Card of the Day - 2022-05-17

This card shows the power of the brain, for “only the human brain is capable of originating a line of mathematical, analytical or synthetical thought”. And yet it goes on to add that “this astounding machine … can do in a few hours work requiring perhaps years of a man`s time”. And that`s why we ended up with A.I.

This machine was called the “Differential Analyser”. The picture is much more thrilling, for here is this huge machine, which, if you look above the box with the three discs you can see that it extends even above this.  I will let you read more about the process by visiting wikipedia

The most fascinating thing is the mention of making these machines by utilising the children`s metal construction toy, Meccano, and you can see one of those very machines in the MOTAT museum in New Zealand, or, for speed, don’t wait for a passport, just hop online

The first appearance of A & M Wix issues come in our original World Tobacco Issues Index, where the header reads :

A. & M. WIX, London and Johannesburg.

Associated with Peter Jackson and International Tobacco Co. Includes brand issue inscribed "Max Cigarettes", and cards inscribed "P.O. Box 5764, Johannesburg" without name of firm.

Our set is listed under section one, "Issues 1935-38. Chiefly in South Africa. All cards in both English and Afrikaans, except set W70-3.B. Special albums issued." 

That odd set out, W70-3.B, is "Speed - Through the Ages", and actually it was available in two versions, one in both languages and one only in English. As to why, I do not know, because out of the four sets in this section it is the only one which was issued in two different versions. By the way, this set was also issued by Peter Jackson, and you can see a card from that in our newsletter for the 19th of November, 2022 - without scrolling down too far either as it is the card for Sunday the 20th of November.

Anyway the listing for our set is :

THIS AGE OF POWER AND WONDER. Sm. 68 x 38 (170) and Lg 76 x 56 (80). Nd. (250). "MAX" brand issue. ... W70-4

The two different sizes was a tactic to make the albums look more like books than card albums. However some of the A. & M. Wix sets included three sizes, most notably "Cinema Cavalcade" (which we show the second series of as our Card of the Day for the 30th of January 2025).

And in some of their sets the albums could be requested in either English or Afrikaans as well. Not sure if it applies in this set`s case because I have never seen an album for this set! But I wait to be educated by our wonderful and knowledgeable readers.

By the way, "MAX" was a brand of cigarettes, and they were made of Virginia tobacco.