Here we have the Afghan Hound, who is the oldest pure bred dog in the world. They are hunting dogs, and they do indeed come from Afghanistan, however some people believe that this was not where they started, and even that they were the two dogs on Noah`s Ark.
Just like yesterday`s dog, they were held close inside their country for centuries, making their first trip to England only in the nineteenth century. Some say that this was with returning soldiers from the Afghan wars and others that one came over with a visiting Afghan prince. They are beautiful, intelligent, and devoted to their owners, but they also need their independence, and to be allowed to run free of their lead, when the urge strikes them, in a safe place.
You may not be surprised that they appear on many cigarette and trade cards. The Trading Card Database/AfghanHound lists twenty-one, but this omits several European cards which can be seen at Atlas/Afghan.
There is also some dispute as to the earliest card of an Afghan Hound. It is often said to be John Player`s 1931 set of "Dogs" by Arthur Wardle, the ones with the white background, which was also made as a set of transfers. I can definitely add at least one that is earlier, though, and that is J.A. Pattreiouex`s untitled set of "Animal Studies", which was issued in 1925 with "Junior Member" Cigarettes, on which card A.175 shows "Afghan Hound Kanee". She was a lady dog, born in 1919, by Rajah and out of Begum, both of whom were imported from Baluchistan, by a Miss Jean Manson. We also know that "Kanee" was entered at Crufts, in February 1922, but not by Miss Manson, by a Major G. Bell-Murray, who turns out to be the breeder, and appears to have hung on to her until 1924, when he transferred her to a Miss J.C. Manson, presumably the owner of the parents?
Anyway, back to our card, it is first listed in our original reference booklet to the issues of John Player, RB.17, published in 1950, as :
75. 50. DOGS` HEADS (1940) - Silver-grey background. Small cards. Fronts per Fig.8.E in colour, with frameline, silver-grey background. Back in grey, with descriptive text, large green numerals overprinted. Irish issue, August 1940.
In our World Tobacco Issues Indexes the listing is shortened, to :
DOGS` HEADS. Sm. Silver-grey background. Nd. (50). Large green numerals overprinted on back. Irish issue.