Michele As early as 1948 our James Taddy Reference Book shows that Wills (Part 1) is listed as "Now out of print *". The asterisk is explained as "only un-covered copies available for new members of the Society." This means that whilst the innards could be duplicated or reprinted from the number one copy in our library, its decorative, slightly thicker covers,could not be.
Slowly, most of our original booklets fell out of print. Then,, in the 1970s, a decision was made to reprint them.
In Volume 5, No.52, of our "Cartophilic Notes and News" magazine, dated for July/August 1973, there is an update, as part of the President`s Statement, delivered at the Annual General Meeting, and that reads as follows :
Reference Books and Research.
Plans are in hand for the re-printing of some of our earlier Reference Books which are now out of print. A start is being made with the five Wills sections bound as one volume and this will be available later in the year. After that we shall consider the reprinting of the World Index part 1 and Handbook. (Reference Books 22 and 23)
This is updated in Volume 5, No.54, of our "Cartophilic Notes and News" magazine, dated for November/December 1973, where we are informed that :
OTHER NOTICES.
Wills Reference Books
The Society has decided to have the five Wills Reference Books re-printed as one volume. They are reprinted as issued but in one volume and by the time that this announcement is read they will be available from the Society (through the acting Secretary/Treasurer), The London Cigarette Card Co. Ltd., 34 Wellesley Road, Chiswick, London W4 4BP, The Britannia Cigarette Card Co., P.O. Box 4AU, London W14 4AU and M.A. Murray, 76 Barnet Way, Mill Hill, London NW7 3AN - at £1.50 per volume.
Nowhere is it mentioned that the book was a hardback, which seems rather odd.
Do note that this volume was reprinted again in 1990, but it is easy to tell the two versions apart because on the later one both dates appear on the spine of the hard cover.