This card is here because of all the dogs, the beagle appears to be the only one which howls. In fact many people say that the name beagle comes from the French for `open mouth` which is `bee` (wide open) `gueule` (mouth). Strangely that `gueule` can be taken as rather offensive when talking about a person`s mouth, but it is fine when used for an animal.
And I did not realise how lengthy this description would be, or how many different versions I would encounter. So as this is the first time that any have been featured it becomes the home page for them all, listing all the possibilities but linking out to more details of each particular one as they are featured in either a newsletter or as a Card of the Day.
Peculiarly, Edwards, Ringer and Bigg only issued the dogs, as a set of twenty three cards, and they did not have a set title.
There is no reference book for Edwards, Ringer and Bigg, so their first appearance is in the London Cigarette Card Handbook of 1950. That describes our set, and all the oher variations, as :
- H.64. FOWLS, PIGEONS & DOGS or DOGS AND FOWLS, or DOGS SERIES. (titled, except Edwards, Ringer & Bigg). Fronts in colour, illustrated in Notes & News, Vol.1. No,4.
Pre-1919
- Churchman - Titled "Dogs & Fowls". Series of 38 (April 1908)
- Edwards, Ringer & Bigg - Untitled series of 23. Dogs only (March 1908)
- Ogden - Titled "Fowls, Pigeons & Dogs". Series of 50 (3 variations No.12) Illustrated in "Notes & News Vol.1 No.6 (May 1904)
- Smith - Titled "Fowls, Pigeons & Dogs"..Series of 50 (May 1908)
Trade -
- Fry (cocoa) - Titled "Fowls, Pigeons & Dogs".. Series of 50
Overseas -
- Gevolgelte (Holland) - Titled "Durven & Housen". Series of 48
- Imperial Tobacco Co. of Canada - Titled "Dogs Series". Series of 23, serial No, 7605. Recorded in Burdick under C.7, page 40
Their next appearance comes in our original World Tobacco Issues Index, as :
- DOGS SERIES. (A) Sm. Unnd. (23). See H.64 and Ha.64 ... E14-16
A. Back inscribed "Smoke Exmoor Hunt Mixture"
B. Back inscribed "Smoke Klondyke Cigarettes"
And from now on, as we feature these other issuers, I will link them in on this above list, using bold type.