Newsletter - 2025-04-19

Saturday, 12th April 2025

This card was chosen because Mr. Puskas was born on April the first, 1927, and he also started to manage the Hungarian national football team on April the ninth, 1993.

Sadly we do not know which month this set was issued, but if you do we would love to know. And if anyone has a more visible back, a scan would be very much appreciated...

We have a home page, or will do asap, for this issuer, with our Card of the Day for the 5th of March, 2022 - at the moment it is a bit vacant but watch that space because over the weekend I plan to sit in the garden and tap it all in. 

Our set does not have much of a description in our original British Trade Index part two, only : 

INTERNATIONAL SPORTING STARS. Sm. 58 x 33 Nd. (50) ... CLZ-17

And it is not one of the sets added to in later volumes.

As for our updated British Trade Index, the description is only slightly altered, to read : 

INTERNATIONAL SPORTING STARS. 1961. 58 x 33 Nd. (50) ... CLE-240

Sunday, 13th April 2025

This card was chosen because traditionally April is the month that ladies start to think of buying summer dresses, in bright colours.

There are also two major events in the reign of King George III that took place in that month - firstly in 1764, when he was entertained by a performance by Mozart - and secondly in 1793 when he was created Patron of the Arts, something which pleased him very much

And this set was originally issued in April, 1905. 

It is first described in our original Ogden`s reference book, RB.15, published in 1949, as : 

51. BRITISH COSTUMES FROM 100 B.C. TO 1904 A.D. Unnumbered. Fronts lithographed in colour. Backs in green, no descriptive text. Home issue, 1905.

• Gaul, 100 B.C.
• Scot Winter Costume. 50 B.C.
• Romanized Briton. 30 A.D.
• Romanized British Lady. 100 A.D.
• Time of Edred. 950
• Time of  Henry I. 1100
• Time of John. 1200
• Time of Edward III. 1360
• Time of Richard II. 1380
• Time of Richard II. 1395
• Time of Henry IV. 1400
• Time of Henry VI. 1422
• Time of Edward IV. 1471
• Time of Henry VII. 1488
• Time of Henry VIII. 1510
• Time of Henry VIII. 1530
• Time of Henry VIII. 1540
• Time of Elizabeth. 1558
• Time of Elizabeth. 1565
• Time of Elizabeth. 1572
• Time of Elizabeth. 1580
• Time of Elizabeth. 1590
• Time of Elizabeth. 1595
• Time of James I. 1605
• Time of James I. 1610
• Time of Charles I. 1630
• Time of Charles I. 1646
• Time of The Commonwealth 1650
• Time of Charles II, 1660
• Time of Charles II, 1665
• Time of James II. 1685
• Time of William III & Mary II. 1700
• Time of George I. 1720
• Time of George II. 1750
• Time of George III. 1770
• Time of George III. 1780
• Time of George III. 1790
• Time of George III. 1798
• Time of George III. 1804
• Time of George III. 1815
• Time of George IV. 1823
• Time of William IV (man). 1830
• Time of William IV (lady). 1830
• Time of William IV. 1835
• Time of Victoria. 1840
• Time of Victoria. 1850
• Time of Victoria. 1864
• Time of Victoria. 1875
• Time of Victoria. 1880
• Time of Edward VII. 1904

Now some collectors list this set in alphabetical order, but this list was done in chronological order. In the original Ogden`s book the list is also numbered, but I find that if the cards are unnumbered it is rather confusing to have them assigned them. For one thing if you send away for odds and give the card numbers the seller has to have the reference book on hand to find out what you want. 

By the time of our original World Tobacco Issues Index, issued in 1955, the set can be found with a much shorter description as part of Ogdens section 4, "Issues with I.T.C. Clause". As to why it is in section 4, that is because section 1 is the very early issues before the Imperial Tobacco Company was thought of, section 2 covers the "Tabs" brand issues and section 3 covers the early photographic issues and the "Guinea Gold" brand issues. 

The description is : 

BRITISH COSTUMES FROM 100 B.C. TO 1904. Sm. Unnd. (50). See RB.15/51 and X.1/H.312. ... O/2-96

RB.15 is the Ogden`s reference book that we extracted the list of cards from. X.1/H.312 is the handbook which accompanied the World Index, either as a separate volume, or, later, printed as a combined one with the main volume. However it also cross references to the London Cigarette Card Company`s original handbook of 1950. 

The X code tells us something very interesting, namely : 

X.1/H.312. BRITISH COSTUMES FROM 100 B.C. TO 1904. The series was also prepared for issue by Wills, see card illustrated at Fig.X.1/H.312. This card is a proof, and issue by Wills did not take place. 

Now in our updated World Tobacco Issues Index the description reads : 

BRITISH COSTUMES FROM 100 B.C. TO 1904 A.D. Sm. Unnd. (50). See RB.115/51  ... 0100-416

RB.115 is the updated Wills reference book. 

Monday, 14th April 2025

Another set issued in April, but also it references the fact that Gabriel Voisin, showing here, made his first ever test flight of a glider in April 1904, at Berck-sur-Mer - and that in April 1910 he first flew what he called his racing craft, known as the Voisin Type de Course.

 Gabriel Voisin was born on the 5th of February, 1880, and when he was young his father went out and never came back. He had a slightly older brother, and their mother relocated with them both to her father`s, where his father, their grandfather, seems to have adopted them, or at least took them under his wing and taught them mechanics and engineering. 

After leaving school, Gabriel Voisin started work with an architect in Paris, but his head was turned by a visit to the Paris International Exposition of 1900, at which he first saw an aeroplane. This is said to have been a Clement Ader Avion III, but this seems odd as the steam-driven craft had not flown since 1897 and there was some doubt as to whether it actually flew at all. He must have seen some kind of aircraft, as from then on he was possessed with the idea of designing one, and of making his designs fly. 

Whilst on his military service, he attended a lecture by Captain Ferdinand Ferber, and he introduced our man to Ernest Archdeacon, who employed Voisin to test fly a glider he had made. The tests were conducted in April 1904, at Berck-sur-Mer, and the craft did prove airworthy, hopping into the sky several times, to a maximum length of sixty-six feet. Voisin could see that some improvements were needed, and he spoke up. The craft was constructed, and also tested, in March 1905, but the flight failed and the luckily unmanned structure was destroyed. It had been towed into the air by a motor car, driven by Mr Archdeacon, and it was felt that the accident had happened because there had not been enough lift from the ground. This was tackled by Mr. Voisin adding floats and launching another craft into the river Seine, then gaining height with a tow from a boat. This did indeed work a lot better, and the flight was noted by Louis Bleriot, who asked Voisin to look at his machine, which Voisin did, adding several improvements, and agreeing to partner Bleriot in the future constriction of any craft.

In July 1905, Voisin flew both Mr. Bleriot`s and Mr. Archdeacon`s craft in quick succession. Mr. Archdeacon`s glider worked well, but Mr. Bleriot`s was affected by strong winds, and blown off course into the river, at which point Voisin was trapped, and almost drowned. The duo continued to work together but there were several failures of their craft, and they were both disheartened when late in 1906 Alberto Santos-Dumont flew his biplane for more than three hundred feet, so much so that the partnership was dissolved.

Voisin then set up a company with his brother, called Voisin Freres, and they opened the world`s first commercial aircraft factory. They designed and built many world record breaking craft, and for several glorious years the record went to and fro between Leon Delagrange and Henri Farman, both of whom were in Voisin built machines. 

Charles Voisin was sadly killed, in a motoring accident, in 1912. The company continued, but was renamed, and Gabriel threw himself into supplying aircraft for the French military, joining them as a pilot at the outbreak of the First World War. However he was not happy with the use to which his machines were put, and was much affected by reports of deaths of personnel and civilians due to aerial bombings. After the war he stopped making aeroplanes, and went over to making cars, but as the Germans invaded France his factory was closed. He lived through the Second World War, and afterwards returned to designing, producing more cars, bicycles, and even trying to solve the desperate need for new housing with a kind of metal `prefab`. In 1960 he stopped work and moved out to the country. He died in 1973, at the age of ninety-three.

Now this is a curious set, for it is identical to another set, with the same title, also issued by Lambert & Butler, in December 1933 - apart from the fact that the second set had the fronts printed in brown. You can see the brown version in our newsletter for the week beginning on the 19th of August, 2023, just scroll down to Wednesday, 23rd August. 

In our original Lambert & Butler reference book, (RB.9, published in 1948), the two sets are listed as : 

51. 25. A HISTORY OF AVIATION. Fronts printed by letterpress (Duolone) in green. Backs in dark green, with descriptions. April 1932

52. 25. A HISTORY OF AVIATION. Identical to (51.) but fronts in brown. December 1933. 

Now for some reason these are listed after "Hints and Tips for Motorists" and before "Homeland Events", in other words disregarding the "A" entirely, and just starting with the "History". And, yes, there does seem to be an error in the use of the word "(Duolone)" -  it ought to read "(Duotone)", which is a printing process in which the prints are produced by using two half-tone plates, each set at a slightly different angle, either one black and one colour, or two shades of the same colour. Apparently both the green and the brown were duotones, as they did not say otherwise. 

In our original World Tobacco Issues Index the sets are listed alphabetically, but split into date order, so our sets both come in section 2.B, for issued circulated between 1922 and 1939. This means that our set comes between "Hints and Tips for Motorists" and "Horsemanship", the "Homeland Events" having been moved to section 3, with the overseas issues. Our two sets remain together, as : 

A HISTORY OF AVIATION. Sm. Nd. (25) ... L8-52
A. Front in dark green
B. Front in brown

All the above remains the same in our updated version of the World Tobacco Issues Index, save the card code, which is changed to L073-390

Tuesday, 15th April 2025

Let us start with an apology, for the card I show here as the back and front is indeed different to the front alone which I started by showing you. This is proof that you should research first and scan later. Anyway that card will not go to waste, and it will appear in the future. 

Our new man is Surgeon Colonel Anthonisz, M.B.

I started tracking him down and found his full name was Vincent Henry Ludovici Anthonisz OBE, ED, born in March 1894, in Ceylon, went to medical school there too, and joined the Ceylon Medical Service straight after, though he also furthered his studies in Scotland, where it seems his family had originated. Then he served in the Ceylon Medical Corps from 1939 to 1946, being awarded the OBE in 1944. Eventually he would take full control of Colombo General Hospital, and also become surgeon to the Governor of Ceylon. Then I realised that when our set was issued in 1900, Vincent Henry would have only been six, and would have been unlikely to have such a fine moustache already. 

I did find out that the original family tree goes way back to Dutchman Jan Anthonisz Maartensz Ensign, who may have been born in Holland but died in India, some time in the seventeenth century. 

Anyway, after some diligent hunting, I can tell you that this is Alfred Henry Anthonisz, and he was born in Colombo, Ceylon, on the 22nd of December 1844. He also joined the Ceylon Medical Service, after leaving college. He then joined the Royal Navy in 1871 but soon either moved of his own accord or was requested by the Army, for whom he was a Staff Assistant Surgeon. His first posting was to Bombay, where he got married. We know that he was promoted to a full Surgeon in 1873, the year that his first son was born, He would also become a surgeon, but when he was twenty-eight years old he was fatally struck by lightning. There were also two daughters, Ethel (or Eshel) Maud, who died when she was very young, and Winifred, who was also called Maud as a second name in remembrance of her sibling - she went to India as the bride of a doctor in the Indian Medical Service. Lastly, there was Edward, who also became a surgeon, for the Army, in Egypt. 

In 1882 our man was sent to Egypt, as a surgeon. This was during the Egyptian Campaign. He was not there very long, and then was promoted to a Surgeon Major and relocated to Barbados.  Somehow he managed to get over to China in 1885 and then returned to Barbados, from where he was sent to Bengal. Within six months he was stationed in England, at a station hospital in Aldershot. He rapidly climbed the ranks making Brigade Surgeon in 1895. He then returns to Bengal, as Surgeon Colonel, and quickly becomes the Principal Medical Officer.  This is almost certainly how he came to be sent to Durban aboard the "Braemar Castle" for the Boer War. This picture was taken at that time, and appeared in the "Times" newspaper of October the 5th, 1897. The badges on his collar are for the R.A.M.C. , or Royal Army Medical Corps. Curiously his job was to take charge of the hospital in Wynberg which we featured in our newsletter of the 30th of April, 2022 - just scroll down to Friday, 6th May. Whilst there he was involved in a strange shaurie, when the hospital was inspected and he was accused of mismanagement. The accuser was later found to have no experience of hospital work, let alone management, and so he was cleared, but shortly after he left South Africa and did not return. Instead he went to Bombay, where he was appointed Principal Medical Officer once more, until he retired in 1905. He died in India in 1919, of bronchitis.

I can tell you a bit about the photographer, too, Russell, & Son who started his photographic business in 1852 in London, and expanded out to Crystal Palace, Windsor, and Southsea. Windsor is the big clue, because he specialised in photographing members of the British and European royal families. But in 1908, he was no more. I have not found out why yet. 

Anyway, to the card, all was going so well when I started off my research, with our original reference book RB.5 - which is devoted to the issues of three companies, Abdulla & Co., Ltd  of London, Adkin & Sons of London, and E. & W. Anstie of Devizes. This reference book is an early one, and the sets are not given card codes, they are just listed in alphabetical order. The text for this set reveals my problem almost straight away, for there are two sets by the same name, and only the second (which my original card was not from) was issued in April. 

The listing reads : 

• 1900. 50. SOLDIERS OF THE QUEEN. (titled series). Size 2 3/8" x 1 7/16". Numbered 1-50. Fronts, printed in black only from half-tone blocks - black and white - with narrow black frame line and white border; with title in white panel at bottom. Backs, "Soldiers - of the Queen - number. - This series of - 50 portraits - is reproduced from - Copyright - photographs - and issued with - Adkin & Sons` - Cigarettes - Device - Adkin & Sons - London. Panel with copyright. 

1. General Fitzroy Hart, C.B.
2. Sir F. Carrington, K.C.B., etc
3. Gen, Sir Chas, Warren
4. Gen French
5. Col. Howard
6. Lt.-Col. R.S.S. Baden Powell
7. Cecil Rhodes
8. Sir Alfred Milner, K.C.B.
9. Dr. Jameson
10. Col. Plumer
11. Col. Alderson
12. Lt.-Col. R.C. Kekewich (two portraits)
13. Gen. Sir Redvers H. Buller, G.C.B., etc
14. Lt. Gen. Lord Methuen, K.C.V.O.
15. Ma. Gen. H.J. Lyttelton, C.B.
16. Maj. Gen. Sir H.E. Colville
17. Col. Spreckley
18. Surg. Col. Anthonisz, M.B.
19. Maj. Gen. Sir W.F. Gatacre
20. Sir Geo. White, V.C., G.C.B.
21. Gen. Sir Forestier Walker, K.C.B., etc
22. Hon. Sir W.F. Hely-Hutchinson, G.C.M.G,
23. Col. F.W.D.Ward, C.B.
24. Gen Rawlinson
25. Col, Norcott
26. Col. F.W.B. Landon, A.S.C.
27. Col. Wynne
28. Lt.-Col. J.F. Burn Murdock
29. Gen. Yule (two portraits)
30. Col. Fisher
31. The Late Lt.-Col. R.H. Gunning (two portraits)
32. Gen. Sir Archibald Hunter, K.C.B.
33. Col. Brocklehurst
34. Capt. Kennedy, R.E.
35. Col. R.B. Mainwaring, C.M.S.
36. Col. B. Gough
37. Major Hammersley
38. Maj. Gen A.G. Wauchope, C.B.
39. Col. F. Carleton
40. Lt.-Col. W.H. Dick Cunningham, V.C.
41. Col. J. Hinde
42. Major E.S. May, R.H.A.
43. Col. Coode
44. Col. Scott Chisholme
45. Lt. Gen. Sir C.F. Clery
46. Lt.-Col. G.W. Mills
47. Maj. Gen. Sir W.P. Symonds, K.C.B.
48. Col. F. Rhodes
49. Capt R. Nesbitt, V.C.
50. Maj. Gen. Sir C. Hiller Smith
    
    1900. 61. SOLDIERS OF THE QUEEN. (titled series, inscribed "Set of 60"). Size 2 11/16" x 1 5/16". Numbered 1-61. Fronts, printed in black only from half-tone blocks - black and white - with narrow black frame line and white border; with title in white panel at bottom. Backs, "Soldiers - of the Queen - number. - This series of - 60 portraits - is reproduced from - Copyright - photographs - and issued with - Adkin & Sons` - Cigarettes - Device - Adkin & Sons - London. Panel with photograph. Copyright. 
    
    The first 50 numbers the same as for series of 50. Numbers 51-61 are as follows :-
     
51. The Earl of Albemarle
52. Col. Martin
53. Col. Lord Chesham
54. Sir Wm. McCormac
55. Lord Kitchener of Khartoum
56. Maj. Gen. Hector A. Macdonald (two portraits)
57. Lord Roberts
58. Col. Pilcher
59. Lt.-Col. A.D. Neeld, Housld. Cav.
60. Maj. Gen. Kelly-Kenny
61. Lord Dundonald
    
    The following variations have been noted : 
    
      4. Col. French and General French. Same portrait
      9. General Hutton and Dr, Jameson
    12. Lieut.-Col. R.C. Kekewich; two printings Col. Kekewich
    14. Lt. Gen. Lord Methuen, K.C.V.O., two printings
    18. Capt. Percy Scott and Surg. Col. Anthonisz, M.B.
    20. Sir Geo. White, V.C. and with G.C.B. added
    26. Col. F.W.B. Landon, A.S.C.and Capt. H. Lambton.
    29. General Yule, two printings
    31. The Late Lt.-Col. R.H. Gunning, two printings
    47. General Barton and Maj. Gen. Sir W.P. Symonds, K.C.B.
    48. Col. F. Rhodes and General Smith Dorrien
    56. Maj. Gen. Hector A. Macdonald, two printings. 

So I tried to find my card, number 33, with a "60" back, and could not. The reason why appears in the original London Cigarette Card Company handbook for 1950, which I have changed to bold text. Ouch. Of all the ones I could have picked. But I do wonder if it was too glaring an inclusion as it was obviously a drawing and not a photo. And this equally applies to the other man who was excluded, Lt.-Col. J.F. Burn Murdock.

Anyway, the entire text in that handbook reads : 

• H.10  SOLDIERS OF THE QUEEN. (titled series). Fronts in black and white. Issued by Adkin. Numbered. There are two series :
  
  A) Inscribed "Series of 50" :- 
      (a) Nos. 1/25, back "...and issued exclusively with"
      (b) Nos. 1/50, two subjects for No.3. Back inscribed  "...and issued with".
  
  B. Series of 61, inscribed "Series of 60". Series consists of Nos. 1/61, excluding Nos.28 and 33, (not seen and believed not issued), with two subjects for Nos. 9, 18, 26. 31, 47, and 48 : there are minor varieties for Nos.1, 4, 12, 20, 29, 35, 36, 53, and 55-57.
  The portraits at Nos. 28, 32, 33, 38, 40, 44, 45, 47, and 49 do not bear a photographer`s copyright panel on back; these portraits are artist`s impressions and not photographic reproductions. The subjects at Nos. 1-50 are the same in both issues; in the listing of varieties below the numbering in both A. and B. is given :- 
  
  A.  1       B.1.a   Genl. Fitzroy Hart, C.B. (leafy background)
                B.1.b   Genl. Fitzroy Hart, C.B. (solid background)
  
  A.  3.a               Mr. Conyngham Greene
  A.  3.b    B.3      Sir F. Carrington, K.C.B. &c.
  
  A.  4       B.4.a   Col. French
                B.4.b   Gen. French
  
  A.  9       B.9.a   Dr. Jameson
                B.9.b   General Hutton 
  
  A.12       B.12.a  Lieut.Col. R.C. Kekewich
                B.12.b  Col. Kekewich
  
  A.18      B.18.a  Surg.Col. Anthonisz, M.B.
               B.18.b  Capt. Percy Scott 
  
  A.20      B.20.a   Sir George White, V.C. G.C.B
               B.20.b   Sir George White, V.C.
  
  A.26      B.26.a  Col. F.W.B. Landon, A.S.C.
               B.26.b  Capt. H. Lambton.
  
  A.29.     B.29.a  General Yule (head 5 mm from frameline)
               B.29.b  General Yule (head 14 mm from frameline)
  
  A.31.     B.31.a  The Late Lt.-Col. R.H. Gunning
               B.31.b  General Rundle
  
  A.35      B.35.a  Col. R.B. Mainwaring, C.M.S.(head 11 mm from frameline)
               B.35.b  Col. R.B. Mainwaring, C.M.S.(head 13 mm from frameline)
   
  A.36      B.36.a   Col. B. Gough  (head 9 mm from frameline)          
               B.36.b   Col. B. Gough  (head 8 mm from frameline)
  ​
  A.47.     B.47.a  Maj. Gen. Sir W.P. Symonds, K.C.B
               B.47.b  General Barton 
  
  A.48.     B.48.a  Col. F. Rhodes
               B.48.b  General Smith Dorrien
  
               B.53.a  Col. Lord Chesham (head 8 mm from frameline)
               B.53.b  Col. Lord Chesham (head 9 mm from frameline)
  
               B.55.a  Lord Kitchener of Khartoum ("of" in small letters)
               B.55.b  Lord Kitchener of Khartoum ("of" in larger letters)
  
               B.56.a  Maj. Gen. Hector A. Macdonald (letters 1 1/2 mm high)
               B.56.b  Maj. Gen. Hector A. Macdonald (letters 2 mm high)
  
               B.57.a  Lord Roberts (letters 2 mm high)
               B.56.b  Lord Roberts (letters 2 1/2 mm high)
  
  Note : Several of the portraits recur in the unnumbered series "Soldiers of the Queen and Portraits" : some are the same as the equivalent cards in the Wills and Lambert & Butler series "Royalty, Notabilities and events in Russia, China, Japan and South Africa, 1900-1902"

 

Here is the alternative for our card,Captain Percy Scott. His huge claim to fame may be gathered by the fact that he is regarded as the father of modern gunnery. It was his guns that proved so devastating in the Boer War, and he was also one of the first in the modern age to suggest the idea of subterfuge at sea, making one vessel look like another, or even making the silhouette of a smaller craft appear to be a warship. Unfortunately his ideas often fell on closed ears, as he was forthright and not afraid to share his ideas, many of which were simply too modern for the "old boys" in command. 

Sadly his eldest son died at Jutland in 1916 on board the armoured cruiser "Defence". Our man never really recovered from that, and he died of a heart attack at his home in London in 1924 after which his ashes were surrendered to the sea off Spithead.

Returning to our set, because I bought both the catalogue and handbook down, you might like to read that in 1950 they appeared in the catalogue as : 

• 10. Soldiers of the Queen (1899-1900) - H.10
  
        A. Series of 50 -                                                            odds from - to    sets 
            (a) Nos. 1-25 "...and issued exclusively with..."      12/6 to 30/-        -
            (b) Nos. 1-50 and variety  "...issued with..."             7/6 to 20/-        -
  
      B. Series of 60, 59 numbers and varieties                     4/- to 12/-        - 

Much of the information from that handbook is re-used in our original World Tobacco Issues Index, published in 1956, but not the list of comparative subjects. However it does link back to it, using the H.10 reference. The text here reads : 

• SOLDIERS OF THE QUEEN. Sm. 68 x 36.  Black and White. See H.10.  ... A12-8
  
  A. Inscribed "Series of 50" :- 
      (a) Nos. 1/25, back "...and issued exclusively with"
      (b) Nos. 1/50, two subjects for No.3, back "...and issued with".
  
  B. Inscribed "Series of 60". Nos. 1/61, excluding Nos.28 and 33, two printings each with many minor varieties.
      (a) Back in dark green, numeral "60" with cross stroke of "6" joining vertical stroke.
      (b) Back in lighter shade of green, numeral "60" with cross stroke of "6" not joining vertical stroke.Two subjects for Nos. 9, 18, 26. 31, 47, and 48. 

In our updated World Tobacco Issues Index, published in the year 2000, the text reads : 

• SOLDIERS OF THE QUEEN. Sm. 68 x 36.  Black and White. See H.10.  ... A165-550
  
  A. Inscribed "Series of 50" :- 
      (a) Nos. 1/24, back "...and issued exclusively with"
      (b) Nos. 1/50, two subjects for No.3, back "...and issued with".
  
  B. Inscribed "Series of 60". Nos. 1/61, excluding Nos.28 and 33, two printings each with many minor varieties.
     (a) Back in dark green, numeral "60" with cross stroke of "6" joining vertical stroke.
     (b) Back in lighter shade of green, numeral "60" with cross stroke of "6" not joining vertical stroke.Two subjects for Nos. 9, 18, 26. 31, 47, and 48. 

That updated volume also has a handbook, published in 2003. That text reads as follows, and I have highlighted the changes in bold type : 

• H.10  SOLDIERS OF THE QUEEN. (titled series). Fronts in black and white. Issued by Adkin. Numbered. There are two series :
  
  A) Inscribed "Series of 50" :- 
      (a) Nos. 1/24, including 3a. Back inscribed "...and issued exclusively with"
      (b) Nos. 1/50, with two subjects for No.3. Back inscribed  "...and issued with".
  
  B. Series of 59, inscribed "Series of 60".
      (a) Back in dark green, numeral "6" of "60" with cross stroke joining vertical stroke.
      (b) Back in lighter shade of green with cross stroke of "6" not joining vertical.
                Series consists of Nos. 1/61, excluding Nos.28 and 33, (not seen and believed not issued), with two subjects for Nos. 9, 18, 26. 31, 47, 48, and 61 : there are minor varieties for Nos.1, 3, 4, 12, 19, 20, 21, and 55-57, and many others have differences of perspective, length of caption, etc (not listed). The portraits at Nos. 28, 32, 33, 38, 40, 44, 45, 47, and 49 do not bear a photographer`s copyright panel on back; these portraits are artist`s impressions and not photographic reproductions. The subjects at Nos. 1-50 are the same in both issues; in the listing of varieties below the numbering in both A. and B. is given :- 
  
  A.  1       B.1.a   Genl. Fitzroy Hart, C.B. (leafy background)
                B.1.b   Genl. Fitzroy Hart, C.B. (solid background)
  
  A.  3.a              Mr. Conyngham Greene
  A.  3.b   B.3.b  General Sir Chas. Warren (wall background)
                B.3.c  General Sir Chas. Warren (solid background)
  
  A.  4       B.4.a   Col. French
                B.4.b   Gen. French
  
  A.  9       B.9.a   Dr. Jameson
                B.9.b   General Hutton 
  
  A.12       B.12.a  Lieut.Col. R.C. Kekewich
                B.12.b  Col. Kekewich
  
  A.18      B.18.a  Surg.Col. Anthonisz, M.B.
               B.18.b  Capt. Percy Scott 
  
  A.19     B.19.a  Major Genl. Sir W.F. Gatacre
              B.19.b  Major Gen. Sir W.F. Gatacre
  
  A.20      B.20.a   Sir George White, V.C. G.C.B
               B.20.b   Sir George White, V.C.
  
  A.26      B.26.a  Col. F.W.B. Landon, A.S.C.
               B.26.b  Capt. H. Lambton.
  
  A.31.     B.31.a  The Late Lt.-Col. R.H. Gunning
               B.31.b  General Rundle
  
  A.47.     B.47.a  Maj. Gen. Sir W.P. Symonds, K.C.B
               B.47.b  General Barton 
  
  A.48.     B.48.a  Col. F. Rhodes
               B.48.b  General Smith Dorrien
  
               B.55.a  Lord Kitchener of Khartoum ("of" in small letters)
               B.55.b  Lord Kitchener of Khartoum ("of" in larger letters)
  
               B.56.a  Maj. Gen. Hector A. Macdonald (letters 1 1/2 mm high)
               B.56.b  Maj. Gen. Hector A. Macdonald (letters 2 mm high)
  
               B.57.a  Lord Roberts (letters 2 mm high)
               B.56.b  Lord Roberts (letters 2 1/2 mm high)
  
               B.61.a  Lord Dundonald
               B.61.b  Maj. Gen. Sir W.P. Symonds, K.C.B
   
• Note : Several of the portraits recur in the unnumbered series "Soldiers of the Queen and Portraits" : some are the same as the equivalent cards in the Wills and Lambert & Butler series "Royalty, Notabilities and events in Russia, China, Japan and South Africa, 1900-1902"

Wednesday, 16th April 2025

Here we have simply "Pier", but I am fairly certain that this is Dunoon Pier, in the Highlands of Scotland. The first pier at Dunoon was built in 1835, for the sole purpose of being a landing stage for paddle steamers. It was so popular that it was enlarged in 1867 (with the addition of a covered waiting room) and again in 1881, at which point it was also lengthened. The pier building shown on our card dates from the total rebuild in 1895.

It was in regular use until 2009, when it was struck by a paddle-steamer called the Waverley. Both the craft and the pier were damaged and some of the passengers injured. It seems that the pier was abandoned and started to fall into disrepair. In fact there was an application to pull down the building shown and build something else - this was only stopped due to public opposition, which grew ever stronger towards restoring the pier once it was featured on a set of Royal Mail stamps in 2014. Within the year, restoration was underway. However, as I type, it is still not entirely finished, and funds are running low. 

There are two versions of this set described in our original World Tobacco Issues Index as : 

• VILLAGE MODELS SERIES. Size (a) small (b) medium, 68 x 62. Nd. ... M122-46

1.   First 25 subjects. See Ha.591
2.   Inscribed "Second" (25)

This is much lengthened in our updated World Tobacco Issues Index, and it now reads : 

• VILLAGE MODELS SERIES. Nd. ... . M757-760

1.   First 25 subjects, 1/25. Space above series title blank. Size (A) Sm. (B) Md. 68 x 62.
2.  Second 25 subjects, 1/25.
   (a) Sm., space above series title blank. Identical format to first 25 subjects
   (b) Inscribed "Second" at top of back. (A) Sm. (B. Md. 68 x 62

 

Now I thought it would be interesting at this point to show you the small sized version of our card - as you can see, it is the same card, but the large word "PIER" has been reduced in size and fitted in with half of the instructions above the top of the jetty, whilst the other half of the instructions moves below the bottom of the jetty. The back is similar, but a bit more compact, and as soon as I can acquire a picture of one I will add it in. 

Now I had not forgotten that Ha.591 reference, but it takes us off on a bit of a tangent, so I wanted to deal with our set(s) first. It actually leads us to the original London Cigarette Card Co. Handbook, published in 1950, and gives us something really fascinating, for Mitchell were not the only issuer. The text reads : 

• Ha.591  VILLAGE MODELS SERIES. (titled series). Front in colour; cards when cut out form a model village. Numbered series of 25.
  
  Mitchell.  A. Small size
                  B. Medium size
  
  Wills (Overseas) - A. Small size
                               B. Medium size
  
  Mitchell also issued a Second Series

: We also have the catalogue for 1950, which gives the retail price of the Mitchell version as 

• 42. Village Models (Apr. 1925) - Ha.591    odds        sets 

        A. Small size                                             1/-         30/-   
        B. Medium size, 68 x 62 mm                 1/6        50/-      

So, now it has been discovered, lets have a chat about that Wills version. That was first listed in our original Wills reference book part IV, or, more correctly, RB.16 – The Cigarette Card Issues of W.D. & H.O. Wills Parts I, II, and III (revised) and Part IV, also published in 1950. In there it is described as :

• 340. 25. VILLAGE MODELS SERIES. Fronts printed by letterpress in colour, cut and perforated to stand out. Backs in black, with descriptive text. issued in New Zealand, between 1925-30. 
  
  A. Small cards, size 69 x 38 m/m
  B. Medium cards, size 69 x 62 m/m
  
  Similar series issued by Mitchell, (1st Series)

When the five Wills reference books were reprinted beneath a hard cover in the 1970s, a table of dates was also included, which reveals that the Wills version was circulated in June 1925, just two months after our Mitchell one. And there is a further discovery about this Wills version in our updated World Tobacco Issues index, and that is that you can collect the small sized cards either in an embossed form, or as plain cut out cards. 

Now number one of the series shows the kind of model village diorama which you could set up using these cards. 

The full set of cards are : 

First Series 

1. The Village shewing the 24 models
2. Inn - "Old White Horse, Edinburgh"
3. Shop (actually a Tobacconist and Newsagent)
4. Dovecote
5. School
6. Church
7. Smithy
8. Keep
9. Dairy
10. Old Barn
11. Cottage
12. Bridge
13. The Old Stocks
14. Stable
15. Poultry House
16. Water Mill
17. Village Pump
18. Farm House
19. Pigstye
20. Almshouse
21. Post Office
22. Manse
23. Dog Kennel 
24. "Mercat Cross" Edinburgh 
25. Wall

Second Series 

1. Seaside Village - Key
2. Bungalow
3. Cocoa Nut Shy
4. Charabanc
5. Buoy
6. Golf Club House
7. Drinking Fountains
8. Garage
9. Shelter
10. Picture Palace (front) Cinema (reverse)
11. Police Station
12. Lightship
13. Punch and Judy
14. Lifeboat (front) The Lifeboat (reverse)
15. Pleasure Steamer 
16. Fishing Boat
17. Bandstand
18. Hotel
19. Fisherman`s Cottage
20. Pier
21. Lighthouse 
22. Tobacco Kiosk (advertising "Smoke Mitchell`s Prize Crop" and "Try Tam O`Shanter Tobacco")
23. Town Hall
24. Bathing Machine
25. Windmill

Thursday, 17th April 2025

This is a very under-rated set, and yet for the railway enthusiast it shows so many little facets of life on the railway, much of which has been swept away. So much so that if you are ever looking for an unusual present for a friend who collects railwayana, or model trains, this would be a great idea. 

Many people will tell you that it was the last set issued by W.D. & H.O. Wills before cards stopped for the Second World War, but this is not true, in fact there were four after it, these being

• "Garden Flowers - New Varieties", Second Series, large size - issued in June 1939
• "Life in the Royal Navy" - issued in July 1939
• "Old Inns", Second Series, large size - issued in September 1939
  
  - and - 
   
• "Association Footballers", without framelines on the reverse, issued last of all in November 1939.  

Our set first appears in our original Wills reference book part IV - or, more correctly, RB.16. The Cigarette Card Issues of W.D. & H.O. Wills Parts I, II, and III (revised) and Part IV - originally published in 1950, as : 

• 305. RAILWAY EQUIPMENT. Fronts printed by letterpress in colour. Backs in grey, with descriptive text. Issued 1939.
  
  A.  Home Issue. With Album and I.T.C. Clauses
  B.  Channel Islands issue. Without Album and I.T.C. Clauses

This is slightly differently reported in our original World Tobacco Issues Index, issued in 1956. For one thing the two versions are no longer together, the home issue being in section 2.B, for "Issues with I.T.C. Clause, 1934-39", where it is recorded as : 

• RAILWAY EQUIPMENT.  Sm. Nd. (50). See W/305.A ... W62-170

As for what is formerly described as a "Channel Islands issue", that is moved to section 5.D, for "English Language Issues, 1925-39. Issued chiefly in Channel Islands and Malta." It is catalogued as : 

•  RAILWAY EQUIPMENT.  Sm. Nd. (50). See W/305.B ... W62-500

These entries are identical in our updated World Tobacco Issues Index but the codes have changed, the home issue now being filed as W675-211, and the export issue as W675-715. In addition the export issue is now under section 6.D, some shuffling having taken place in order to fit in the Wills issues which were circulated after the original World Tobacco Issues Index had been published. 

Friday, 18th April 2025

This is a very rare set indeed, and it is the first card I have ever seen in all the years I have been collecting. It was scanned by Mr. Price, who says it is one of his favourite sets. However, it is both untitled and unnumbered, and also originally issued overseas - and when he started collecting it he had no reference books that told him the cards that made up the set. He also started with "Victorian Police" and believed it to be a set of policemen through the ages, only finding out later that this referred to Victoria, Australia. 

Actually even the reference books do not tell the fact that the cards are quite different. They are a mixture of foot police and of ones mounted on horses, and whilst most of the backgrounds are white with slight coloured vignettes for shadow, some, like ours, have images, forming a scene, as a backdrop. And finally some of the police come from countries, whilst others are regions, or towns. 

They first appear in our original Wills reference book part IV - or, more correctly, RB.16. The Cigarette Card Issues of W.D. & H.O. Wills Parts I, II, and III (revised) and Part IV - but that was originally published in 1950, over forty years after the set was issued. They are recorded there as : 

• 290. POLICE OF THE WORLD (adopted title). Unnumbered. Fronts lithographed in colour. Backs in green, star circle and leaves design (see Fig. 22, page 58). General Overseas issue, between 1905-1910.
  ​​​​​​
• Austrian (Foot)(White backdrop)
• Belgian (Foot)(Scene backdrop)
• Canadian (Horse)(White backdrop)
• Cape (Horse)(White backdrop)
• Danish (Foot)(White backdrop)
• Durban (Foot)(White backdrop)
• Dutch (Foot)(White backdrop)
• English (Foot)(Scene backdrop)
• French (Horse)(White backdrop)
• German (Foot)(White backdrop)
• Irish (Horse)(White backdrop)
• Italian (Horse)(White backdrop)
• Japanese (Foot)(Scene backdrop)
• Mexican (Foot)(White backdrop)
• Natal  (Foot)(Scene backdrop)
• New York (Foot)(White backdrop)
• Norwegian (Foot)(White backdrop)
• Portuguese (Foot)(White backdrop)
• Russian (Foot)(White backdrop)
• Spanish (Horse)(White backdrop)
• Swedish (Foot)(White backdrop)
• Transvaal (Horse)(White backdrop)
• Turkish (Foot)(White backdrop)
• Victorian (Horse)(White backdrop)
• West Australian (Horse)(White backdrop)

There is even a problem with this list, for each of these words are followed by "Police". Whilst what is recorded as "West Australian" here is actually "W. Australian Police" on the card. The list, in the book, is also numbered, whilst the cards are not - so I have replaced those with bullets. And I have also added a note as to whether the police are on foot, mounted on horseback, on a plain white background, or with a scene behind them. And do note that, for some reason, the Austrian policeman is only shown to the knees, whilst all the others are full length, but I have still classed him with those on foot. 

When the five Wills books were reprinted in the 1970s as a combined volume of all, beneath a hard cover, a list of dates of issue was added, so we know that this set was not only issued in April, 1910, but that it was printed in the United Kingdom and exported for circulation. For if it had been printed locally, we would have had no month date. 

By the time of our original World Tobacco Issues Index in 1956 the set was recorded under section 5 of the Wills listing, for "Other Export Issues... without I.T.C. Clause, issued through B.A.T. Small size 67-68 x 36 m/m, and inscribed "W.D. & H.O. Wills", unless stated". - and under subsection 5.A, for "English language issues, 1901-17. Issued chiefly in Channel Islands, Malta, India, and Malaya."

 Our set is listed as : 

• POLICE OF THE WORLD (A). Sm. Unnd. (25). Back in green, star circle and leaves design. See W/290 ... W62-421

This text appears exactly in the updated version of the World Tobacco Issues Index, but it has a new card code, of W675-598