Now you may be surprised to hear that this card is not advertising underwear, but tractors. And the "slip" mentioned actually refers to the way that tractors can slide slowly sideways, making their ploughed furrows wider at one end than the other, wasting valuable growing land.
David Brown & Sons did not start out making tractors when they were founded in 1860, their first product being wooden gears for the local textile industry. It was not until the 1920s, when a distant descendant somehow got involved with a Mr. Ferguson, that tractors came along, namely the Ferguson-Brown. This was made in the factory at Huddersfield, and soon became much sought after within the farming community, not just because of its excellent manufacture, but because it came with a hydraulic lift and a three-point linkage. If you are not a tractor buff, that means that when you add an implement, i.e. a plough, to the tractor, you can secure it more firmly, and also raise and lower it not by hand, but by harnessing the power of hydraulics, which are both easier and faster.
For some reason, in the mid 1930s, this great team broke up, probably because the American market was more enticing to Mr. Ferguson, as he teamed up with Henry Ford. David Brown was not put off, and kept on making tractors, though he did move to a larger site at Meltham Mills, perhaps there had been some money involved with the break up. In 1939 his first solo tractor production was exhibited to much acclaim, at the Royal Show.
Sadly this was short lived, as with the coming of the Second World War his factory was taken over for war production and though he was still allowed to make tractors it was on the understanding that the Air Force would have priority on taking them. These were also slightly different, and constructed specially so that they could haul aircraft out to the runways, or bombs on trailers.
After the Second World War it took a while for things to return to normal. We know that in the mid 1950s Mr. Brown took over the "Albion" company, (actually Harrison, McGregor and Guest Ltd, of Leigh, Lancashire), who had making farm equipment since before the 1900s. This gave him a second, much needed, factory, too, which was as at that time he was big business, having contacts and interests in America, Australia, Canada, both Eire and Northern Ireland, Europe, and South Africa.
However, as the 1960s went on, in England there were changes; the countryside was beginning to recede, young people did not want to work on farms, they were too costly to run, and they had huge areas of land which were facing advances to be sold off to build houses and entire new towns on - and there was also much competition from other tractor companies, as well as a glut of second hand machines coming on to the market cheaply when farms folded and were sold at auction - and so the factory at Leigh was closed in the 1960s too.
Then, in the 1970s, David Brown was sold, to Tenneco of Houston, Texas, and merged with their subsidiary, the Case company, who, rather nicely, kept both names, as Case/David Brown.
This set was their only cartophilic issue. And I am rather fond of it, but mainly because of the way it is written up in "Bill" Wareham`s "Cartophily Britannia", which is such great fun. However this does call the date into question, because it was written up as part of the "New Issues - Collect Them Now" column, as part of issue No.17, volume 2, May 1959 - and also the number of cards quoted to comprise a full set. His write up is as follows :
- David Brown Ltd. 3 "IS YOUR SLIP SHOWING". Nd. 33 x 108 m/m. These real glossy black and white photos of a Miss Gloria Glebeland have real man appeal and no mistake. The young lady is shown in three different poses with her slip quite definitely showing. In each of the three pictures, Gloria is shown to be saying "Is your slip showing?". In one, the word "your" is underlined, in another the word "slip", and in the other, of course, "showing". Backs in grey are headed "Personal Paragraph No. 1, 2 or 3". Different pictures are found with different paragraphs on back, so it may be possible to collect nine different, though only five have so far been seen by us. Personal Paragraph No.2 reads : - "People who know Gloria Glebeland will say that she is not an easy girl to forget. Certainly she is not a girl who forgets easily. That`s why we knew she wouldn`t slip up about reminding you "Is your slip showing?". She means, of course, the invisible wheel-slip that can lose you as much as an acre of ploughing a day. If you want to know how to stop this, once and for all, ask us, not Gloria." From this, readers will realise that Brown`s are makers of gears employed in tractors and the cards are directed to users of same. Who said the farmers get no fun? Certainly not Gloria, ha, ha."
Before I continue to plough on, I have to say that, of course, this is not really a lady called Gloria Glebeland, the surname being a play on two farming words, "Glebe", and "Land", both meaning fields. The Gloria must have been chosen for her forename simply because of the alliteration. But as to why she really was, who knows; the photographer`s girlfriend wondering if she could become an actress - or an actress, wondering if she will ever become a star. If anyone recognises her, or knows more, do let us know.
Anyway, the set next appears in our original British Trade Index part two, slightly less humorously described, as :
David BROWN
Tractors. Reference to tractors occurs in Personal Paragraph on back.
- IS YOUR SLIP SHOWING? Lg. 109 x 83. Black glossy photos of Gloria Glebeland. Back inscribed at top right "Personal Paragraph No. ...", at base "David Brown/DTV 358". Nd. (3). ... BRP-1
Whilst in our updated British Trade Index it is catalogued as :
David BROWN
Tractors. Indicated on backs. Issued 1954..
- IS YOUR SLIP SHOWING? 109 x 83. Black glossy photos of Gloria Glebeland. Nd. (3). ... BRO-670