Card of the Day - 2022-05-06

This super train, complete with cow-catcher front, is sadly only described as "Early Locomotive, U.S.A."

We did a little hunting and we can state that it is not the first ever American locomotive, that being the Stourbridge Lion, which was actually made in Stourbridge, England, in 1829, and shipped across to America. The lion part is because it had the face of a lion painted on the front. Though it was intended to be used for hauling coal wagons, it never was, for it was too heavy. 

However we will keep looking. 

This set appears in two of our original reference books, Wills parts II and III. The earliest description catalogues our set as ;

24. LOCOMOTIVE ENGINES AND ROLLING STOCK. (untitled).
It appears necessary to rename this series as catalogue compilers do not agree and existing titles are incorrect.  
Numbered on fronts. Fronts printed in full colour without frame lines. “Wills`s Cigarettes” above subject which is titled at base. Backs : Star and circle ornamental design, without “Ld.” after name in circle, in grey. There are two series :-

A. Series of 50, with 7 extra cards. WITHOUT I.T.C. clause on backs. The 7 extra cards can be distinguished from the originals as in each case the second or corrected card shows a more modern type of engine – for the day. Brief details are as follows : -
Card No.24 – (1) Great Western Express Engine. Flying Dutchman
                         (2) Great Western Express Engine
               25. – (1) 6 wheeled tender
                         (2) 8 wheeled tender
               26. – (1) 4-2-2 (8 wheeled) engine
                         (2) 4-4-2 (10 wheeled) engine
               28. – (1) 4-4-0 (8 wheeled) engine
                         (2) 4-6-0 (10 wheeled) engine
               29. – (1) 4-4-0 (8 wheeled) engine
                         (2) 4-6-0 (10 wheeled) engine
               30. – (1) 6 wheeled tender
                         (2) 8 wheeled tender
               32. – (1) 4-4-0 (8 wheeled) engine
                         (2) 0-6-4 (10 wheeled) engine
The records of Wills show the date of issue as August, 1903. Set (A) was probably intended for export brands, but cards of both series are so invariably found mixed in old collections that it appears that both series were issued in this country. 

Now the section for W/24.B, the cards with an I.T.C. Clause, appears as our card of the day for the 9th of January 2024 

In Wills part III there is a correction to the above, that being :

24. LOCOMOTIVE ENGINES AND ROLLING STOCK – see page 67. 
In the listing of cards under A, card No.32 should read “4-2-2 (8 Wheeled) Engine”. 

However in our World Tobacco Issues Indexes the listing reads just “LOCOMOTIVE ENGINES AND ROLLING STOCK (A) Sm. Nd. (50) See W/24”. There is no mention of an A, a B, nor the altered cards, though it does cross reference to the original Wills partworks - which are very usefully reprinted as one hardback volume.