Card of the Day - 2024-03-25

Cope Boats of the World
Cope Bros & Co. [tobacco : Uk – Liverpool & London] “Boats of the World” (1912) 5/50 - C798-210 : C132-26

Here we have “A Thames Pleasure Skiff”, called Kitty, and I know not why, but perhaps you do.

There is a Thames barge called Kitty, and she is currently for sale, but our card shows a much simpler craft, aboard which are two men, one of whom seems to be doing the rowing, and one of whom is dreaming, gently tickling the waters with his oar.

There is also a lady, who strangely looks a bit like me, now I look at it enlarged to make these notes. Though if it were me, on a boat, I would be wearing a life jacket and several lifebelts.

You will notice she is looking right over the shoulder of the working man and gazing at the tickler. Perhaps there is some wry comment being made by the artist.

To more serious matters, and the answer to the clue, it was, of course, a “boater” which in hat terms is a semi-formal, flat-topped, summer weather headgear, made of stiff straw with a ribbon between the top and the brim.

However, as you see here, it is also the name for anyone who uses a boat for pleasure. And therefore this card is a perfect example.

Now Cope had no special reference book, so this set is only described in our World Tobacco Issues Indexes, rather simply, as :

BOATS OF THE WORLD. Sm. 71 x 36. Nd. (50)