![A560-195: T.420 : RB118/86 [tobacco : OS] American Tobacco Company “Beauties (Playing Card Inset, Green Net Back) – green net being catalogued as version A (1900) two of spades/52](/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/2022-01/american%20tobacco.jpg?itok=1Nz_U0fH)
I am very fond of this card as there are all manner of occasions when binoculars can come in useful for a theme, but it never had a back until now!
The question was why is there a card of a different style in each corner? I didn`t know, but a few of you seem to think that these were the two styles of card numbering in use at the time and it meant that everyone could play with this deck.
It seems to be a card that other people like as well, because I have had a lot of response to its reappearance. I am fairly sure that there were other firm favourites in our former gallery but fear not they will all arrive here in due time, complete with the backs. The idea is to also have an index where they can be searched through - this may take a bit longer!
The sad thing is that this lady will probably never be identified as a person, though she may have been an actual actress, moonlighting as a model, or she may just have sprung from the pen of an artist. However she is definitely a wistful beauty, a presence who comes into our lives but we never get to meet, the very early precursor of the modern day film, tv, or musician crush. I disagree with those who don`t like cards with pin holes, for they prove that at some time that card was an actual pin up, maybe above a camp bed, or in a trench. Today`s equivalent is almost certainly our delight in having our favourite as a telephone or computer wallpaper, but its nowhere near as romantic as this small pasteboard pleasure.