This is actually a more complex set than most collectors realise, and there are not just three versions but six, including two larger sized ones which supply quite a lot of background information. These are listed below, in order of issue, though I am not entirely sure about this regarding the two large sets.
| Player "Regimental Uniforms"(blue) 1st Series (July 1912) | ||
| Player "Regimental Uniforms"(brown) 2nd Series (March 1913) | ||
| Player "Regimental Uniforms"(brown) 1st Series (July 1914) | ||
| Player "Regimental Uniforms" (large) 1914 | ||
| Player "Allied Cavalry" (large) 1914 |
||
| Anonymous "Regimental Uniforms" (July 1936) | ||
| Anonymous similar series, issued in South Africa - or is this above? |
I have placed them thus, because I think the large set of "Regimental Uniforms" was reissued and retitled a short way into the First World War, for several reasons, about which more later. The inclusion of Russia causes a problem to this though, and means that neither set could have appeared before July 1914, for it was only in that month that Russia agreed to fight on the side of the Allies and not the other side.
Anyway, the group appears first in our original John Player reference book, RB.17, issued in 1950, where they are listed as :
REGIMENTAL UNIFORMS. Small cards. Fronts in colour. Backs with descriptive text.
- 165. A Series of 50. Numbered 1-50.
A. Backs in blue. Home issue, July 1912. Colour varieties occur at No.9, 16 and 32 - bearskin in (a) green (b) black
B. Backs in brown. Home issue, July 1914. Cards with cream backs are known.
C. Backs in blue. Anonymous issue, July 1936.
similar series, anonymous cards, issued in South Africa.
- 166.. 50. Second Series. Numbered 51-100. Backs in brown. Home issue, March, 1913. Several minor varieties are known.
REGIMENTAL UNIFORMS. Extra Large cards - See "Allied Cavalry" (item 8).
Item 8, at the front of the book, reads as so :
- 8. 10. ALLIED CAVALRY or REGIMENTAL UNIFORMS. Extra large cards. From original watercolours by HARRY PAYNE. Fronts in colour. Backs in red-brown, with descriptive text. Home issue, about 1914. Unnumbered.
A. Titled "Allied Cavalry"
B. Titled "Regimental Uniforms"
- BELGIUM - 2nd Regiment ...
- BELGIUM - 4th Regiment ...
- FRANCE - Field Artillery ...
- FRANCE - A Spahi ...
- FRANCE - Trooper ...
- INDIA - The Imperial Cadet Corps ...
- INDIA - Lance Daffadar ...
- INDIA - 26th King George`s Own ...
- RUSSIA - Officer and Trooper
- RUSSIA - Trumpeter
Looking at these two sets in the flesh tells us there is another difference, in the top section of the reverse, because beneath the "Regimental Uniforms" it says "A SERIES OF 10 Original Water Colour Sketches" - but on the "Allied Cavalry", "A Series of 10" is moved above the title box, and beneath it now says "From Original Water Colour Sketches BY HARRY PAYNE".
Harry, and his brother Arthur Payne, were prolific illustrators, specialising in military and ceremonial subjects, and their work is most often seen on picture postcards, especially for Gale and Polden and Raphael Tuck.
The paintings are identical on both of the Player large sized sets, which also points to the "Allied Cavalry" coming second, and, maybe, to Harry or Arthur Payne spotting their work had been used and calling Players out on it. This could have been shortly after issue, and led to the "Regimental Uniforms" being quietly withdrawn. However, if some arrangement had been made, and Harry Payne agreed to let the set be re-issued with his full credit on them, then it is entirely possible that, with the First World War getting ever more press, the decision was made to change the title to "Allied Cavalry" at the same time they added the credits in.
I cannot see any reason why Harry Payne would want his name removed but allow Player`s to use the same pictures uncredited. And that is another reason as to how I base my order of issue.
Back to our cards, knowing this will read a lot better once I use a large card and can relocate the above with it they next appear in our original World Tobacco Issues Index, but in a different order, for first up comes :
- ALLIED CAVALRY. Extra-Lg. Unnd. (10). See RB.17/8 and H.340 ... P72-14
That is followed by :
- REGIMENTAL UNIFORMS. Extra-Lg. Unnd. (10). See RB.17/8 and H.340 ... P72-46
- REGIMENTAL UNIFORMS. Sm. Nd. ... P72-47
1. "A Series of 50". See RB.21/217-165. Back in (A) blue (B) brown.
2. "Second Series". Nd. 51/100. (50). Back in brown.
backs are known.
As far as the anonymous issue, that appears in the back of the book, under section 2.C, "Overseas issues through B.A.T." as :
- REGIMENTAL UNIFORMS. Sm. Nd. (50). See RB.21/217-165.C ... ZB6-62
The reference to H.340 appears here for the first time, and links to the newly published London Cigarette Card Company Handbook, published in 1950, the same year as our John Player reference book. Most of the wording is actually the same as item 8 in that book - it primarily adds "(titled series)" after the set name and alters the order of the statements, and the list of cards which follows the entry is identical. However there is one omission, which suggests that they had only examined an extra large set of "Regimental Uniforms" - for our reference book quotes "From original watercolours by HARRY PAYNE.", whilst the handbook listing merely says "...Extra large cards, fronts in colour".
In our updated version of the World Tobacco Issues Index, the only changes are the removal of the links to the original reference books, denoted by "RB", (apart from the RB.21/217-165 linked with the first series, in both colours), and the arrival of new card codes.