RB.1 - FAULKNER | Cardworld

In which we take a look at our first ever reference book, and the company whose issues appear in it.

"Cartophilic Reference Book - No.1 : The Cigarette Card Issues of W. & F. Faulkner - An Official Checklist Compiled by A Committee of the Cartophilic Society of Great Britain" was a great step forward, and it led to every book produced by us thereafter.

The editor was Eric Gurd, but the contents were based on a listing of Faulkner issues that had appeared in "Cigarette Card News", The London Cigarette Card Company's magazine. These had been added to through a follow up in our magazine "The Bulletin" (December 1941 - Vol.2 No. XXIX), which included a biography of the firm, which was the starting point for the version which appears below.

That December 1941 follow up also announced that "The first maker to be considered by the Research Committee will be Faulkner's, and it is proposed to commence investigations at the Ordinary Meeting to be held in February 1942." They requested that any member with additional information contact the Secretary by the end of January 1942, adding that "The object of the Research Committee is to compile a complete record of all this firm's cards and it is hoped all will assist to the utmost of their ability."

The following month, in "The Bulletin" (copy dated January 1942 - Vol.2 No. XXIX) it was reported that "Many compliments have been paid to The Society . . . members have stated over and over again that this has provided them with more information than they ever possessed before", though it was admitted they were aware that a considerable amount of information could still be added.

The book was "closed" in March 1942, and in April 1942, "The Bulletin (Vol.3 No.33) was able to announce "The First Cartophilic Reference booklet is in the press, and shortly after the appearance of this notice it will be ready for distribution." It was also noted that "The descriptive text includes subject titles of unnumbered series, dates of issue, method of printing, name of printer, etc, and fills twelve octavo pages, which are stitched into a stiff cover." The printer was Parker Brothers of St. Albans, in Hertfordshire, and they produced a limited edition of four hundred copies, to be sold only to paid up members of the Cartophilic Society of Great Britain.

The booklet, and I am not sure why, unless it was to cover costs, was to be available in two formats - there were just fifty interleaved copies (which were numbered from one to fifty, each of which cost 2/6d. each, with no mention of postage) and three hundred and fifty standard copies (which were numbered 51-400 and cost a shilling each, plus 3d. postage). Neither version had any illustrations.

It was firmly believed the booklet would be popular, and it was stressed that anyone wanting the book should apply as early as possible, enclosing full payment. These would be executed in strict rotation, and it was not possible to request a specific number, though it was stated that "early numbers will be secured by early application." They also stated that "The work will not be reprinted in its present form", and in this they were right.

My copy, which is shown here, is one of those interleaved copies, which simply means that between every pair of printed pages there is a blank page inserted, for the owner to add notes and updates. And it is quite an early one, being number eleven. I only know of one earlier number still in use, and that is number one, which was not for sale; it was to be preserved, for all time, in the Society Library, where it still is, to this day.

Another intriguing find is that, according to "The Bulletin" of May 1942 (Vol.3 No.34), "A record has been kept of all the owners of [these] booklets" - I must find out whether this still exists, as it would be rather wonderful to know whose fingertips mine follow.

Both versions of the booklet had a slightly thicker grey cover, on the inside of which was printed a quote from Thackeray "Here is the best I can do . . . I stand by this book, and am willing to leave it where I go, as my card." The "book" was "The History of Henry Esmond" (1852) but it is not a quote from the novel, being instead part of a conversation between Thackeray and James T. Fields, Bostonian publisher and author. And it is extracted from a book called "Yesterdays with Authors", published in 1879. As to why it was used, I have no idea.

The quote was followed by an Editor's Introduction, of which the opening statement was "This is Number One of the Cartophilic Society Handbooks", and by a short biography of the firm of Faulkner, not quite as exhaustive as the one from The Bulletin" of 1941, plus acknowledgements to "a number of collectors who have assisted with in compilation, and to the publishers of Cigarette Card News [The London Cigarette Card Company] from which certain data, supplied by Messrs. Faulkner in the past has been extracted." It was dated March 1942 and signed with the initials E.G. [for Eric Gurd]

There had been a few changes since the list in "The Bulletin" of December 1941;

the word "Eminent" was no longer in front of the set of "Actresses"
"Naval Expressions" and "Military Expressions" had been renamed to "Nautical Terms" and "Military Terms" respectively
"Coster Expressions" had been changed to "Coster Series"
"Royalty Series" was now renamed as "British Royal Family"
"Prominent Racehorses of Today" had become "Prominent Racehorses of the Present Day", a title that the cards actually carried.

In "The Bulletin" of May 1942 (Vol.3 No.34) it proudly announces that "The response to this scheme was very satisfactory, and those collectors who have not applied for a copy are councilled to do so before the supply is completely exhausted. The demand for interleaved copies greatly exceeded the supply, consequently only the 1/3d. edition is available now." And it further announced that the next reference book, R. & J. Hill, was "in the press".

By 1944, on the inside back cover of the Gallaher Reference Book (RB.4), the standard version is still listed for purchase, and at 1/3d, which was the same figure as originally quoted, just with the price and the postage combined.

By the time that our James Taddy Reference Book, No.12, was published, in 1948, the Faulkner book was listed as "Now out of print *". The asterisk is explained as meaning that "only un-covered copies [were] available for new members of the Society." - but what it actually refers to is that once the four hundred original covers were produced, the plates were destroyed. And so, many years later, when it was decided to reprint these early volumes, whilst the innards could be reproduced from that number one, there was no artwork for the cover. That was solved by having an entirely new cover, a much plainer green one. However the inside pages are identical to the original, and it is also uniform as to size. And we still sell this green covered edition, in our bookshop.

ISSUER BIOGRAPHY :

Now the story of W. & F. Faulkner starts, as all good treasure hunts ought to, with a mystery, for the date of their beginning is quoted as 1831 in our World Tobacco Issues Index, whilst the reference book begins by saying : "The firm of Faulkner commenced in the year Victoria was crowned (1838) and tribute was paid to her Majesty in their set "British Royal Family", which includes eleven pictures of the Queen." We know where the 1838 came from, and that was the London Cigarette Card Company, because in December 1933 they printed part one of "The Foundation of a Standard Catalogue" within "Cigarette Card News", and that says "This well known firm was established in 1838".

As to Faulkner`s address, it is given on the back of that set of "British Royal Family" as just Blackfriars Road, but it was actually numbers 223 - 225 Blackfriars Road, London, S.E - and they were still listed as being there in a London directory of 1886, where they appear as "Tobacco Cutters, Roll Spinners, Segar Makers, Snuff Grinders. Specialities are Nosegay Virginia and Blackfriars Segars". They also had premises at 31 Edward Street, London.

"The Foundation" tells us that "The first recorded series of cards consisted of twelve stock designs, printed and supplied by Albert Hildesheimer. This series, known as "Puzzle Pictures," was issued in 1898." However we also know, thanks to RB.1, that "In 1896 they became a limited company", and with this knowledge we are able to state that their "Puzzle Series", originally dated to 1898, must have been produced before that, because there is no "Ltd." on the card. This set is quoted to be of twelve cards, but there has always been a suspicion that it was of twenty-five. There were also two printings, as the set were issued with both the "Grenadier" and "Nosegay" brands, and slight differences can be found between the two

Their next sets all follow the same pattern, looks wise, and measure approximately 2 3/8" x 1 1/2", or 59-62 x 37-39 m/m. Most are based on popular sayings and expressions, a lot of which are now long forgotten, but given a comical twist. The fronts are coloured drawings on a white background, sometimes with a toned shadow, and there are no marginal lines. For some reason the backs are always plain. There is nothing recorded as to why this was, and other issuers were already producing double sized cards, but it could just have been simple economics, because every additional colour added cost, and to print on both sides would also have been another process to factor into the cost. Perhaps this was also a factor as to why the sets were done by different printers?

The first of these sets to be issued is known to us as "Grenadier Guards" - though it was described in "The Foundation" as "1899 12 Historical Costumes of the Grenadier Guards. Design registered 10th July, 1899. Same printer." [Albert Hildesheimer & Co.]

In 1901, whilst "Street Cries" was being circulated, Faulkners were becoming part of the Imperial Tobacco Company. After that, the cards changed, becoming a more standard size, and having printed backs. The first of those sets was Cricketers Series (1901) - and this is a newsletter card, so you will have to scroll down to Tuesday 11th of March 2025.

In 1903, the company voluntarily wound up. The document for this gives all the names involved with that business, namely William Bowland Faulkner, Frederick Faulkner, and Alfred Robert Faulkner, all trading out of 130-132 Blackfriars Road.

Now some while after that, the Faulkner name again appeared on cards. They started in 1923 with "Prominent Racehorses of the Modern Day". Then, in 1924, along came a second series, numbered 26-50 and having the subtitle "2nd series of 25". These cards were printed by Mardon, Son & Hall, who produced many of the Imperial Tobacco Co.`s cigarette cards.

In our original reference booklet it states that "at the time of compilation (1942) they were located at Canal Street, Chester." There was a very good reason for this, and that was that almost as soon as the Second World War began, in 1939, they transferred all their staff out of London, and up to Chester and Liverpool. However some employees chose to stay, and these were given a fixed fee instead. Now I have discovered that there is a memorial to the Faulkner staff who lost their lives in the two World Wars. I am not sure if it is on show to the general public, but it is held by Ogdens Imperial Tobacco Company in Anfield, Liverpool, which must have been the premises to which Faulkner`s staff were relocated. Liverpool was almost as badly damaged by bombing as London, though. and over four thousand civilians were killed - only London suffered more civilian deaths than Liverpool - and the bombing raids ran from late August 1940 right until January 1942.

SET LISTING :

This list will eventually link out to all the Faulkner sets featured on our website, where you will find full descriptions of them, and a picture of the front and back of one of the cards from that set. To make it easier, we have chosen to list them here in alphabetical order, but also to give their date of issue. We also list alternative names for the sets, both those which were superseded after the original listing, and those which sometimes appear in dealers` catalogues. .

Actresses FECKSA (1900)
Actresses FROGA A (1898)
Angling (1929)
`Ation Series (1901)
Beauties
Beauties FECKSA
Boer War Series (1901)
British Royal Family (1901)
Coster Expressions (1900)
Coster Series (1900)
Cricketers Series (1901) - newsletter card, scroll down to Tuesday 11th of March 2025
Cricket Terms (1899)
Eminent Actresses
Football Terms - first series (1900)
Football Terms - second series (1900)
Golf Terms (1901)
Grenadier Guards (1899)
Historical Costumes of the Grenadier Guards (1899)
Kings and Queens (1902)
Kipling Series (1900) - newsletter card, scroll down to Tuesday 20th December 2022
The Language of Flowers - Grenadier Cigarettes (1900)
The Language of Flowers - Nosegay Cigarettes (1900)
Military Expressions (1899)
Military Terms (1899)
Military Terms - second series (1899) - two versions
Nautical Terms (1899)
Nautical Terms - second series - Grenadier Cigarettes (1900)
Nautical Terms - second series- Union Jack Cigarettes (1900)
Naval Expressions (1899)
Old Sporting Prints (1930)
Optical Illusions (1935) - newsletter card, scroll down to Monday 13th of February 2023
Our Colonial Troops - Grenadier Cigarettes (1900)
Our Colonial Troops - Union Jack Cigarettes (1900)
Our Gallant Grenadiers - with I.T.C. Clause - thin card (1902-3)
Our Gallant Grenadiers - without I.T.C. Clause - thick card (1902-3)
Our Gallant Grenadiers - without I.T.C. Clause - thin card (1902-3)
Policemen of the World (1899)
Police Terms (1899)
Prominent Racehorses of the Present Day (1923)
Prominent Racehorses of Today (1923)
Prominent Rachorses - second series (1924).
Puzzle Pictures (1896)
Puzzle Series - Grenadier Cigarettes (1897-8)
Puzzle Series - Nosegay Cigarettes (1897-8)
South African War Scenes (1901) - newsletter card, scroll down to Friday 6th May 2022
South African War Series (1901) - newsletter card, scroll down to Friday 6th May 2022
Sporting Terms (1899)
Sporting Terms (1900)
Street Cries (1902)
The Language of Flowers - Grenadier Cigarettes (1900)
The Language of Flowers - Nosegay Cigarettes (1900)