Newsletter - 2024-03-23

The Nestle Co [trade : UK - Croydon] "Animals of the World" (1968) 17/24 - NES-050 : NES-21

#WorldBearDay

Bears have a rough time of it, through what is called humanity, their parts being used for medicine, and their souls for all manner of what is really not entertainment. Today we are asked to think about what they should be doing, roaming free, and enjoying life. LIke most animals they are not dangerous unless cornered or provoked, and only ask to be left alone. 

There is a curious saying to do with bears, and that is "Now come on, don`t be grizzly." I wonder why it has been connected with this magnificent animal, who is far from grizzly in the miserable, whining sense with which it is often quoted. And the truth is that a child never cries for nothing. It may turn out to be trivial, to you, or it may be life-threatening, to them. But what it should never be is ridiculed, and ignored.

The reverse tells us that the bear might look fearsome and highly carnivorous, but it "feeds on roots, fruits, honey, etc." It also casually mentions something I did not know, that being that "The bear belongs to the Plantigrade group of mammals which signifies that it uses the entire sole of the foot in walking" (rather than the toe, sole, heel, or vice versa, that humans do). So I have learned something new already.

This card is a new one to me too, for which I give many thanks to Mr. Jackson, who scanned it for us from his collection.

Turns out this is quite an interesting set, being described in our original British Trade Index part II as :

ANIMALS OF THE WORLD. E.L. 147 x 91. 6 cards, each with 4 small cards, 67 x 36. Nd. 1/24, backs dotted for cutting. See D.213

Now D.213 is one of those interesting codes which mean there are other issuers, and these were

• Glengettie Tea
• Hitchman`s Dairies

It is slightly altered in our updated British Trade Index, to :

ANIMALS OF THE WORLD. 1968. 147 x 91. Six cards, each with 4 cards, 67 x 36. Nd. (24). Backs dotted for cutting. See HX-61

John Player [tobacco : UK - Nottingham] "Picturesque Cottages" (December 1929) 24/25 - P644-250 : P72-121 : P/145 [RB.17/145]

Today our first centenary, and it marks the premiere of a film called "The Enchanted Cottage", in 1924. 

This story started off as a play, in 1923, written by the famed Arthur Pinero. One of the people who went to see it, and was touched by its gentle wistfulness, was the actor Richard Barthelmess. He was looking for something to turn into a film for his production company, and he chose this. He cast May McAvoy as his leading lady, and she agreed, despite the fact that she started it as a plain governess who could not seem to find love, only ridicule. 

The basic story is that the cottage is deep in the woods, and the main character, a wounded and disfigured war veteran, runs to it in order to hide away from the world. Then he meets the governess, and they connect, haltingly. And then magic happens, for as they get to know each other the disfigurements and plainness seem to vanish - this magic happens to the viewer too, for the make up and prosthetics department subtly alter the stars until you cannot see a trace. It is kind of a fable, but one we so wish to be true. Or maybe it is a fable that appeals most to those who lack in the exterior beauty stakes and so want people to realise they are beautiful within.

The film was remade about twenty years later, and that starred Dorothy McGuire and Robert Young. 

This cottage was in West Tarring, Sussex, and it was built in the 15th Century. I so hope that it is still there today, and yet I am reluctant to look in case it has been replaced by something which may be more suitable for modern living, but lacks the thrill of the handmade and the artistic.

The reverse also tells us that "the oak is grey and silvery in appearance, the use of tar and the blackening of oak being a later practice." And that means that nothing is new, because in the area where I currently live, once a sea of lovely 1930s mock Tudor semi-detached homes, many have been converted by what I have been guilty of feeling is trying to make them less original, by painting the external beams and wooden crafting a duller greyer hue - when really, probably quite unbeknownst to them too, they have been making them more so. Though I am still not sure of the practise of taking all the beams off and painting the entire exterior in white.

By the way, I did look, and it is possible, though for some reason not mentioned, that this is Thomas A`Becket`s Cottage. Will research that, some time.

Now in our original John Player reference book (RB.17, issued in 1950) this set is described as :

145. 25. PICTURESQUE COTTAGES. Large cards. Fronts in colour. Backs in grey, with descriptive text. Home issue, December 1929.

This is further reduced in our World Tobacco Issues Indexes, to just :

PICTURESQUE COTTAGES. Lg. Nd. (25)

Barratt & Co. Ltd. [trade : confectionery : UK - Wood Green] "Modern British Aircraft" (1948-51) Un/35 - BAR-545 : BAR-84.B

Our second centenary and not the card I wanted. That was Robertson & Woodcock`s "British Aircraft Series" card 33/35, because it actually mentions the events of our centenary - but I could not track one down. So if you have that, and are willing to scan front and back, we would be delighted to replace this with that, or at least to add it if this one grows on me in the interim.

Anyway the story of today is that a three man team led by Squadron Leader McLaren attempted to fly around the world in a Vickers Vulture, a seaplane, which was fitted with a Napier Lion Engine of 450 horsepower. Now this was a change of engines, for it was originally a Rolls Royce Eagle engine. We do not know why this was done. 

One aeroplane flew off from Calshot, and one was sent, in case they needed a spare, to Tokyo by sea. This was a good thing, as the first craft had a hefty crash near present day Burma, in June. The spare was flown across and the attempt resumed. However that only made it to Siberia before coming down in fog. Then the attempt was abandoned, almost certainly because of the superstition which most airmen firmly believe, that being that if there are two crashes it is definite that there will be a third.

Now, you may have noticed that our card shows a Vickers Viking, not a Vulture. In actual fact, official documents show that our Vulture was originally planned to be called the Vickers Viking VI, but it was changed to the Vulture. There are many theories why but the most likely is that the new craft had a specially strengthened wing, and so was heavier - much as a vulture is heavier than most other birds.

The set is described in our original British Trade Index part II, with a twist, because it turns out there are two sets, not just one. That reads as follows :

MODERN BRITISH AIRCRAFT. Md. 60 x 49. Black drawings. Unnd.
A. First 35 subjects
B. Second 35 subjects, includes 25 as A.

Then there is a list of the cards, which I will try and scan some time, some where.

In our updated British Trade Index this wording is altered and becomes a little clearer. That reads :

MODERN BRITISH AIRCRAFT. 1948-51. 60 x 49. Black drawings. Unnd. Two printings. All cards state "Set of 35", but 10 cards were substituted in the later printing. See HB-56.

Themans & Co. [tobacco : UK - Manchester] "War Series" 32/50 - T245-625 : T26-3 : H.86

Our third Centenary card, and it shows Mr. Raymond Poincare, President of France. The reverse tells us that he was born in 1860, became Premier in 1912, and the following year the President of the French Republic. However in 1924, a hundred years ago today, he resigned after defeat.

It seems certain that though his fervent anti German feeling had served him well during the war, it led to his downfall. The general public may have been affected by the War, and badly, but they did not want to live it forever, they wanted to get back to normal, they missed their menfolk who had been killed, and at such times politicians always seem to bear the brunt of their anger. And in 1923 he had been particularly aggressive about making Germany repay their debts. So in the 1924 election, he, and his government, were voted out.

Though he did get another term as prime minister, later on.

Curiously this set seems to have two titles, the front saying "War Series" and the reverse "A Series of Fifty War Portraits". They are generally known as "War Portraits" though, and they are listed as that in our World Tobacco Issues Indexes, as:

WAR PORTRAITS. Sm. 67 x 35. Sepia. Nd. (50). See H.86

These cards were issued with "Sunspot", which we know were Virginia Cigarettes.

Now if you look at the bottom of the central cartouche it says "Forman Nottm". This appears to be the printer, Thomas Forman, who also produced work for John Player of Nottingham. Does anyone know any more about that? 

Our Directory of British Issuers tells us that Themans & Co. were based in Deansgate, Manchester. And also that "Cards are known of series issued by Ogden`s rubber stamped on backs : "Themans & Co., 15 Oxford Street, St. Peter`s, Manchester". So is there anyone who is able to tell us more about these strange rubber-stamped cards? If so, many thanks in advance....

Brooke Bond Foods Ltd [trade : tea & coffee : Canada - Montreal] "North American Wildlife in Danger"/ "Notre Faune en Peril" - series 13 (1970) 19/48 - BRM-38

#ManateeAppreciationDay

Here we have the beautiful, peaceful, plant-eating manatee, just swimming along, minding its own business, in the warm coastal inlets of Florida. Unfortunately it is under threat, mostly from us, who have forced it into Florida from its former area that extended from North Carolina to Texas.

The artist here is only given a pseudonym, of "RIPPER", but he turns out to be Charles L. "Chuck" Ripper, who did several of these sets, including "The Arctic" and "Animals and their Young", and also designed artwork for books and postage stamps. 

These cards are very similar to those which Brooke Bond issued in Great Britain, apart from the rounded edges. I am not sure why this was never tried here because it makes the cards look so much better. They are also true "trade" cards, given free with tea and coffee, in the brands "Red Rose" and "Blue Ribbon".

The albums cost 25 cents.

These cards, though issued in Canada, and North America, do appear in our original British Trade Index part III, as :

Series 13 North American Wildlife In Danger. Nd. (48). Issued 1970.

J. S. Fry & Sons [trade : chocolate : UK - Bristol & London] "Screen Stars" (1940) - FRY-360 : FRY-25

And off we go, once more, to the movies, to see a film starring this young man, Freddie Bartholomew, who was extraordinarily popular in the 1930s. And who is yet another of this week`s centenaries, having been born today in 1924.

He was born in North West London, and died in Florida, in 1992. There is some dispute as to where he was born, between Willesden and Harlesden, possibly because his parents seem to have given him to an aunt soon after he was born. She put him on the stage, in an attempt to occupy him and amuse him, and he loved it. 

When he was just eleven he got the leading role in the film of Charles Dickens "David Copperfield" and had to move to America. His parents also reappeared and wanted him back, or wanted to be more involved in his career, which was going from strength to strength, for he was regularly only narrowly beaten in the popularity polls by Shirley Temple. 

In the late 1930s there was a shock, when he asked for more money from his studio. He was instead suspended, and whilst that was going on he was also growing into a young man, unsuitable for the child roles  that his audience wanted.

Shortly after that he went to war, and was injured. Though he recovered, his career did not, and he found enjoyment in the theatre instead, and then in television, as a director and producer. 

Now if you look quickly at this card you may think it by Godfrey Phillips, but turn it over and it is by Fry. However they really are very similar and I wait to hear the truth behind the why. There is one major difference though, for the Phillips set calls our star Freddie, yet here he is as Freddy.

This card is the best I can make it, so I welcome a better one - also if you have the Godfrey Phillips version, a scan of this card as that would be rather fun. The difficulty I have is making the card light enough to look white without removing the fact that around the oval photo is embossing to make it look like a frame.

Anyway the set is described in our original British Trade Index part I as

SCREEN STARS. Sm. 68 x 35 Nd. (48). See RB.13/121

That, of course, is the reference book to Godfrey Phillips. And will have to be added tomorrow.

The same text appears in our updated British Trade Index but the abbreviation "Sm." is replaced by the date of issue.

Mitcham Foods [confectionery : UK] “Top Flight Stars” (1961) 23/25 – MIT-110 : TNT-1

And to close our newsletter, another centenary, though our man, John Surtees, is rather the red herring, it is the sport which is the celebration. You see today in 1924 saw the first "Motocross" event at Camberley in Surrey, the Southern Scott Scramble". And, thrillingly, the local club are going to celebrate its centenary too. 

It was called a Scramble because it was not a race with rules, instead it was a race more akin to a point to point and the winner would be the rider who had the fastest time.

This idea was thrilling, and soon spread to other clubs, but the name was a bit unwieldy. So someone hit on calling it Motorcycle Cross Country. And then this too was shortened, to Motocross. 

Our man, John Surtees, was born in Surrey too, but about an hour`s drive from Camberley. He was born in February 1934 and his father was a motorcycle dealer. Not just that, but he raced them too - a story has John Surtees actually making his race debut as the ballast in his father`s sidecar, that which shifts from side to side to aid with cornering during the race - though they were disqualified when his true age was revealed.

He did not let that deter him, and would win on two wheels and four - seven times World Champion on bikes, and Formula One Champion in 1964. 

Now this card is curious, and I also owe thanks to another reader, Mr. Leander, for the scans. Having subsequently looked at several versions of this, and the others in the set, I can say it is a very good one indeed and definitely needs this spotlight to bring it to your notice. I will say though that the originals are very light, and Mr Leander has done a way better job than I would have done of what I can only call "zhushing" it up. Though the "W" of the final line of text seems to be blurred in all I have so far seen, to a greater degree, on some it is just a blob.

Now this issuer does not appear in our Directory of British Issuers, issued in 1946, nor our original World Tobacco Issues Index, issued in 1956, which I thought had to mean it must have either been founded, or started issuing cards, after that. However our latest version of the World Tobacco Issues Index, issued with the Millennium, does not feature it either. And so I will have to rely on your knowledge..... even the smallest scraps of which may serve to make the link.

Now this turned out to be a very odd tale indeed. Here we have cards that clearly state "A Series of 25 issued by the Makers of TOP FLIGHT CIGARETTES" but they were nowhere in any of the World Tobacco Issues Indexes.

Anyway the solution to my confusion was sent in by one of our readers, Mr. Prentice, who informs us that these "cigarettes" were not. They were, in fact, sweet cigarettes, and so the cards were listed in the British Trade Index.

I remain baffled why the vital word "sweet" was nowhere to be seen. But I do wonder if perhaps the manufacturer hoped to corner the market with children who thought themselves too old and embarrassed to be seen buying sweet cigarettes, and had written in to ask if they could buy them under a more adult cover?

Back to Mr Prentice, and he tells us something else is missing from the card, and that is the issuer`s name, that being T.P.K. Hannah. This was actually a man called Thomas P. K. Hannah, who was born in Paisley, Scotland, in 1917 to a family who already ran a confectionery business, of some note, which was Hannah`s of Johnstone.  

When our man was in his early twenties, the Second War broke out and he enlisted in the Royal Army Ordnance Corps, which dealt with buying, storing, and selling all manner of weaponry and other equipment. After the war he seems to have left the family business and started up on his own as just Tom Hannah, importing and selling confectionery. That company is still going strong.

Outside of the business he was well known in the local area, serving on the Renfrewshire County Council, and also being a magistrate and Justice of the Peace. And he was awarded the Freedom of the Borough.

He died in 1998.

Now, thanks again to Mr. Prentice, if you look in the original British Trade Index part II you will find these cards, listed under T for “Top Flight Cigarettes”. The whole entry reads :

T.P.K. Hannah, Sweet Cigarettes. Cards issued 1961.
TOP FLIGHT STARS. Sm. 65 x 34. Sporting Stars. Nd. (25).

In parts III and IV they appears in the main body, but only to redirect you back to part II. And they are listed both under T as “TOP FLIGHT Cigarettes – TNT in II” and under H as “T.P.K HANNAH – See TOP FLIGHT Cigarettes (Set TNT-1 in II)”

If you look at our updated British Trade Index, there is no mention of Hannah, but if you look at Top Flight, it rather surprisingly says : “TOP FLIGHT” Sweet Cigarettes – See MITCHAM”.

Now Mitcham was Mitcham Foods, and if you look at their entry you will find out that on one of the printings of their “Aircraft of Today” set, issued in 1956, the bottom of the reverse reads :

“A Series of 25 issued in Top Flight Sweet Cigarettes by MITCHAM FOODS Limited, Mitcham in Surrey, England.”.

Our set is described at the bottom of the Mitcham entry as :

TOP FLIGHT STARS. 65 x 34. Sport subjects. Nd. (25). Brand issue “Top Flight”

Now Mr. Prentice has hit a blank in his research regarding anything to do with this connection between Mitcham and Mr. Hannah, and he would very much like to know more. So if there is anyone who can help, perhaps a Mitcham researcher, do please get in touch with us at webmaster@card-world.co.uk