Here we have a "Hindoo", with a beard. The Hindu grow their beards for many reasons, most of which have great significance and is often linked to their spirituality. The length of the beard is also important, for a long beard shows that they are not bothered by the concerns of the material world, or, alternatively, that their god made them in this pattern and it is not for a mere man to alter that design.
In times of rebellion, beards were even more important , for it marked them as being different from the clean shaven government officials who had been, quite unwontedly, "put in charge". It seems that it is only in this context that there is any notion of it being more masculine to grow a beard.
We also know that some Hindu gods were shown with beards. Brahma, the creator, has a long white beard to show his great age and also his wisdom. But it seems that this was added later, as the earliest statues show him clean shaven. The truth is that many things were altered over time, to add features that the current generation, or imposed rulers, preferred - and also, sadly, things were removed which did not fit so well with modern ethics and ideals.
The set is recorded in our original reference book to Taddy issues, RB.12, issued in 1948. The entry reads as follows, though do note that it does number the cards, though they are not numbered in actuality :
- 22. 25. NATIVES OF THE WORLD. (untitled). Size 2 3/5" x 1 1/2" or 67 x 35 m/m. Unnumbered. Fronts : per Fig,15, lithographed in colour. Backs ; per Fig,16 in blue
- Abyssinian
- Afghan
- Arab Lady
- Australian (Aboriginal)
- Bedouin
- Burmese Girl
- Chinaman
- Congo Warrior
- Daughter of Japan
- Hairy Ainu
- Hindoo
- Java Woman
- Kaffir Warrior
- Laplander
- Maori
- Norwegian Bride
- Pygmy, Central Africa
- Red Indian
- Samoan
- Solomon Islander
- Somali
- Tibetan
- Turkish Lady
- Uled Nail Woman
- Zulu Woman
Similar series issued by Sniders and Abrahams with "Standard Cigarettes" in Australia
We featured that Australian version as our Card of the Day for the 16th of February, 2025. It is curious that the pictures are identical, especially as they did not appear for five years, at least, after our set. And James Taddy was still very much in existence.
By the time of our original World Tobacco Issues Index, the Taddy version was recorded as :
- NATIVES OF THE WORLD. (A). Sm. Unnd. (25). See RB.12/22 and H.419 ... T6-19
This text is more or less the same in our updated World Tobacco Issues Index, except that the reference to the Taddy booklet, RB.12, has been excised, and he set has been given a new card code of T045-300