I have been unable to find out when the first Union Jack was waved at the Promenade concerts, but it is a long standing tradition. However, more recently, there have been other flags flown too, most notably that of the European Union, and Ukraine. And, at times, the flag waving gets rather frenetic.
This young lady may be waving a flag, but she looks way too refined to leap in the air - though, if you take a second look, she is only raising the flag in one hand, the other is raising her skirt to show a shapely ankle. In 1900, when this set was issued, this was pretty shocking....
First of all, you can read lots more about Rutter and its story elsewhere on this website - with our card of the day for the 16th of March, 2022.
As for this set it is listed in our original World Tobacco Issues Index as ;
- GIRLS, FLAGS & ARMS OF COUNTRIES (A). Sm. 66 x 36. Unnd. (24). See H.383 ... R66-6
that same text appears in our updated version, but there is a new card code, of R980-400.
As far as the H code, that from the original version of the World Tobacco Issues Index leads you to the handbook published by the London Cigarette Card Company in 1950, where the text reads ;
- H.383. GIRLS, FLAGS & ARMS OF COUNTRIES (adopted title). Fronts per Fig.383 in colour, blue background. Unnumbered series of 24.
Pre-1919 -
Anonymous - plain back
Rutter - dark blue printed back
1. Austria Hungary
2. Belgium
3. Canada
4. China
5. Cuba
6. Denmark
7. France
8. Germany
9. Great Britain
10. Greece
11. Holland
12. Ireland
13. Italy
14. Japan
15. Mexico
16. Norway
17. Portugal
18. Russia
19. Scotland
20. Spain
21. Sweden
22. Switzerland
23. Turkey
24. United States of America.
As far as the retail prices of these cards in 1950, they appear in the catalogue, which is uniform with the handbook, listed as :
24. * Girls, Flags & Arms of Countries ; - H.383
- A. Blue back ... as odds 25/- to 75/- each
- B. Plain back ... no odds available.
It is entirely possible that the plain back version was either a remainder or cards cut down from a printer`s proof sheet, and today you will often see them listed in auctions as "Plain Back Proof"s. It seems to never be suggested, anywhere, that it was an anonymous version issued by another manufacturer, or in another country. And, tellingly, it is tied to Rutter in the London Cigarette Card Company Catalogue.