Now this is a very pertinent card for this week because this little man`s life was directly influenced by the Treaty of Versailles. He looks about eight, so in his lifetime already he had probably lived in Montenegro, then in the Land of the South Slavs, then, from 1918, in the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes, and then, finally, in Jugo-Slavia as it says on this card. However there is a bit of a problem here, because by the time this version of this card was issued in 1934, he was living in the Kingdom of Yugoslavia, created in October 1929. Not sure why Franklyn Davey did not change this, and also I have to wonder whether any other boundaries had shifted, making other cards not exactly correct.
The Treaty of Versailles did not make these changes, though it did, very importantly, recognise The Serbo-Croat-Slovene Kingdom by adding its name to the signatories. Unfortunately others were not so happy, most notably Italy, who firmly believed that part of that area should have been given to them for helping us in the First World War. There are also rumours that the Allies did indeed promise this to the Italians, and that documents were even signed to that effect, but then they reneged and gave it elsewhere. Some even say this this is why Italy fought for us in the First World War, but fought against us, teaming up with the similarly aggrieved Germany, in the Second World War.
This charming set first appears in our original World Tobacco Issues Index, with this brief description : "CHILDREN OF ALL NATIONS. Sm. Nd. (50). Cut-outs. See RB.21/200-168.E" And that is repeated, but with a new code, in our updated version.
However RB.21, being our British American Tobacco Company reference booklet, is always proof of export versions, and often more than one, and here we are amply rewarded, with
RB.21/200-168. CHILDREN OF ALL NATIONS. Series recorded in W/168 and RB.15/58. All the printings of the series are summarised below :
A. Wills` Overseas issue.
B. I.T.C. of Canada issue, inscribed "7718"
C. U.T.C. issue.
D. Ogden Home Issue
E. Franklyn Davey Home Issue.Printings A-C are B.A.T. issues, printings D-E are I.T.C. issues. Printings A, D, and E are cut-outs.
Quickly comparing of these issues in other books allow us to add that
A - W.D. & H.O. Wills - text is slightly different in our World Tobacco Indexes, being - "Sm. Subjects die-cut to stand out. Nd. (50) See RB.21/200-168.A". However there is a much fuller description in our original Wills reference book (part IV), namely : "Fronts printed by letterpress in colour. Subjects cut and perforated to stand out. Backs in grey with descriptive text. Issued in New Zealand, between 1925-30. Similar series issued by Franklyn Davey, Imperial Tobacco Co of Canada, Ogden, and United Tobacco Co. (South Africa)" The actual date of issue of this version, according to Wills own records, was March 1925
B - Imperial Tobacco Company of Canada, Ltd - quite a few differences here, the full text being "Sm. 68 x 36. Nd. (50). Serial 7718. See RB.21/200-168B. Ref. USA/6. This version was issued in 1924.
C - United Tobacco Companies (South), Ltd., South Africa - our original World Tobacco Issues Index has a text of "Sm. Nd. (50). See RB.21/200-168.C", this does not include the word "Cut-outs". In the updated version it adds "67 x 36." after the "Sm." and before the "Nd." This version was issued in 1928
D - Ogden`s - RB.15/58 tells us very much the same as the Wills description above : "Fronts printed by letterpress in colour. Subjects cut and perforated to stand out. Backs in green with descriptive text. Home issue, 1924. Similar series issued by Franklyn Davey, Imperial Tobacco Co of Canada, Wills, and United Tobacco Co. (South Africa)". Our original World Tobacco Issues Index simply says "Sm. Nd. (50). Cut-outs. See RB.21/200-168.D" However our updated version adds that "uncut cards are known". This version was issued in 1924