Newsletter - 2026-09-05

For this week`s newsletter we are going to celebrate the fact that we have reached the "ember months", or the last four months of 2026. Strangely, although October is in this group, it does not actually end in "ember", though it is the only other month in the year that ends in "ber".  And actually the same is true in France, where the months are septembre, octobre, novembre and decembre. 

These "ember months" may not immediately seem to be connected with fire, but they are, in as much as they are the last third of the year, the closure, the bit that is left before the new year starts another fire. Also, our memories of the year that is passing can easily be rekindled into action for some time, though in themselves, without prompting or interference, they simply smoulder away to ash. And in the German language, and some neighbouring countries on the European mainland, ember means ash. 

In America the ember months saw the end of the great heat of summer, and most of the crops were gathered in. With that done, the workers  would be paid, but they would also have to spend a lot of it in clearing the debts they accrued in the other months. School also returned, because the children were not needed in the fields and to help with the harvest.  

Strangely these are the only four months that are not named after an emperor or a god. They come purely from their number, which, now the calendar has been shifted and re-shifted are incorrect. But at one time `Septem` was Latin for seven, and it was the seventh month, until 153 B.C. when a new month, `January` appeared. It would then be moved again when `July` and `August` were shoehorned in, to honour Julius and Augustus Caesar, which also shifted the others, `October` (`octo` meaning eight, `November` (`novem`, meaning nine) and `December` (`decima`, meaning ten) 

Cigarette cards showing embers and fireplaces are not so easy to find. The earliest I have come across lie within Lambert & Butler`s "Common Fallacies", where card twelve tells us that "The sun shining upon a fire in a grate will put it out" (whereas in fact it does not, it is just that in sunlight the colour of the fire is less visible and the glowing coals seem to be covered in grey ash). Card twenty-two of the same series also tells us that "A dying fire may be revived by placing a poker against the bars so that it points up the chimney" (which would only do so if it were hotter than the air and gases round it, so that these, becoming less dense, would rise).

Louit LEspression Pittoresque

Lots of trade cards, especially early American ones, show fireplaces, and some of them were even issued by manufacturers. Look out for cards of peripherals, too, like fire irons, and grates. 

Our selection is this, issued by Chocolat Louit, but there is something different about this to all the others by them that we have featured in our previous newsletters, for this has the company shown as "Mrs. Louit Freres & Co. a Bordeaux", the rest being without that title. We know that Monsieur Paul Louit started the business in 1825, but died in 1836. At that point his wife, Rose, took the reins, but she called the company Veuve Louit et Fils - or widow Louit and sons. And 1836 is way too early for this card. In 1846 the oldest of those sons took over, but he renamed the business to Louit Freres et Compagnie - or Louit Brothers and Co. That was only changed in 1925, and only by adding "Societe anonyme des produites alimentaires" before the former title, which basically means food products plc. That remained until the company was dissolved in the mid 1950s. So who this Mrs.. Louit is I have no idea, but I would be interested if someone out there knows, or if they have other cards with her name on from other sets. 

This set is called "Expression Pittoresque" or picturesque expressions. The picture is a humorous description of the saying, and so far I know of :

  1. Allonger la Sauce
  2. Arriver a la Force du Poignet
  3. Attendre que les Alouettes tombent toutes roties (dans la Bouche)
  4. Avoir mis tous ses Oeufs dans le meme Panier
  5. Battre le Fer pendant qu'il est chaud
  6. Broullier les Cartes
  7. Casser du Sucre sur les Dos du Voisin
  8. Casser les Vitres
  9. Causer sous le Manteau de la Cheminee
  10. Changer un Cheval Borgne pour un Aveugle
  11. Courir la Pretentaine
  12. Danser devant le Buffet
  13. Etre crible de Dettes
  14. Etre dans ses petits Souliers
  15. Etre le Dindon de la Farce
  16. Etre mis au Pied du Mur
  17. Etre plonge dans la Lecture
  18. Etre recu comme un Chien dans un Jeu de Quilles
  19. Faire avaier la Pilule
  20. Faire d'une Pierre deux coups
  21. Faire rentrer sous Terre
  22. Le Coup de l`Etrier
  23. Le Torchon Brule
  24. Manquer le Coche
  25. Passer un mauvais Quart d ' Heure
  26. Poser pour le Torse
  27. Prendre la Mouche
  28. Rire sous Cape
  29. Remuer l`Or a la Pelle
  30. Saisir la Balle au Bond
  31. Se coucher comme les Poules
  32. Se defendre comme un beau Diable
  33. Se disputer a propos de Bottes
  34. Se faire prendre au Piege
  35. Semblere revenir de l`autre Monde
  36. Se mordre les Digits
  37. S'en aller l'Oreille basse
  38. Se serrer la Ceinture d'un Cran
  39. Soif avaler mer poissons pecheurs verres coupes
  40. Tirer la Couverture a Soi
  41. Tirer le Diable par la Queue
  42. Tirer les Marrons du Feu
  43. Tomber dans le Petrin
  44. Tourner autour du Pot

and I`m sure there are loads more......

To newsletters past :

Monty Gum Cars

Now this week we have had lots of assistance from a reader regarding this set, originally featured as the Card of the Day for the 12th of May 2023. Strangely, there is no issuer cited on any of the cards, but we know it was Maple Leaf Gum of Holland. Confusingly there is also no title, but it is generally known by collectors as "Stars and Cars", simply because on one side there is a picture of a pop or a film star, in colour, and on the other side there is a picture of a car in black and white. With this reader`s help, though, we are delighted to announce that the list of these has grown a great deal, and we now only lack the stars and cars on cards 5, 10, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 23, 25, 31, 36, 40, 48 and 49 - if the set ends at number 50 ? So if you have any of those cards do please let us know. 

As for our progress through the back issues, that has been a slow process, but through other calls on my time rather than duplicated cards that needed to be substituted.

Pattrieouex Animals Scenes

In fact the newsletter for the 20th of August 2022 only had one change, surprisingly, as I was sure would have used all the cards several times before, for they were Churchman`s "Kings of Speed", Godfrey Phillips` "Home Pets",  Cavanders` "Camera Studies", Ardath`s "Figures of Speech", Carreras "Film Stars" ovals, and Wills` "Etchings"  - but I had not, even the etchings I had used the larger size and this was the standard. The only alteration, therefore, was the card we show here, which now appears for Friday the 19th of August in place of Pattreiouex`s "Britain From The Air", a set which I had used before, and also with the same card, of Wembley Stadium. There is also a whole new subject,  #WorldPhotoDay being ousted for #NationalMovingDay. However this card, with this back, and not numbered, seems not to be listed in the reference books, so if you can tie it down to a specific set do please let us know. 

Ogdens but what

As for the newsletter of the 20th of August 2022, well that was a lot more chaotic. Saturday remains as Brooke Bond`s "Small Wonders", but Sunday has altered to the third series of Sarony`s "Celebrities and their Autographs", though this card, which was originally there has been moved down to the end of the listing. The reason for that is that I cannot find which set it comes from; I presume it is a `Tab` or `Tab-Type` but it is also not the same picture as used on the `Guinea Gold` image of him, and the large "42" in the top left hand corner does not comply with any card of that number in the reference book. So again, if you know what this is and where it belongs, do let us know. That was not the only change, as in came Bassett`s "Motor Cars - Vintage and Modern" (1969) for Monday`s card, and a full slide version of Carreras Turf`s "Famous Film Stars" (1949) as Tuesday`s (though again the cut out card that was once there is at the end of the listing). 

I just ran out of time to completely rejig the one after that, for the 6th of August 2022. So that will be next week`s job.

This Week`s Events and Meetings 

Saturday the 5th of September

  • Lincolnshire - from 10.30 a.m. at Kirton Leisure, 31a Willington Road, Kirton, Boston PE21 1EP. 

Sunday the 6th of September - two meetings

  • Cotswolds - all day fair - from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. at Uckington Village Hall, The Green, Tewkesbury Road, Uckington, Cheltenham GL51 9SR. They are regularly visited by Paul Lynch, Mike Heard and John Shaw, and lots of swopping and trading between collectors goes on. It is also free admission to all collectors. This is the final all day fair of this year, but the dates for 2027 will be announced as soon as possible. They do still have afternoon meetings to come though, on Thursdays, the 8th of October, 12th of November, and 10th of December

                       - and - 

  • Winchester & Solent - from 1.00 p.m. until 4.00 p.m. at Botley Market Hall, High Street, Botley, near Southampton SO30 2EA. This afternoon meeting is primarily for swapping and selling between visitors but they do have an all day fair coming up on Sunday November 1st. And its free admission to all collectors to all their events.

As for newsletters past which were published around this week, they are as follows : 

And if you have any updates, comments, or suggestions for any of these, do please let us know, by emailing webmaster@card-world.co.uk.