And lastly we have Hans Lippershey, the inventor of the telescope, which really is the best way to see any kind of moon.
Though here it is shown being used for what was its most usual use originally, scanning the sea (or land) for signs of invasion
This set first appears in our original reference book to the issues of R. & J. Hill, RB.2, issued in 1942. There were several versions of it, five in all, including two which were issued later, in 1934, which have been tackled elsewhere. (to be tracked down)
The text of the 1907 versions in this booklet reads :
1907. 20. INVENTORS AND THEIR INVENTIONS. (titled series). Size 2 11/16" x 1 1/2". Numbered 1-20. Fronts, printed four colour letterpress with marginal line and white margins. Backs, printed in jet black, with descriptions and inscribed "Issued by R. & J. Hill Ltd., Pipe Mixture Specialists...."
1907. 20. INVENTORS AND THEIR INVENTIONS. (titled series). Size 2 11/16" x 1 1/2". Numbered 1-20. Exactly as foregoing, but backs are printed in grey-black instead of jet black; in most cases the numerals are smaller in this printing.
20. INVENTORS AND THEIR INVENTIONS. (titled series). Size 2 11/16" x 1 1/2" approx. Numbered 21-40. (This is not inscribed 2nd Series, but the subjects are different from the above). Fronts, printed in four colour letterpress with marginal line and white margins : subjects titled. Backs, printed in olive-green, with descriptions and inscribed "Issued only by R. & J. Hill Ltd. (Proprietors of Hy. Archer & Co.)". (See Henry Archer & Co.). This set is also known to exist with plain backs.
That may be the first reference, but they appeared in the 1950 London Cigarette Card Company catalogue as :
23. C2. C. 20 Inventors & Their Inventions Series, Nd. 1-20 (1907) - H.213
A. Black back, white card ...................... odds 4/6 to 12/6, sets £12
B. Black back, toned card (shorter) .... odds 8/6 to 25/-, no sets available24. C2. C. 20 Inventors & Their Inventions Series,
Nd. 21-40 (1907) ..................................... odds 15/- to 40/-, no sets available
The abbreviations in the first three columns are their reference number, the size, C2 being slightly smaller than the standard C size, and the second C meaning that the cards are coloured.
As for the H.213, this refers to their own handbook, which was compiled by their Charles Lane Bagnall and our Edward C. Wharton Tigar, and published uniform with their catalogue in 1950. That description opens a huge can of worms and reads :
H.213. INVENTORS AND THEIR INVENTIONS SERIES - or - GREAT INVENTORS - or - INVENTORS SERIES - or - SCIENTIFIC INVENTIONS AND DISCOVERIES (mostly titled series but some untitled). Fronts in colour (except Hill`s post-1920 plain backed issues). Numbered (except Hill`s plain backed issues)
There is a basic similarity only in the various issues, a total of over 50 different subjects occurring in the combined series. Hill used the series first in 1907, and subsequent issuers substituted cards to cover new inventions, adjusting and renumbering accordingly.Pre `1919 Hill - Titled "Inventors and Their Inventions Series" (except plain backed anonymous issues)
Nd. 1-20 Black back, white card
Nd. 1-20 Black back, toned card (shorter)
Nd. 21-40 Green backPost 1920 Anonymous (Hill) - Unicoloured, untitled, unnumbered, plain back. 20 small cards
(a) black and white (b) brown fronts
Hill - Coloured, titled "Scientific Inventions and Discoveries", Nd. 1-35.
A. Small cards, "The Spinet House" back
B. Small cards, "The Spotlight Tobacco" back
C. Large cards.
Murray - Titled "Inventors" Series, Nd. 1-20
Whitford & Sons - Untitled. Nd. 1-20Overseas - Anonymous (Teofani) - Titled "Great Inventors". Back illustrated in C.C.N., Vol.14, page 80. Nd. 1-20
Bucktrout - Untitled series. Nd. 1-20. Cards are found (a) overprinted with high serial numbers - in connection with a prize scheme (b) without serial numbers. Back illustrated in C.C.N., Vol 14, page 96.Trade - Cave, Austin & Co. Ltd (tea, etc) Titled "Inventors" Series. Nd. 1-20
Sword & Co. - Untitled. Nd. 1-20
We have featured two of these versions before, as part of newsletters - the Bucktrout one in the edition dated the 2nd of March, 2024, as the diary card for Tuesday, 5th March - and the Whitford & Sons one in the edition dated 15th of July, 2023, as the diary card for Thursday, 20th July.
We also featured a strange black and white version as our Card of the Day for the 14th of August 2023, this being a set of thirty-five cards in black and white, titled "Scientific Inventions and Discoveries" - but advertising the Spotlight brand of tobacco
In our original World Tobacco Issues Index, the Hill 1907 issue is shortened, to :
INVENTORS AND THEIR INVENTIONS SERIES. Sm. See H.213 ... H46-12
1. Nos 1/20, back in black
A. Size 68 x 37, white card. B. Size 68 x 37, toned card.
2. Nos. 21/40, back in green.
This is more or less the same in the updated version, except that the second series is followed by "(20)", this being the total number in that second set