Card of the Day - 2024-09-09

Impel Mickeys World Tour
Impel [trade/commercial ; cards : OS - USA] "Disney" - Mickey`s World Tour (1991) 

This card represented the bagpipes, for they are a class at the Pitlochry Highland Games.

Some say that this celebrates rebellion, and remembers how bagpipes were banned after the Battle of Culloden in 1745. Not just banned, but considered an instrument of war, so much so that if you were caught with them on your person you would be punished and hard, by the loyalist government. The wearing of kilts was also outlawed. This ban lasted for forty years.

These events begin with a parade of pipe bands, which goes around the town, and these bands are then judged on smartness of turnout and overall marching ability as far as being in step at all times. The prize for the best band currently stands at £500, well worth winning. And the section continues with classes for juniors, and pipers of all ages. 

Mickey Mouse actually has quite a long association with bagpipes, but not as far back as Culloden - for in his first sound film "Steamboat Willie", released in 1928, he is shown amusing himself on board the boat by using the kitchenware, and then the assorted animals, as musical instruments, at which point he squeezes a duck as if it were bagpipes. 

This set is actually three sets, "Favorite Stories" (cards 1-99) being a look back at cartoons from the archives - "Family Portraits" (cards 100-171) which show characters and scenes - and "World Tour" (cards 172-207) which start with cards with postcard backs, and then, from card 181, have a fun guide to touring on the reverses instead.  Cards 208, 209, and 210 are checklists to these three sections, in that order. There were also two hologram cards, which seem to be quite rare.

The entire checklist can be seen at The Trading Card Database/Impel Disney 1991

The cards were sold in packets of fifteen, or in boxes, and there was also a special edition sold through Toys R Us.