marriages, and engagements because he performed Christian marriage rituals and delivered messages of affection between Christian lovers jailed by Gothicus.
But the commercialization of this day of romance didn't come until 1,000 years after St. Valentine's execution. British author Geoffrey Chaucer, best known for his work in The Canterbury Tales, has been credited as the first to plant the seeds of Valentine's Day into the minds of the wider English public.
Chaucer romanticized the month of February, when birds in the trees were mating and pairing up for the breeding season, through his Parlement of Foules. British nobility quickly took heed and used the month as an excuse to send romantic declarations to their potential partners.
Later, with the rise of industrialization, the day of love soon turned into a day of mass-produced endearments.
Even though there are no reliable statistics on the demographics of the customers who spend their money the most on Valentine's Day, card culture scholar Barry Shank claims that by the 20th century "nearly 80 percent of all greetings cards are bought and sent by women," which may explain why the designs of Valentine's Day cards — even to this day — are so gendered.
Enter, Vinegar Valentines
Ken Florey Suffrage Collection/Gado/Getty ImagesA lot of vinegar valentines were imbued with the pervasive sexism of the times. Hence, suffragists, too, became common recipients of these cards.
1 of 33
Although many of the vinegar valentines targeted women like mistresses and unmarried women, single men were also frequently sent such messages.Royal Pavilion & Museums
2 of 33
This vinegar valentine from 1907 took aim at a man's bald head. Collectors Weekly
3 of 33
Vinegar valentines featured every insult under the sun. This one appears to mock a woman's vocal abilities, claiming the squeals of slaughtered pigs were better than her 'trills.'The Strong
4 of 33
This vinegar valentine of the 19th century shows a woman walking away from her shocked suitor after rejecting his offer of marriage.
Women were often the subject of ire from rejected men, which sadly continues even into the 21st century.Royal Pavilion & Museums
5 of 33
Just like romantic valentines, these terrible insults were sent anonymously through the postal service.Wikimedia Commons
6 of 33
Those who displayed greedy behavior were commonly targeted in Vinegar valentines which made up half of Valentine's Day sales by the mid-19th century.Wikimedia Commons
7 of 33
The origins of Valentine's Day itself grew from the martyrdom of St. Valentini, who was said to have married persecuted Christians in the 3rd century.The Strong
8 of 33
In the Victorian era, when marriage was deemed the highest achievement for both men and women, those who remained partner-less were mocked as well.Royal Pavilion & Museums
9 of 33
Vinegar valentines were cheap so they were popular among the working class. But the elite were not immune to the temptation of expressing their distaste for one another, either. Royal Pavilion & Museums
10 of 33
Before mass-produced valentines hit the market, people hand made their own cards, both sentimental and vinegar.The Strong
11 of 33
Those who experienced failed courtships and those who had too many suitors were both ridiculed.Royal Pavilion & Museums
12 of 33
Vinegar valentines were very popular but they also sparked public condemnation because they were deemed to encourage depraved behavior through insults. The Strong
13 of 33
The Victorian age was rife with sexist ideas about gender roles which was a popular theme among the vinegar valentines, particularly targeting husbands who were considered submissive to their wives.Royal Pavilion & Museums
14 of 33
'Why do they call you a nasty old cat' reads this vinegar valentine from an album dating from the 1870s.Royal Pavilion & Museums
15 of 33
Although throwing insults at other people shouldn't be encouraged, some of the vinegar valentines featured righteous criticism of poor behavior, like this one mocking a peeping tom. Royal Pavilion & Museums
16 of 33
Sexism and misogyny were the orders of the day in the 19th century. As the suffrage movement to win the right to vote for women grew, so did animosity from its opponents.
Suffragettes were often targeted by mock valentines, too.Ken Florey Suffrage Collection/Gado/Getty Images
17 of 33
A lot of these vinegar valentines conveyed hurtful messages about other people's appearances. Even men were targeted by physical insults.Royal Pavilion & Museums
18 of 33
Back then, postage was paid upon delivery which meant that the receiver of a vinegar valentine had to endure the insult and pay for it.New York Public Library
19 of 33
Some of these cards brought out the worst in people. In 1885, London’s Pall Mall Gazette reported a husband had shot his estranged wife in the neck after receiving a vinegar valentine that he knew was from her. Wikimedia Commons
20 of 33
"Anonymous forms [of communication] do facilitate particular kinds of behavior. They don't create them, but they create opportunities," said scholar Annebella Pollen about the vicious nature of these cards.Royal Pavilion & Museums
21 of 33
It's unclear precisely how Valentine's Day came to be but many credit British author Geoffrey Chaucer for making the concept mainstream through his work Parlement of Foules.The Strong
22 of 33
People were making handmade Valentine's Day cards — both sweet and mocking in nature — even before private companies began to capitalize on the celebrated day.The Strong
23 of 33
Vinegar valentines were nearly as popular as romantic valentines but they didn't escape public criticism.
In 1866, the New York Times condemned vinegar valentines claiming they encouraged "a fearful tendency to the development of swearing in males of all ages."Royal Pavilion & Museums
24 of 33
Grotesque and absurd drawings on these vinegar valentines caricatured stereotypes and mocked a recipient’s physical attributes.Hulton Archive/Getty Images
25 of 33
Some of these cards were likely sent in good humor but the nastier ones were likely meant as real insults — and caused serious harm with reports of suicide by people who had received a vinegar valentine. Missouri Historical Society
26 of 33
This vinegar valentine card was published sometime in 1875, around the height of the "valentine craze."Royal Pavilion & Museums
27 of 33
Vinegar valentines were very common and could readily be purchased at any convenience store.
In 1857, The Newcastle Weekly Courant complained that 'the stationers' shop windows are full, not of pretty love-tokens, but of vile, ugly, misshapen caricatures of men and women, designed for the special benefit of those who by some chance render themselves unpopular in the humbler circles of life."Royal Pavilion & Museums
28 of 33
Even those who possessed an attractive physical appearance couldn't escape the harassment of vinegar valentines. This one mocks a lady's nonsense and "peaco*ck pride."Royal Pavilion & Museums
29 of 33
Vinegar valentines were also commonly referred to as "mock" or "comic" valentines though the humor they featured was quite insidious in some ways.Collectors Weekly
30 of 33
A rare vinegar valentine from the 1860s focuses on the grim reality of doctors treating veterans of the Civil War. Collectors Weekly
31 of 33
Vinegar valentines began to fall out of style only in the 1940s but some actually stayed in circulation until as recently as the 1970s. Royal Pavilion & Museums
32 of 33
Similar to the then-unbecoming reality of old maids, this 19th century vinegar valentine reads 'must settle down sometime, but won't throw himself away too early' was meant to insult aging bachelor men. Royal Pavilion & Museums
33 of 33
Vintage card historian Barry Shank wrote that vinegar valentines "were a part of the valentine craze from the earliest years of its commercialization."Royal Pavilion & Museums
33 Nasty ‘Vinegar Valentines’ That Victorians Sent To Mock Each Other For Every Fault You Can Imagine
View Gallery
After seeing the success of the earliest mass-produced valentines, card sellers flipped the format on its head, creating the mean-spirited vinegar valentine. Vinegar valentines of the 19th century were simply called "mocking" or "comic" valentines and were easy to purchase at almost every convenience store.
They were meant to be sent anonymously, just like romantic valentines, and the majority of these vinegar valentine cards used the collective terms of "we," "us," and "everyone," suggesting they were meant to convey a message of public indictment rather than a personal vendetta.
There was a card for every sort of insult you could think of: greed, poor hygiene, rudeness, and even a lack of an attractive physique. Commonly sold for just a penny each, vinegar valentines were very popular among the working class. However, the upper class did not shy away from them either. In fact, they were just as eager, if not more so, to insult their acquaintances through these malicious cards.
To add more salt to the wound, at the time mail was still paid for upon delivery. This meant that not only could a person insult their enemy, but they could also make them pay for the honor of the insult, too.
Sometimes the postmaster confiscated these vulgar cards, deeming them unfit to be mailed. A thoughtful decision given that these vinegar valentines sometimes had terrible consequences.
In 1885, London's Pall Mall Gazette reported that a husband shot his estranged wife in the neck after he received a vinegar valentine from her. A few of these offensive cards were also reportedly the cause of multiple suicides.
During the 19th century, old maids and temptresses were most likely to find a comic valentine in their mailbox, though men were also targets of these public displays of hate, too. In 1866, the New York Times condemned the vinegar valentines as the paper claimed these nasty notes encouraged "a fearful tendency to the development of swearing in males of all ages."
Yet, these messages of disapproval remained quite popular. It's estimated that by the mid-19th century, vinegar valentines made up nearly half of Valentine's Day sales in the U.S.
Ultimately, the novelty — and perhaps mean spirit — of vinegar valentines wore off in the 1940s, although some stayed in circulation until the late 1970s. On the opposite end, the tradition of professing one's affectionate feelings on Valentine's Day has endured to this day, and shows no signs of going away.
Next, check out 23 fascinating Valentine's Day facts that you've surely never heard before. Then, allow these 100-year-old raunchy French postcards to show you what the early 20th century equivalent of Playboy looked like.
