We chose this for our first card because it says, as a rough translation, that badminton originated in Tibet, or Thibet. The key is the words "le jeu d`estocade et le volant" and in French `Jeu de volant" means badminton. The "estocade" is not used today, but it refers to the thrust, or the forward motion, especially as an initial movement. It then goes on to say (translated into English) "which has become a Worldwide game, originated in Thibet, where it has been practised since two centuries".
That being a "maths" related term I am not too sure about whether this means since the second century, or for the last two centuries. I had a look online and found that it is pretty universally believed that the game dates back for at least two thousand years. However it seems to be as popularly believed that it started in China, where it was known as Ti Zian Ji - and where the shuttlecock was kicked, with the feet. More about this later!
Now most of what I originally wrote about this card has been superseded, and re-written before this text was ever shown. This includes the addition of a title and the number (possibly) that are in the set. The magical key to this was supplied by one of our readers, Mr. Sterling who told me this set was also issued in Great Britain, by Thomas Holloway of London, with pills and ointment. That Holloway set is listed in our updated British Trade Index as :
HOLLOWAY`S SPORTS & PASTIMES OF MANY NATIONS. 128 x 76. Nd. (50). Designs as those issued by Arbuckle Coffee in U.S.A. Backs a) 78 New Oxford St., b) 78 New Oxfort St., c) 113 Southwark St. A Spanish edition is also known. ....... HOL-170
Now it does not seem very likely that these are in the order of issue, for "Oxfort" is obviously a typographical error and would have been replaced by "Oxford" - it would have been odd indeed if it had happened the other way round.
Now I have found this card in both the Holloway and Arbuckle Coffee sets, online. In both this card is number 39. Both backs are very similar, and both close the reverse by calling the set "A Pictorial History of the Sports and Pastimes of All Nations".
These also give us an English text, which is : "Battledore and Shuttlecock, now universally played the World over, and popular for more than two centuries is of Thibetan origin. To this day this nation contains the most skilful players. These often attain such efficiency, that they strike the shuttlecock with the soles of their feet". At least it does on the Holloway set, the Arbuckle version starts by calling it "Battledoor". And if you look into the word Battledore it is the technical name for the racket.
Now our card may be the same on the front as the two above, but the reverse is entirely different, plainer, and also unnumbered. The curious thing is that it is not mentioned in the Trade Index, so it seems likely that it was not connected at the time of printing. Maybe this is the first time it has ever been so?
It was issued by a company that seems to have either been a cafe supplier or a cafe, for they cite chicory coffee, and bread or bakery products. Now some places quote the name of the firm as A. Cardon & Duverger, but this is incorrect, if you look closely at the cards the "&" is actually a hyphen of a double barrelled name.
They were based in Sainte Olle les Cambrai, now known as Raillencourt-Sainte-Olle, and it would have been severely altered in The First World War, for it is close to Arras and Cambrai. In fact the local area contains five War Cemeteries, and the graves of almost five hundred Canadian and British soldiers.