Card of the Day - 2022-02-25

this set was issued in several versions, ours being the earliest by a UK manufacturer, even though the cards never appeared in packets in this country, it was only ever an overseas issue. That is why it has no “P/” number, for it never appeared in the original John Player reference booklet.

In the same year, 1923, British American Tobacco issued two sets, one is titled “The Bonzo Series” whilst the other series has plain backs. 1924 saw it as a trade set from Spratt's Dog Food, called “The Bonzo Series”, whilst in 1925 it was issued in South Africa by United Tobacco as “Studdy Dogs”. We had to wait until 1928 for the first UK issue, by Singleton & Cole Ltd of Shrewsbury as “Bonzo Series”.

That is where most reference books end, but the excellent and entertaining Studdying With Bonzo has also discovered another set, by Jahamdesrivaux & Albert of Martinique. Actually by translating the back, which is displayed at this site, you find out that these were two separate issuers, not one as I had supposed, and that their only connection seems to be that they both had premises in the same street, Messrs A. Jahamdesrivaux at number 21 and Victor Albert at number 6. By the way these are listed it seems like Mr. Jahamdesrivaux had started the scheme up because he is first listed although he is further down the street. Though I suppose that all depends from which way you start walking. This set is very scarce, and the reason is on the back, for it was part of a prize scheme in which if the smoker sent 500 of the coupons to either of those traders, they would receive in exchange a box of 500 “Three Roses” cigarettes.

And if you go to the main page of that Studdying site, you can read more about the lovely Bonzo and his creator, artist George Studdy, as well as see all the other ephemera and memorabilia he appeared on.