Michele Now the first fact is that this set has no actual title on the cards, it was only called "Borough Arms" by early researchers, who did their best to make untitled sets quickly recognisable to other collectors - and even on its first appearance, in our Wills Reference Book part II, as W/19, the description started by very honesty saying "This series comprises City, University, Town and Borough Arms; it is perhaps best known under the title "Borough Arms" although "Civic and University Arms" might be a more accurate description."
Indeed in the first series of fifty cards only nine were actually "Borough Arms". These are No.8 Newport - No. 11 Cheltenham - No.15 Ipswich - No.16 Kensington - No.19. Bournemouth - No.21 Derby - No.36 Leith - No.48 Ryde - and - No,49 Cardiff
That listing spread over three pages and included the list of series and back variations which follows, albeit slightly changed to make it easier, as well as a list of the cards in the first three groups, because the cards were first issued without numbers, then with numbers, and finally with numbers again but in a different numerical order. Now this is a blog post I will get that added in.
All of the cards in all of the series were printed by Mardon, Son & Hall. However they only recorded the date of the very first version to be issued, which was in June 1904. Perhaps the intention was that it was a set of two hundred cards, which started at that date. The other dates may be guessed at but will probably never be known unless someone spots something in the heraldry and knows exactly when that change officially occurred.
Let`s start with a list of all the groups:
Group 1 - Unnumbered set of 50. Fronts printed in full colour, no frame lines, with "Wills`s Cigarettes" across fronts of cards. Backs in blue-grey, with modified Star and Circle ornamental design to permit insertion of Imperial Tobacco Co. clause at base. No. "Ld." after Wills` name in circle. Issue date from June 1904. Now in the Wills Reference Book part V there is a mention that the cards of Group 1 could be found in two thicknesses of board (a) thin and (b) thick.
Group 2 - Numbered set of 50, 1-50, these numbers being added to the fronts and now surrounded by a small circle. Fronts printed in full colour, no frame lines, with "Wills`s Cigarettes" across fronts of cards. Backs in blue-grey, with modified Star and Circle ornamental design to permit insertion of Imperial Tobacco Co. clause at base. No. "Ld." after Wills` name in circle. Although the pictures on the cards of this group are identical to those of group 1, apart from the circle, if you compare them to those group 1 cards they have quite clearly been redrawn, so they do count as a re-issue rather than a standard re-print.
To view a card from this group, click on - https://csgb.co.uk/cardoftheday/2023-04-21
Group 3 - Numbered set of 50, 1-50, these being removed from the fronts and placed on the backs. Oddly, the numbering system is entirely different on every card. Fronts printed in full colour, no frame lines, with "Wills`s Cigarettes" across fronts of cards. Now although the pictures on the cards of this group are identical to those of group 1,the back is entirely different, for the design has gone and a descriptive text about the picture has replaced it on the back. And those backs are printed slightly darker, in blackish grey.
To view a card from this group, click on - https://csgb.co.uk/cardoftheday/2023-04-23
Group 4 - Numbered set of 50, 51-100, numbered on the backs, and entirely new subjects on the fronts. Fronts printed in full colour, no frame lines, with "Wills`s Cigarettes" across fronts of cards. Backs in grey, with descriptive texts but no album offer. Marked "2nd Series"
To view a card from this group, click on - https://csgb.co.uk/publications/newsletter/2023-08-19 (it is the subject for Thursday 24th of August)
Group 5 - Numbered set of 50, 101-150, numbered on the backs, and entirely new subjects on the fronts. Fronts printed in full colour, no frame lines, with "Wills`s Cigarettes" across fronts of cards. Backs in grey, with descriptive texts, plus an I.T.C. clause and an album offer down the sides of the reverse, both being printed in red. Marked "3rd Series"
Group 6 - first recorded in the Wills Reference Book part IV as a variant - Numbered set of 50, 101-150, numbered on the backs, same subjects on the fronts as in Group 5. Fronts printed in full colour, no frame lines, with "Wills`s Cigarettes" across fronts of cards. Backs in grey, with descriptive texts but intriguingly without any album offer. Marked "3rd Series". This seems to have disappeared as quickly as it came and it does not appear in the World Tobacco Issues Index, but I am very keen on including these oddities and bringing them back to life again.
Group 7 - Numbered set of 50, 101-150, numbered on the backs, and entirely new subjects on the fronts. Fronts printed in full colour, no frame lines, with "Wills`s Cigarettes" across fronts of cards. Backs in grey, with descriptive texts and an album offer, which is also printed in grey. Marked "3rd Series"
To view a card from this group, click on - https://csgb.co.uk/cardoftheday/2023-04-19
Group 8 - same pictures, and style, as Group 3 - being numbered 1-50 on the backs, fronts printed in full colour, no frame lines, with "Wills`s Cigarettes" across fronts of cards. Backs with descriptive text, and album offer, all printed in grey. The only real difference here is that the cards say "Second Edition".
Group 9 - same pictures, and style, as Group 4 - being numbered 51-100 on the backs, fronts printed in full colour, no frame lines, with "Wills`s Cigarettes" across fronts of cards. Backs with descriptive text, printed in grey. The only real difference here is that the cards say "Second Edition".Group 7 - Numbered, from 1-50, and with descriptive text, but with "2nd Edition" printed instead of "Second Series"
To view a card from this group, click on - https://csgb.co.uk/cardoftheday/2022-09-06
Group 10 - same pictures, and style, as Group 5 - being numbered 101-150 on the backs, fronts printed in full colour, no frame lines, with "Wills`s Cigarettes" across fronts of cards. Backs with descriptive text, printed in grey. The only real difference here is that the cards say "Second Edition".
Group 11 - entirely new pictures, but still the same style - being numbered 151-200 on the backs, fronts printed in full colour, no frame lines, with "Wills`s Cigarettes" across fronts of cards. Backs with descriptive text, printed in grey. Cards marked "Fourth Series".
To view a card from this group, click on - https://csgb.co.uk/cardoftheday/2023-01-24
Now the listing in our original World Tobacco Issues Index, under W62-69, is a bit more confusing, at least to me. The header tells us that the title is adopted, that the cards are small size, and there is a link to W/19. The listing is :
1. First 50 subjects.
A. Scroll back. Front (a) unnumbered (b) numbered
B. Descriptive back with (a) plain numeral (b) numeral and "Second Edition"2. Second 50 subjects. Nd. 51-100. Back
(A) "Second Series"
(B) "Second Edition"3. Third 50 subjects. Nd. 101-150.
A) Back "Third Series". Album clause in (a) grey (b) red
B) Back "Second Edition"4. Fourth Series. Nd. 151-200
Our updated World Tobacco Issues Index has a new code, W675-102, but the text remains the same as immediately above.