Here is, most obviously, some kind of parrot, but we do not know which species. There is also no title, so it was given the title of "Birds of the East" by early researchers, most probably because `Ruby Queen` Cigarettes were issued in China, India, and the East.
If we look in to these areas, China records parrots, though most, today, would be considered parakeets. The earliest record of these birds comes in The Book of Rites, by Confucius, who was born in 551 B.C. We also know that they were natives, and that they were later exported, most usually as gifts to visiting dignitaries. India also has way more parakeets than parrots, in fact only one true parrot, the Vernal hanging parrot. The rather generic term "The East" could be anywhere. The continents with the most parrots are South America and Australasia, but this was outside the area of the `Ruby Queen` brand.
This set waits right until our Wills reference book part five, or, more correctly, "RB.19 – The Cigarette Card Issues of W.D. & H.O. Wills Parts I to IV (revised) and Part V", published in 1951. It makes up for it with a lengthy description though, which reads :
- BIRDS OF THE EAST (adopted title). Size 63 x 35 m/m. Unnumbered. Artists impressions of Birds of the East, a few being identifiable with actual avicultural species. Fronts lithographed in colour, borders in different colours. Backs in red, with illustration of closed "Ruby Queen" packet. 50 subjects illustrated in Figs.95 and 96. "Ruby Queen" issues - item 355 in May 1912, and the whole 50 subjects (items 355 and 356) in
January, 1927.
355. 25 1st Series of 25. Nos 1-25 in Fig.95. Similar series issued by B.A.T. ("Eagle Bird" Cigarettes) and Peninsular Tobacco Co. ("Hawagharri" Cigarettes)
356. 25 2nd Series of 25. Nos 26-50 in Fig.96. Similar series issued by Peninsular Tobacco Co. ("Hawagharri" Cigarettes)
Each series, as issued, is believed to have been made up with six cards with three colours of border, seven cards with the fourth colour of border. The basic border colours were (a) pink (b) green (c) blue (d) mauve, but over twenty different shadings, some falling directly between the above, are known. Backs very from red to rose-pink, and several printings can be detected. Cards are found with backs reversed in relation to fronts.
The colour differences in the printing are strange, as the printing date, of May 1912, appears in the Wills Works Magazine, and that means they were printed in this country and exported to be circulated. However some Wills collectors believe that once the cards ran out they were reprinted locally. And this is also supported by the fact that the next `Ruby Queen` set on that list of printing dates is "Chinese Transport", but not until February 1914. And after that there is an even longer gap, until our set, but marked as "Birds of the East, reissue", and dated January 1927.
By the time of our original World Tobacco Issues Index, the set appears in the Wills listings under section 4 for "Export issues quoting certain brands", and sub-section "F", under which the header reads : "Ruby Queen". Issued in China, India, and the East, 1911-1928. Backs with illustration of closed "Ruby Queen" packet in various shades of red or pinkish red, seven minor back variations (backs 1-7) differing in Trade Mark panel on packet. See C.N.N. Vol.21, page 204. Small size, 63 x 36 m/m." The set is catalogued as :
- BIRDS OF THE EAST (A). Sm. Unnd. (50). Borders in pink, green, blue or mauve. See W/355-6. Backs 2, 4, 5, 6 seen ... W62-327
The only change to this in the updated World Tobacco Issues Index is the fact that they appear in section 5F, and to the card code, which is now W675-468.
Now remember that there were two other issuers mentioned in the Wills book. These also appear in our original World Tobacco Issues Index, as :
British-American Tobacco Co.
2. Issues quoting brand names.2.J "Eagle Bird" Cigarettes. Cards with name of firm, issued 1908-1929 in China, India, Malaya and Siam, All small size and unnumbered, unless stated
- BIRDS OF THE EAST (A). (25) See W/355 ... B116-153
and
Peninsular Tobacco Co. Ltd., India
Associate of B.A.T. Cards issued 1908-16. Small size 63-65 x 35-37 m/m.
- BIRDS OF THE EAST (A). Sm. Unnd. ... P22-3
1. Back "Monchyr, Bengal, India". (25) See W/355
2. Back "Monchyr, India (25) See W/356
Both these entries remain the same in the updated World Tobacco Issues Index, again save the card codes, which alter to and P321-100 respectively.
Now if we return to our issue, and turn to our updated Wills book, that lists both versions, and gives us yet another issuer - the full text on there is :
- 355. BIRDS OF THE EAST 1st Series (A). "Ruby Queen Cigarettes" packet backs 2, 4, 5 and 6 in pink. Unnd. (25). Issued in the Far East, May, 1912, re-issued Jan., 1927. Similar series issued by B. A. T. (Eagle Bird) and Peninsular Tobacco Co. (India).
- 356. BIRDS OF THE EAST 2nd Series (A). "Ruby Queen Cigarettes" packet back 2, 4, 5 and 6 in pink. Unnd. (25) Issued in the Far East, Jan., 1927. Similar series issued by Peninsular T. C. (India). The two series of Birds of the East were issued in a combined numbered version by Rich's (Denmark).
This new issuer leads us to Caspar Friedrich Paulus Rich, who bought a factory and shop that was already producing a coffee substitute made of dandelion roots. He bought the factory off of a man called Jacob Luders von Hoyer, who had previously been a military man, and the factory also seems to have had an added bonus, some kind of licence to collect the dandelions from the ramparts of the town walls of Copenhagen.
In 1874 Caspar Friedrich Paulus Rich died, and his sons took over the business, at which time they renamed it to C. F. Rich & Sonner's Kaffe-surrogat-fabrik. One of the sons, Georg, left in 1889, and it seems related to the sale of part of the company to another firm, a grocers. Georg died in 1916, and the other son in 1923.
Shortly after that, cards began to be inserted in the packets. This included our set, listed as "Birds of China", a set of fifty cards issued in 1926. The bulk of the issues were between 1925 and 1930. And I will tell you more when I discover it!