Rare WW1 Weapons In Action 15-inch Howitzer Gas Masks Anti-Aircraft Gun Cigarette Cards

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I don’t think you could accuse this card set’s artist of glorifying and over glamorizing war. Some WW1 sets tend to look a bit staged and artificial, but this one has succeeded in capturing the dirt, grime and truly uncomfortable nature of war. This freedom of expression might be due to the fact that this set was issued towards the end of the war, hence the past tense being used in the descriptions on the backs of the cards. Throughout history knowledge and information have slowly eroded the power of the ruling elite, highlighting the corruption of the sixteenth century Roman Pope and inspiring people uprisings such as the American War of Independence, British Civil War, French Revolution etc. In WW1 the ailing ruling classes turned this normally democratic force against the people by successfully using propaganda. This propaganda, inspired by Freudian psychoanalytic theories, eventually backfired in the aftermath of the WW1 when the public realised how they had been so ruthlessly manipulated. The recent Arab uprisings have shown how difficult it is for dictators to hold back the truth when the channels of communications become faster and more difficult to control, as with mobile phones and social networking websites such as Facebook and Twitter.

Anyway, let’s get back to this card set. Although none of the cards mention anything about chemical warfare, most of the men pictured seem to be wearing gas masks, which I haven’t seen so much on other WW1 cards. More than 9 million combatants were killed in WW1, largely because of great technological advances in firepower without corresponding advances in mobility. These days their is a public outcry when one soldier dies let alone millions. The weapons in this set would certainly have contributed to the mass carnage of WW1.

Card #1 states that the 15-inch Howitzer “is able to hurl a shell weighing two-thirds of a ton a distance of 6 miles”. The description on the back of the card featuring the 8-inch Howitzer gun states that “over 380,000 tons of 8-inch shells were showered on to the Germans”. Card #5 states that “25 million 4.5 –inch Howitzer shells were fired in France alone”. The 6o-Pounder Gun, according to another card, fired 10 million rounds in the war and nearly 100 million rounds of 18-lb amunition were discharged.

Although mobility lagged way behind firepower, there are signs on these cards that it was improving. Heavier-than-air aircraft were used for military purposes for the first time in WW1, and as a result weapons were designed to counter them, such as the anti-aircraft gun pictured on card #8. The 9.2-inch gun’s “accuracy of aim” was helped by reconnaissance aircraft according to the description on the back of the card.

It states in the description on the back of the 8-Inch Howitzer card that “special tractors of the ‘caterpillar’ pattern were used for moving these Howitzers”. Those same caterpillar tractors inspired the designs of the first ever military tanks that made their debut towards the end of the war.

John Player & Son, Artillery In Action (WW1 Weapons), circa 1918 (12 cards)

Includes:12-inch Howitzer on Railway Mounting, 15-inch Howitzer in Position, 8-inch Howitzer, 9.2-inch Gun on Road Mounting, 18-Pounder Field Gun, 4.5-inch Howitzer, Early Anti-Aircraft Gun, 60-Pounder Gun, Light Vickers Machines Gun, Large Trench Mortar (operatives wearing gas masks), Lewis Automatic Gun, Stokes Trench Mortar

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1960's Elvis Presley and Tommy Steele 1st Ever British Rock and Roll Star ABC Trading Cards 1962

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This trade card set includes one of the most instantly recognisable personalities from the Rock ‘n’ Roll era, Elvis Presley. As you can imagine, cards depicting Elvis are very collectable and some fetch high prices at auction. Cliff Richard, pictured on card #6, was Britain’s answer to Elvis during his early career. He’s sold over 260 million records worldwide and he’s still going strong today, but I think he’s dropped the Elvis impersonation. Card #1 appropriately features Britain’s first rock and roll star, Tommy Steele.

Lonnie Donegan was known as the “King of Skiffle” and started performing before many of the singers featured in this card set. In fact, he is often cited as a large influence on the generation of British musicians who became famous in the 1960s, such as the Beatles. This set also includes the chart toppers Adam Faith and Anthony Newley, both of whom were involved in acting as well as music.

Max Bygraves is mainly known as a comedian but also extended his repertoire to include singing and acting. Other British Comedians in this set include Charlie Drake and Arthur Haynes.

ABC Cinemas, Colorstars (Including Elvis Presley), 1962 (10 cards)

Includes:Tommy Steele, Elvis Presley, Cheyenne, Lonnie Donegan, Max Bygraves, Cliff Richard, Adam Faith, Anthony Newley, Charlie Drake, Arthur Haynes

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Sexy 1930's Movie Stars Joan Crawford Marlene Dietrich Vintage Erotica Risque Cigarette Cards

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What links this card set to the multi Oscar winning film The Titanic, starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet. What connection do these humble cards that would have appeared in peoples’ homes across the country in 1930’s Britain have with Flash Gordon or Trazan and the Apeman. All will be revealed shortly.

I’ve done quite a few videos of vintage glamour card sets but this one is extra special because many of the beautiful ladies featured were also highly talented movie super stars, including Joan Crawford and Marlene Dietrich, both of whom started their careers during the Silent Era.

Gloria Stuart’s career was also very enduring, spanning 80 years. She appeared as 100-year-old Rose in her Academy Award nominated role in the film Titanic, 1997.

Priscilla Lawson also appeared in an iconic drama, playing the role as Princess Aura in the original Flash Gordon serial, 1936.Maureen Paula O’Sullivan, considered to be Ireland’s first movie star, starred as Jane Parker in Tarzan the Ape Man opposite co-star Johnny Weissmuller.

Claudette Colbert, a self confessed workaholic, was one of the best paid performers of the 1930s and 1940s. At the time, many of the women in this card set were considered to be the most beautiful women in the world. Clara Bow was a leading sex symbol during the Silent Era and continued to make movie appearances in the early 1930s. Betty Grable’s iconic bathing suit photo made her the number-one pin-up girl of the World War II era and her legs were famously insured for $1M with Lloyds of London.

Not all the movie stars in this set had long careers, but that doesn’t necessary make them any less iconic. Carole Lombard was an extremely gifted actress whose life was tragically cut short by the crash of TWA Flight 3 in 1942.

Carreras, Film Stars, 2nd Series, 1939 (54 cards)

Includes:Adrienne Ames,Rose Asther,Pearl Argyle,Rosemary Ashlen,Wendy Barrie,Joan Blondell,Clara Bow,Grace Bradley,Mary Carlyle,June Clyde,Claudette Colbert,Joan Crawford,Olivia De Havilland,Frances Dee,Dolores Del Rio,Florence Desmond,Dallas Dexter, Marlene Dietrich,Adrienne Dore,Frances Drake,Ann Dvorak,Deanna Durbin,Patricia Ellis,Alice Faye,Grace Ford,Betty Furness,Betty Grable,Jean Gillie,Shirley Grey,Suzanne Kaaren,Evelyn Kelly,June Knight,Dorothy Lamour,Priscilla Lawson,Margaret Lindsay, Carole Lombard,Ida Lupino,Marian Marsh,Joan Marsh,Karen Morley,Sari Maritza,Marion Martin,Anna Neagle,Cecelia Parker,Jean Parker,Lilian Harvey,Lilian Porter,Maureen O'Sullivan,Elivina Shargood,Gloria Stuart,Raquelle Torres,Toby Wing,Terry Walker, Doris Weston

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1950's Comedians Benny Hill Film Stars Pat Boone Terry Thomas Memorabilia Snap Gum Trading

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This set features many celebrities who were popular in the 1950s and beyond and was issued by Snap Gum in 1959. Benny Hill, pictured in this set, was a very popular English comedian. His infectious cheeky humour, songs and impressions kept him on British television screens for 40 years. He had many high profile fans, including Charlie Chaplin, Michael Jackson, Burt Reynolds, Michael Caine and Mickey Rooney. Unfortunately, Hill became one of the many comedic victims of the rising wave of British political correctness and alternative comedy during the late 1980s. Following the cancellation of his show in 1989, Hill’s health declined and he died just a few years later.

This card set also features other English comedians, such as Arthur Haynes and Tommy Trinder. Two of England’s most loved comedy actors also make an appearance, including Bernard Bresslaw, who was a regular on the much loved British “Carry On” film series and Terry Thomas, famous for his portrayal of disreputable members of the upper classes.

This set also features several popular music stars, including Connie Francis, the top-charting female vocalist of the 1950s and 1960s; Pat Boone, who was the second biggest charting artist of the late 1950s, behind only Elvis Presley; and Lonnie Donegan, the “King of Skiffle”, who influenced many of the famous British bands of the 1960s.

The first half of the set includes photographic style images of the celebs and the 2nd half shows the same celebrities again but in the form of dot-to-dot images for the recipient to trace through to reveal the stars.

Snap Cards Gum, Dotto Celebrities, Benny Hill, 1959 (50 cards)

Includes:Benny Hill, Pat Boone, Connie Francis, Lonnie Donegan, Terry Thomas, Tommy Trinder, Arthur Haynes, Patricia Driscoll, David Whitfield, John Skeaping, Robin Day, Frankie Vaughan, Macdonald Hobley, Bruce Forsyth, Jack Jackson, Willoughby Goddard, Dickie Henderson, Richard Green, Bernard Bresslaw (Carry On film series), Conrad Phillips, Carol Naish, Ron Randall, Peggy Mount, David Kossoff, Broderick Crawford,

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Pre WW2 Police of the World USA New York NYPD Ireland Iraq UK Palestine History Memorabilia

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Not many cigarette card sets were issued on the police.

Cope Bros, The World's Police, 1937 (25 cards)

Includes Police From The Following Countries:England, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Irish Free State, Jamaica, South Africa, India, Gold Coast, Soudan, Hong Kong, Nigeria, Soudan, Iraz, Palestine, USA, Burma, Federated Malay States (Malaysia), France, Holland,Greece, Sweden, Fiji Islands, Italy, Argentina

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Buiding WW2 Fighter Planes Bombers Life In the RAF 1930's Royal Air Force Cigarette Cards

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This detailed set shows life in the Royal Air Force prior to WW2

Cigarette Cards, W.A. & A.C. Churchman, The RAF At Work (48 cards), 1937

Includes:Fitters and Riggers Inspecting Fairey Battle Aircraft, Vickers Wellesley Bomber, Overseas Fitters Working on Rolls-Royce Kestrel Engine, Repairing Aeroplane in Desert, Overseas Motor Transport Fitters Repairing RAF Car, Repairing Machine Guns, Adjusting Torpedo, Wheeling Torpedo into Position, Instrument Makers Testing Gyroscopes, Instrument Maker Working Engraving Machine, Testing Revolution Indicator With Stroboscope, Adjusting Automatic Control, Calibrating Air-speed Indicator, Testing Air-speed Indicator, Sergeant Blacksmith at Work, Metal Worker Welding With High-Pressure Acetylene, Wireless Operator Mechanic Adjusting Wireless Set, Flight Mechanics Installing Engine in Test Bench, Flight Mechanic Examining Instrument Panel of Test Bench, Installing Engine Into Airframe, Maintenance of Engine and Testing Wireless Set, Starting Engine, Refuelling Aircraft, Refuelling Aeroplane in Desert, Inspecting Short Singapore III Flying-Boat, Flight Riggers Under Instruction at Henlow, Removing Wheel From
Undercarriage, Flight Riggers Topping-up Oleo-Leg, Wireless Operator Testing Installation, Cooks at Work, Parachute Repair Flight, Final Inspection of Pilot Parachute, Fabric Workers Covering Wing, Coxswain in Charge of Flying-boat Tender, Motor Boat and Crew, Machine Tool Setter Working on Lathe, Driver In Charge of Mobile Crane, Driver At Wheel of RAF Fire-Engine, Sergeant Pilot, Corporal Air Gunner Practising With Camera Gun, Airman Swinging the Aircrew, Parachute Jumping, Short Sunderland Flying-Boat, Lowering Float-Plane on to Sea, Army Co-Operation Aeroplane Picking Up Message, Armoured Cars Crossing The Desert, Airmen's Club At Abu Sueir in Egypt

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1920's Warriors Native Americans Zulus Papuan Headhunters Cossacks DC Thomson The Rover Comic Trading

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Great set of warrior cards with a Wild West themed sectional back, great if you're into jigsaws

The Rover Comic (D.C. Thomson), Warrior Cards (Sectional Picture Back)

Includes: Life Guardsman (Britain), "Sioux - Red Indian", Sikh Officer - Punjab, Zulu Fighter, Gordon Highlander, Dervish - Sudan, Foreign Legion - France, Australian Aborigine, Gurkha - Nepal, Solomon Islander, Spahi - North Africa, Patagonian - South America, Cossack - Russia, Papuan Headhunter - New Guinea, Bersaglieri - Italy, Abyssinian Giant, Bengal Lancer, Dayak - Borneo, British Marine, Congo Pigmy, British Airman (Airforce), Afridi - Himalayas, Zouave - Algeria, Tuareg - Sahara Desert

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$2.8M Baseball Card Honus Wagner T206 and Rare Vintage Sports Card Set Boxing Golf Billiards Football Major Drapking Cigarette Cards

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This is a very rare sports card set, so rare that it’s taken me seven years to get it. This set forms a card game, Sporting Snap. If you don’t know how to play, I was lucky enough to get the original instruction leaflet which, according to the backs of the cards, was “obtainable from all tobacconists”. It is now very scarce in its own right.

The most sought after cards in this set are the baseball cards. You won’t find any Honus Wagner cards amongst these ones but they are still very difficult to get hold of in this great condition.As many of you know, a Honus Wagner T206 baseball card was the first card to fetch more than $1M at auction in the year 2000 and would more than double this in 2007, when it reached $2.8M. As well as featuring several baseball cards, this card set also covers many other sports, such as association football, rugby, tennis, boxing, golf, water-polo, billiards and racing etc.

Major Drapkin, The Game of Sporting Snap, 1928 (40 cards)

Includes:Soccer (Association Football), Rugger (Rugby), Cricket, Tennis, Boxing, Baseball, Golf, Water-Polo, Billiards, Horse Racing

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WW1 Cavalry Regimental Uniforms Horses Lancers Artillery Cossacks Russian Hussars John Player & Son Cigarette Cards

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The huge revolution in firepower was not matched by similar advances in mobility. That’s why horses were still widely used in WW1. The first standard issue military tanks did not join the war effort till quite late, and even those were very experimental and caused almost as much damage to the exhaust fume poisoned operatives as they did to the enemy.

John Player and Sons issued a number of beautifully illustrated military card sets leading up to and towards the beginning of WW1. This particular set is devoted to cavalry regiments and, judging by the unusual large size of the cards, would have been issued in the extra big packets. The bumper packets were not as popular as the regular packets, explaining why these cards are quite scarce. As with the early movie studios, the card issuers were reluctant to reveal the names of their artists. They feared that their staff would ask for more money if they became celebrities in their own right. However, attitudes changed as the pressures of the free market took effect.

John Player and Son, Regimental Uniforms, 1914 (10 extra large cards)

Includes:Belgian Army - 4th Regiment of Lancers, French Army - Artillery, Belgian Army - 2nd Chasseurs a Cheval, French Army - Spahi, French Army - Chasseurs a Cheval, Indian Army - 26th King George's Own Light Cavalry - Late 1st Madras Lancers, 13th Duke of Connaught's Lancers Watson's Horse - Late 13th Duke of Connaught's Bengal Lancers, Indian Army - Imperial Cadet Corps, Russian Army - Officer of Hussars, Russian Army - Trumpeter - Cossack of the Guard

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Early 1900s Ghost Train Roller Coaster Ride Folkestone Kent Railway Amusement Park Postcard

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Although Fokestone's original Victorian roller coaster ride has long since gone, it's image has been immortalised on this beautiful 1900's postcard.

Switchback Railway (early 1900's roller coaster ride) Folkestone, Kent

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18th Century Boxing Token & Rare Tobacco Cards John L. Sullivan Jack Johnson Boxer Joe Louis Cigarette Cards

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I have a fantastic piece of boxing history; an 18th century boxing medal/token, depicting a pioneering boxer and I’ll be discussing it later in this blog.

Who was the first boxing super star? I bet a whole host of great boxers from the past sweep through your mind: Joe Louis, Jack Dempsey, Gene Tunney, Jack Johnson or John Lawrence Sullivan. Actually, this great sport dates back thousands of years, with the earliest depictions of fist fighting appearing on relief carvings from the Bronze Age. The first English bare knuckle boxing champion was James Figg in 1719 and this was about the same time the word “boxing” was initially used. Early fights had no written rules and there were no weight divisions, round limits or referees. The first boxing rules, called the Broughton's rules, were introduced by heavyweight champion Jack Broughton in 1743 to protect fighters in the ring.

One of greatest boxing matches in living history, between Thomas Johnson and Isaac Perrins , was held in 1789. It was such a momentous event that two medals, one representing each participant, were struck to commemorate it. I own the medal featuring the winner of the fight, Thomas Johnson. The obverse of the medal shows the bust of Johnson. The reverse is inscribed with the words “Science and Intrepidity”, because Johnson was well known for using his brain to outwit bigger and more muscular opponents, which was unusual for that time. He was thought to have earned more money during his reign as champion than any other fighter until John L. Sullivan almost a century later. Jack Anderson, a modern historian of the sport, has summarised the early boxing writers as agreeing the period of Johnson's reign as champion "rescued the declining sport and heralded the beginning of a golden age".


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Thomas Johnson (Iohnson) Boxing Medal / Token (Inscribed: "Bella! Horrida Bella!" and "Science and Intrepidity"), 1789

Tobacco card featuring John L. Sullivan, Allen & Ginters, circa 1887

Famous Boxers (featuring Jack Johnson), Cohen Weenen & Co., 1912

A Gallery of 1935 (featuring Joe Louis), Stephen Mitchell & Son

Boxing Personalities (featuring Gene Tunney), WA & AC Churchman, 1938

Sporting Champions (featuring Jack Dempsey), 1922

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Rare 1900′s Harry Houdini $2000.00 Trading Card Memorabilia 1924 Frys Magic Tricks and Puzzles Cigarette Cards

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Trading cards and cigarette cards were issued on a huge array of subjects, including that which has fascinated mankind since the beginning of time, magic. As with many card collecting subjects, there are certain cards that fetch colossal amounts of money. With baseball cards it’s Honus Wagner, one of which was the first card to exceed $1M, on eBay. With magic cards, the most sought after celebrity is Harry Houdini. His magic is still working after all these years as his cards conjure up nearly $2000.00 for a 1902 Ogden’s Guinea Gold card depicting him and almost £100.00 for a rare 1922 Boy’s Cinema (periodical) Famous Heroes card featuring this legendary man.

Although I, unfortunately, don’t have any Houdini cards in my collection, I do have a very rare Fry’s Tricks and Puzzles (Black Back), issued in 1924, just two years before Houdini’s death. This set includes fifty tricks/puzzles: disappearing coins, playing cards that produce smoke rings, dancing paper fairies, impossible handcuffs, bringing paper snakes to life and many more. One card also includes the politically incorrect act of creating silhouettes of different ethnic groups out of a candle and screwed up newspaper, not recommended these days. The backs of the cards in this set, as well as describing each trick and puzzle in detail , also advertise Fry’s “Cube Block Chocolate”, priced at just six pence each.


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Ogden's Guinea Gold , New Series 1 B (featuring Harry Houdini), 1902

Boys Cinema , Famous Heroes (featuring Harry Houdini), 1922

JS Fry & Sons Ltd , Tricks and Puzzles (Black Back), 1924 (50 cards)

Includes:Sixpence and Card Trick, Mr, Roly Poly, The Surplus Spill, The Fairy Dancers, Chalk Line Puzzle, Handcuff Puzzle, The Mesmerised Match Box, The Miraculous Apple, The Travelling Cubes of Sugar, Can you Count?, The Wandering Ace, The Q Trick, To make Smoke Rings, The Rising Flood, Pricking the Garter, The Vanishing Coin, A Square Puzzle, The Floating Needle, Cut String Restored or Vanishing Knot, The Magic Match, Gravity Dafied, Bottle Coin and Match Trick, The Disappearing Shilling, Philosphy Cheated, The Magic Bond, The Travelling-Coin, The Mesmerised Walking Stick, The Vanishing Egg, The Penetrating Smoke, The Indestructible Star, The Penetrable Matches, The Erratic Egg, The Magic Ring, The Restored Handkerchief, The Torn Paper Puzzle, The Cut Finger Joke, The Incombustible Handkerchief, The Revolving Serpent, Hot is it done?, The Watch Trick, The Ridiculous Rings, The Magical Adhesion,The Cigarette Joke, The Wonderful Designer, The Tantalising Cork, The Magic Penny, The Intoxicated Wine Glass, One Two Three Gone, The Restored Slip of Paper

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World’s 1st Car Ever and 1902 Motor Cars and Racing On Ogden’s Guinea Gold Cigarette Cards

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Transport has certainly come a long way over the last one-hundred odd years, from the horse drawn cart though to the indispensible modern-day motor car. OK, we’re not riding around in our own personal space ships, but motor cars have dramatically transformed our lives.

Deciding who invented the car, like with most inventions, depends on how you define it. Nicolas-Joseph Cugnot is believed to have built the first self-propelled mechanical vehicle, the Cugnot Steam Trolley in 1769. It is generally acknowledged that the first really practical automobiles with petrol/gasoline-powered internal combustion engines were completed almost simultaneously by several German inventors working independently: Karl Benz built his first car in 1885 in Mannheim.

Early 20th century ephemera, especially cigarette cards and trading cards, provide us with a window to some of the first ever motor cars. I have a collection of 1902 motor car cigarette cards, issued by Ogden’s under their Guinea Gold brand. In those days, it was not so obvious what would become the dominant standard, whether it was the electric, steam or petroleum car. The makers of petrol engine cars got the upper hand by investing heavily in mass-production techniques.

Ogden (Guinea Gold), New Series 1 B, 1902 (Just Motor Car Related Cards)

Includes:"The Smallest Motor Car", Ricker on his Electric Car, The King In Hist Motor (King Edward VII), HM King Edward VII's DAimler Motor Carriage, The King's Motor Car, Misses Sevening and Edwardine, , Model of the first Motor ever made in America, Violet Vanbrugh, Mr. Weigel on his Motor Car, Motor Bus - Kilburn Marble Arch, Car of Sir Sydney Waterlow, Rougier Winner of a Race For Large Motors, Colomb on a Mors Car, Albert on a Darracq Car, Aubert on a Co Herean Car, De Montant on a Pengeot Car, Emery on Darracq Car, Laurent on a Brasier Car, Gordon Bennett Cup, A Mammoth Motor Car - 150HP, Pauline Chase & Nina Sevening & Adrienne Augarde & Carrie Moore, The Latest in Light Motor Cars, Louie Freear, Evie Greene and M May, Dust Trails Using Westrumite, Starley Car, His Majesty King Edward's Daimler Motor Carriage, The Bertrand Motor Carraige, M. Charroy's Panhard-Levassor, The Gordon-Brillie Landau, The Four Bridesmaids In Chinese Honeymoon, Mr JW Stocks on His Napier Car, L Movers on his Racing Car, M. Fournier's Mors - The Winner of the Race From Paris to Berlin 1901

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World's 1st Motorcycle Ever Made & 1902 Motor Cycle Ogden's Cigarette Cards

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As with many inventions, deciding who invented the first motorcycle depends on how you define it. If a two-wheeled vehicle with steam propulsion is considered a motorcycle, then the first was the French Michaux-Perreaux steam velocipede of 1868. Many authorities who exclude steam powered, electric or diesel two-wheelers from the definition of a motorcycle, credit the Daimler Reitwagen as the world's first motorcycle. This petroleum fuelled bike was developed by Gottlieb Daimler and Wilhelm Maybach in Germany, 1885.

Only a handful of cigarette card and trading card sets were issued just on motorcycles and most of those are post 1920. In order to find the earliest motorbike cards you really have to do some searching, scanning through thousands and thousands of cards. Luckily, I’ve done some of the work for. I’ve tracked down seven cards from the thousands of photographic general interest cards issued by Ogden under their Guinea Gold and Tab brands at the beginning of the 1900s. They hardly ever turn up and when they do they go for way above the catalogue value because it’s such a popular subject. 6 of the cards are all from Ogden’s Guinea Gold New Series 1 B. Below is a list of the card titles:

Guinea Gold New Series 1 B, 1902
B281 “Carl Muller Competitor in the International Cup”
B284 “Toman Winner of International Cup For Motor Bicycles”
B287 “Adolf Marz Competitor In The International Cup”
B271 “Lonfronchi On A Pengeot Motor Bicycle. World’s Record, 1 Mile in 57 4-5 Seconds”
B394 “Detachable Motor”
B395 “T. Silver on the Quadrant Motor” (Tom Silver on a Quadrant motorcycle)
I did also find a tricycle card from Ogden’s Tab General Interest D Series, 1902:
Card #90 “Kenneth Skinner rounding a curve on his prize-winning tricycle, in great American Races”

Ogden's Guinea Gold, New Series 1 B, 1902 (A selection of motorcycle cards)

Includes:Carl Muller, Competitor in the International Cup; Toman, Winner of International Cup for Motor Bicycles; Adolf Marz, Competitor in the International Cup; Lonfronchi on a Pengeot Motor Bicycle, World's Record; Detachable Motor, Tom Silver on his Quadrant Motorcycle, Kenneth Skinner on his Tricycle

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WW2 USA Weapons Browning 50 Cal Machine Gun sherman M4A4 Tank Bazooka Trading Cards

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The Battle Picture Weekly presented several series of WW2 weapons trading cards with their popular comic in the mid 1970s, each one focusing on a different country. This particular set in this blog features sixteen weapons that the USA used to slay the German army during World War II.

Mobility was a big problem in WW1 but the perfection of the military tank put an end to that in WW2. Germany took full advantage of these war machines when they used them to rapidly invade France, applying a strategy known as the blitzkrieg. This set features the Sherman Tank, the USA’s answer to the German Panzer tanks. This set also includes the famous Browning .50 caliber machine gun, which was so successful that it is still used today. Card #6 shows the Bazooka Anti-Tank Rocket, which inspired America’s allies and enemies to replicate it. Military mines were problematic during WW2 but some ingenious contraptions, such as that illustrated on card #10, were used to clear the way for advancing military vehicles and infantry. One weapon that wasn’t so successful in WW2 was the Tommy-Gun. Although made famous by the 1930’s gangsters of America, WW2 military personnel complained that they were too noisy and jammed at crucial moments. The last card in this series features the interestingly shaped P-38 Lightning Fighter. This aircraft instilled fear in the Germans, who named it the “Two-tailed Devil”.

Battle Picture Weekly, Battle Weapons of World War II, circa 1975 (16 cards)

Includes:USS Langley Escort Carrier, Sherman M4A4 Tank, Browning .50 Caliber Machine Gun, Boeing B-17 Bomber, 105 mm Priest SP Gun, Bazooka Anti-Tank Rocket, M10 Tank Destroyer, C-47 Dakota Transport, White Half Track with 75 mm Howitzer, Sherman Flail Tank for mines, Grumman Wildcat Navy Fighter, 37 mm Anti-Tank Gun, Landing Craft-Rocket, Hamilcar Glider, Thompson Sub Machine-Gun (Tommy Gun), P-38 Lightning Fighter Aircraft

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Early 1910′s Movie Stars Mary Pickford Mabel Normand Charlie Chaplin Alma Taylor Trading Cards

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The first ever cigarette card set devoted purely to movie stars, that I’ve found so far, is Cinematograph Actors, issued by Major Drapkin in 1913. I’ll be reviewing my collection of cards from that particular set in a future review.

This set, issued about 1916 by The Girl’s Friend periodical, doesn’t have a series title printed on the backs. Fortunately, it has been retrospectively named as Actresses in trading card literature.

As well as featuring actresses known more for their stage appearances, such as Calarice Maye, Daisy Dormer and Gladys Cooper, the very general title given to this set disguises the fact that it features several pioneering movie stars. One card is devoted to one of the first international movie stars, Mary Pickford. The description on the back of the Pickford card reveals that her latest film is “The Eternal Grind”, which, according to Wikipedia, came out in 1916, revealing the age of this card set. Mabel Normand also appears in this set and was a successful silent film comedienne and one of the film industry’s first female screenwriters, producers and directors. She also played an important part in launching Charlie Chaplin’s career.

This set also features Alma Taylor, who was a major British film star from the 1910s and 1920s and appeared in over 150 films. Despite her prolific film career there seems to be less about her online than her American contemporaries. Prior to WW1, Europe played a significant part in the movie industry but was over taken by the US during the war years.

Whilst the Europeans were consumed with killing each other in a mindless war, the US conquered the movie industry. As Winston Churchill once said, History is written by the victors. The USA wouldn’t just write history, it would broadcast it to the world and still does through the ultimate broadcasting medium, the internet.

Perhaps the European Union is a good thing after all. It’s better than all the thousands of European wars we had before it. I guess the choice is either greed and war or peace and compromise.

The card illustrations in this set were printed on material, often termed Silks in cigarette card circles, and backed with paper. The text on the backs of these material cards encourages the collectors to incorporate them into tea cosies, cushions, chair backs and other needlework projects. Well, these were the days before television, although that was soon about to change.

The Girls Friend (Periodical) , Actresses, circa 1916 (6 cards)

Includes:Clarice Mayne, Daisy Dormer, Mabel Normand, Gladys Cooper, Mary Pickford, Alma Taylor

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1920′s Motorcycles Brough Superior SS100 Exlcelsior Scott Super Squirrel Triumph Norton Cigarette Cards

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This set of 1920’s motorcycle cards was issued when Britain was still a great industrial nation. It includes 1920's bikes from instantly recognisable British motorcycle manufacturers such as Triumph, Norton, Royal Enfield, BSA and AJS.

Many of the early motorcycle manufacturers started out in bicycle production before progressing to motorised versions. Although not all the early firms made it to the 1920s, this set does feature a bike produced by Excelsior, which was the first British company to manufacture motorcycles in 1896. Other early manufacturers include Humber Motorcycles, Matchless and Coventry-Eagle.

Raleigh is one of the oldest bicycle companies in the world and is still going today. Even they spent a short period of time expanding into motorcycles, from the 1920s-1930s, but obviously they weren’t as successful at it as they were with their bicycle line. This set also includes motorcycles manufactured by companies normally associated with cars, such as Rover and Sunbeam.

Britain built up a worldwide reputation for quality workmanship. Brough Superior motorcycles were dubbed the "Rolls-Royce of Motorcycles" by H. D. Teague of The Motor Cycle newspaper. Brough Superior boasted prestigious patrons such as T. E. Lawrence ("Lawrence of Arabia") and George Bernard Shaw

Velocette, a small family owned business, could not compete against BSA on quantity but were renowned for the quality of their products.

W.D. & H.O. Wills, Motor Cycles, 1926 (50 cards)

Includes:New Gerrard 348 cc Blackburne engine, AJS G. 8, P & M Panther, Ner-A-Car Model C, Chater-Lea 348cc super sports model, Quadrant, Montgomer 986cc, sports model AJR 344cc twin port JAP engine, Elcelsior, 496cc James, 348cc Bradbury, 248cc Raleigh, SS100 Brough Superior, 493cc De Luxe BSA, 498cc Scott Super Squirrel, REX-ACME sports model, Triumph Model P, Connaught Model G, 680 model twin-cylinder Zenith, Velocette, New Imperial Super-Sports overhead valve model 246cc, 342 Sun Villiers lightweight side car outfit, 349cc 1926 model Humber, 497cc Ariel, HRD 490cc JAP , Coventry Eagle Flying 8, 498cc Matchless, Douglas, Grindlay 344cc overhead valve JAP engine, O.K., 300cc J.A.P. engine Carfield, 348cc New Hudson Super Sports Model, Calthrope 348cc, Rover 345cc single cylinder, Royal Enfield Sports Model 346cc, 700cc N.U.T., 247cc Cedos, Cotton, 490cc Overhead valve O.E.C., 499cc Rudge, Diamond 172cc, 499cc long-stroke Sunbeam, 588cc Norton, Radco, Francis-Barnett 172cc two-stroke, 247cc Levis, Dunlet, Omega 345cc JAP engine, Ivy 499cc , Coventry Victor 499cc

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Adolf Hitler Bought Trading Cards of WW2 Battleship HMS Nelson HMS Ark Royal HMS Warspite

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I’ve just been rummaging through some intriguing collectables, some of which will be appearing in future blogs. But in this blog I couldn’t resist showing you this set of WW2 battleship and submarine cards. It looks like an average set at first glance but it hides a tantalising secret. It’s an error set. No, you won’t find any rare printing errors like those found on stamps. In fact, this is a very accurate set and that’s what the problem is.

Hitler thought it was so detailed that he secretly bought up huge quantities of it, pushing its price way above the normal market value and raising the alarm amongst British card dealers. Of course Hitler hadn’t bought them because he’d taken up card collecting, he intended to give these handy and compact cards to his u-boat personnel so that they could identify and destroy British battleships featured. As well as the pictures showing a true likeness, the backs reveal important information such as the weight, speed and even the number of guns on the ships. This would be very useful for those launching the weapons of mass destruction.

This was a huge own goal and a classic example of a cigarette card set slipping through the censorship net. As well as putting the lives of British sailors at risk it also endangered those of our allies, since it features naval craft from the USA, France and Russia.

This set won’t break any records at auction, but it is a great example of how accurate and historically important these miniature cards can be. Maybe your great grandfather or uncle served on one of the battleships or submarines that appear in this set. Please feel free to comment and share your war bedtime stories. I’ve included a list the naval craft that appear in this set.

John Player & Sons, Modern Naval Craft, 1939 (50 cards)

Includes:HMS Nelson,HMS Warspite,HMS Revenge,HMS Hood,HMS Repulse,HMS Exeter,HMS Norfolk,HMS Southampton,HMS Curlew,HMS Adventure,HMS Greenville,HMS Afridi,HMS Severn,HMS Narwhal,HMS Sunfish,HMS Ark Royal,HM Torpedo Boat 102,Dunkerque,Algerie,La Galissonniere, Mogador,Surcouf,Bearn,Admiral Graf Spee,Nurnberg,Georg Thiele,U16,Conte DI Cavour,Bolzano,Giuseppe Garibadi,Libeccio,Giuseppe Finzi,Nagato,ISE,Atago,Kumano,Samidare,I21,Akagi,California,Colorado,Quincy,Broo­klyn,Gridley,Perch,Oahu,Enterprise,Saratoga, Leningrad,Revolutioner

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1970′s Rock Bands Creedence Clearwater Revival Marc Bolan T. Rex Led Zeppelin Mungo Jerry Slade

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Mister Softee, Pop Discs (Pop Stars and Rock Bands), 1972

This set of cards was issued when Glam rock was popular in Britain. It features the man who started it all, Marc Bolan of T Rex. He showed the way for acts such as Slade and Sweet, both of whom are featured in this set. This set includes other great bands, such as Led Zeppelin, Mungo Jerry (famous for the timeless song In “ The Summer Time “ ), Creedence Clearwater Revival, Chicago and many other music acts that would shape the scene in the 1970s and for years to come:

Includes: Marc Bolan (T. Rex), Slade (Noddy Holder, Dave Hill, Jimmy Lee and Don Powell), Rod Stewart (The Faces), Cilla Black, Cat Stevens, Chicago , Peter Noone (Herman of the Hermits), The New Seekers, New World, Alvin Lee, Mungo Jerry (Ray Dorset, Paul King, JOhn Godfrey and Colin Earl), Tremeloes, Tony Blackburn, Creedence Clearwater Revival (Stu Cook, Doug Clifford and John Fogerty), Gilbert O'Sullivan, Led Zeppelin (Jimmy Page (Yardbirds), John Paul Jones, John Bonham and Robert Plant), Elton John Cliff Richard, Sweet (Brian Connelly, Mike Tucker, Steve Priest and Andy Scott), Blue Mink (Madeline Bell, Roger Cook, Alan Clark, Barry Morgan, Roger Coulam and Herbie Flowers), Dean Ford (Scottish Band Marmalade), Richard Barnes, Neil Diamond, Maurice Gibbs (The Bee Gees)

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1970's Bands & Pop Stars Led Zeppelin Jethro Tull Marmalade Fleetwood Mac Trading Cards

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Who is your favourite 1970’s band?

Mister Softee’s Lord Neilson Star Discs Trading Card Set (24 Cards)

Includes: Led Zeppelin, Jethro Tull, Marmalade, Elvis Presley, Mick Jagger of the Rolling Stones, Fleetwood Mac, Robin Gibb of the Bee Gees, Donovan, Dave Clark 5, Glen Campbell, Cilla Black, Cliff Richard, Peter Sarstedt, Dusty Springfield, Herman's Hermits, The Tremeloes, Herb Alpert, The Hollies, Mary Hopkin, Engelbert Humperdinck, Tom Jones, Bobbie Gentry

Here’s another great set issued by Mister Softee, who ran a successful fleet of ice cream vans. This set heralds in a new decade, the 1970s. Some of the artists featured in this set would fail to maintain their position at the top of the charts whilst bands like Led Zeppelin would completely transform the shape of music forever, like The Beatles did in the previous decade. The cards in this set are circular and look like the tops of ice cream tubs. The photos and descriptions were compiled by Music Now.

Card #1, Herb Alpert

Herb Alpert was as talented behind the scenes as he was in front of the microphone. He founded the hugely successful A&M Records recording label, which boasts a huge catalogue of mega stars.

Card #2 Marmalade

Marmalade were the first Scottish band to top the UK charts with a cover of the Beatles’ "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da".

Card #3, Mick Jagger

No introduction is necessary for the Rolling Stones’ Mick Jagger, the ultimate die hard rock star. Allmusic described Jagger as "one of the most popular and influential front men in the history of rock & roll".

Card #4, Andy Fairweather-Low

Andy Fairweather-Low was the vocalist and leader of the 1960’s band Amen Corner, which had a number one hit with the song “If Paradise is Half As Nice”. He has continued to tour up until recently with the likes of Eric Clapton.

Card #5, Robin Gibb

This set of cards was issued when Robin Gibb had split from the Bee Gees to pursue a solo career. He didn’t succeed at this and soon rejoined the Bee Gees, who would go on to have phenomenal success in the disco-era of the late 1970s.

Card #6, Donovan

Emerging from British folk scene, Donovan developed a unique style of music, incorporating multiple genres.

Card #7, Dave Clark

Dave Clark was the leader of the group The Dave Clark Five, who scored numerous hits in the 1960s and even challenged the Beatles early on in the British Invasion era. Promoted as a “cleaner” image than the Beatles, the Dave Clark Five were among the first British bands to tour the USA.

Card #8, Glen Campbell

Glen Campbell is a Grammy nominated American country pop singer and guitarist, best known for his 1960’s and 1970’s hits.

Card #9, Cilla Black

After achieving worldwide fame as a 1960’s singer, she went on to become the best paid female presenter in British television history.

Card #10, Cliff Richard

Sir Cliff Richard has sold 260 million records worldwide and is the only singer to have had a number one single in the UK in six consecutive decades.

Card #11, Peter Sarstedt

Peter Sarstedt is a singer-songwriter who is best known for his #1 UK hit “Where Do You Go To My Lovely?”

Card #12, Dusty Springfield

Dusty Springfield is a true 1960’s icon, considered by many to be one of the best female artists of all time.

Card # 13, Herman

One card features Peter Noone, best known as Herman of the successful 1960’s group Herman’s Hermits. The group’s record producer, Mickie Most, was considered to be very controlling, which helped propel the group in the short term but stifled song writing creativity later on.

Card #14, Led Zeppelin

Jimmy Page formed Led Zeppelin when The Yardbirds disbanded. Led Zeppelin are widely considered to be one of the most successful, innovative and influential bands in the history of rock music.

Card #15, The Tremeloes

Famously, Decca chose the Tremoloes over The Beatles in an audition in 1962. This talented group secured many hits in the 1960s, and are still active today.

Card #16, Jethro Tull

Jethro Tull are one of the best selling groups of all time. They have successful incorporated numerous genres in a career spanning nearly half a century.

Card #17, Fleetwood Mac

This card shows the Fleetwood Mac group during the British Blues boom, when it was still led by the creative guitarist Peter Green, who is ranked as the 38th greatest guitarist of all time.

Card #18, Elvis Presley

No pop music series would be complete without mentioning the man who did the most to popularize Rock and Roll; the late, great Elvis Presley.

Card #19, The Hollies

This card shows the great Manchester group The Hollies, known for their distinctive vocal harmony style. They became one of the leading groups of the 1960s and 1970s and are one of the few that continue to perform even today.

Card #20, Mary Hopkin

This set features the British folk singer Mary Hopkin, sometimes known as Mary Visconti, who is best known for her number one single “Those Were The Days”.

Card #21, Lou Christie

Lugee Alfredo Giovanni Sacco, known professionally as Lou Christie, is an American singer-songwriter best known for songs such as Lightnin' Strikes and his incredible 3 octave vocal range.

Card #22, Engelbert Humperdinck

Arnold George Dorsey went from a struggling pub singer into a global superstar when he changed his name to the more memorable Engelbert Humperdinck. He scored a big hit with the song Release Me.

Card #23, Tom Jones

Tom Jones’ powerful voice has helped him sell over 100 million records worldwide since 1965

Card #24, Bobbie Gentry

Bobbie Gentry was an American singer-songwriter notable as one of the first female country artists to write and produce her own material.

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Abolition of Slavery Tokens and 1863 American Civil War Token New York

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Above is a classic 1863 American Civil War token. Much of its original lustre is still present, although it doesn't show up well in the scan. A portrait of George Washington is on the obverse and the inscription “New York” appears on the reverse.

Tokens are often produced when a government or monarch fail to produce enough low denomination coinage. This commonly seems to occur during civil wars although it is possible for tokens to flourish in less violent times, such as the Industrial Revolution. Unlike normal coinage, tokens are produced by businesses and private organisations, demonstrating how free markets can come to the rescue when centralised monetary systems fail to cope.

The companies that produced tokens soon realised that they could advertise their products on them. Political messages were also inscribed on them, such as the abolition of taxes and black slavery. The pictorial messages on these tokens were a very effective form of mass communication during a time when television didn’t exist and most people were illiterate. Remember that the average coin can pass through thousands of peoples’ hands in its lifetime.

Josiah Wedgewood, the founder of the world famous pottery company and grandfather to Charles Darwin, famously designed and mass produced anti slavery medallions, an early form of political jewellery. As well as becoming a popular 18th century fashion accessory, they also highlighted the plight of the black slaves far and wide. Soon anti slavery messages appeared on numerous tokens as well.

1863 American Civil War Token, obverse featuring bust of George Washington and reverse with "New York" inscription and stars

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1960's Music The Beatles The Searchers Gerry and the Pacemakers Freddie and the Dreamers Trading Cards 1964

Click Here To See More Mister Softee, who ran a popular fleet of ice cream vans, issued many pop star trading cards from the 1960s-1970s. This particular set features twelve acts, including many bands from Liverpool. It wouldn’t be complete without the legendary Beatles, who appear twice. This set also includes the following classic Liverpudlian bands: Gerry and the Pacemakers - who achieved a monster hit with “You’ll Never Walk Alone”, The Searchers and Bill J. Kramer and the Dakotas. Heading north to Manchester, Freddie and the Dreamers are paid tribute to. Three southern England bands appear, the multi chart topping group The Shadows, Dave Clark Five and Brian Poole and The Tremeloes. Although this set predominantly showcases music bands, it also includes cards devoted to the iconic singers Cliff Richard, Adam Faith and Billy Fury. As with many Mister Softee pop star sets, this set was with help from the Record Mirror, which was a British music newspaper at the time.

Mister Softee Top 10 ("Record Mirror" blue printed back - no address

Includes:The Beatles, Gerry and the Pacemakers, Billy J Kramer and The Dakotas, The Shadows, Cliff Richard, Dave Clark Five, Brian Poole and the Tremeloes, Adam Faith, Billy Fury If you would like to find out more about the 1960's pop star trading cards featured in this blog please click here. Thank you for reading my blog and I hope you found it interesting!

1960′s Rock Stars The Rolling Stones Procol Harum Jimi Hendrix Traffic Beach Boys Mister Softee Trading Cards

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This 1960’s pop star trading card set, issued by ice cream retailer Mister Softee, features many legendary bands, such as The Beatles, seen holding the Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Band album; Rolling Stones, including the late Brian Jones; Procol Harum, best remembered for their timeless classic Whiter Shade of Pale; and Traffic, founded by the multi talented Stevie Winwood. This set also includes The Flowerpot Men, who scored chart success with their single Let's Go To San Francisco. One card also features a band whose name is derived from those of the band members: Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick and Tich. At their peak, they even spent more weeks in the UK singles chart than the Beatles.

British female singers from the swinging sixties are well represented in this set, including international superstar Dusty Springfield, Sandie Shaw with her shoes swung over her shoulder, the loud mouthed Glaswegian pop star Lulu and Cilla Black, who went from a singing icon to one of British televisions highest paid presenters.

This set also includes a number of American superstars, including Jimi Hendrix, considered by many to be the greatest electric guitarist in the world; John and Scott from the Walker Brothers; the singer-song writer Gene Pitney; the all American Beach Boys group and a card devoted to each of the members of the Monkees, who had their own television show.

Also featured is the perennial favourite Tom Jones; the multi talented Georgie Fame; folk singer Donovan and Engelbert Humperdinck, whose career changed for the better when he changed his name. This set devotes two cards to stars that bravely left popular groups and opted for solo careers: Alan Price, a talented musician who split from the Animals and Paul Jones, who was originally from the chart topping band Manfred Mann.

Mister Softee, Lord Neilson's Star Cards, 1968 (24 cards)

Includes:Jimi Hendrix, Gene Pitney, Procol Harum, Micky Dolenz, Sandie Shaw, Beach Boys, The Beatles, Paul Jones, Tom Jones, John Walker, Scott Walker, The Rolling Stones, Lulu, Traffic, Alan Price, Engelbert Humperdinck, Georgie Fame, Dusty Springfield, Donovan, Davy Jones, Cilla Black, The Flowerpot Men, Mike Nesmith

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1940's 1930's Pin-ups Betty Grable Carole Lombard Vintage Erotica Risque Eleanor Powell Paulette Goddard Adele Jergens Cigarette Cards

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This set is unusual for glamour cards in that it is full colour. Normally these types of sets are black and white or printed in a sepia style. Perhaps this set marks the trend of that time towards Technicolor movies, like Gone with the Wind and The Wizard of Oz, instead of traditional black-and-white. It features a number of icons: the world’s greatest tap dancer and pin-up girl, burlesque beauties and even some lesser known starlets and chorus girls who’d be long since forgotten if it wasn’t for this beautiful set of 1930’s cigarette cards. Below are some of the most notable stars in this set:

Carole Lombard

Listed as one of the greatest stars of all time by the American Film Institute and earning a whopping salary to match, Lombard’s career was cut short by a tragic crash of TWA flight 3 in 1942,

Eleanor Powell’s

Called “the world’s greatest tap dancer” due to her machine gun footwork, Powell danced her way to the top, starring alongside Fred Astaire. Powell was considered the only female dancer ever capable of out-dancing Astaire.

Betty Grable

After appearing in many small parts in the 1930s, Grable went on to become one of the greatest box office draws of the 1940s. Her iconic bathing suit photo made her the number one pin-up girl of the WW2 era. Her legs were famously insured for $1,000,000.

Paulette Goddard

Paulette Goddard was a major star of the Paramount Studio in the 1940s and was romantically involved with Charlie Chaplin from 1936-1942. She appeared in Chaplin’s films Modern Times and The Great Dictator. Ironically, although her relationship with Chaplin obviously gave her career a boost it ruined her chances of starring as Scarlett O’Hara in the classic film Gone With the Wind, because of questions surrounding her marital status with Chaplin.

Adele Jergens

After being named the Number One Show Girl in New York City and “Miss World’s Fairest” at the 1939 New York World’s Fair, she eventually landed a movie contract. Her chorus girl past meant that she tended to be type cast as burlesque dancers and blonde floozies. She even played Marilyn Monroe’s mother in Ladies of the Chorus (1948) despite the fact that she was only nine years older than Monroe.

Godphrey Phillips, Beauties of Today, 2nd Series, 1940 (36 cards)

Includes:Dorothy Dawes, Tania Weller, Constance Bergen, Frances Drake, Carole Lombard, Susi Lanner, Patricia Ellis, Betty Grable, Augusta Thoms, Betty Furness, Eleanor Powell, Mary Kidd, Lita Chevret, Mary Maquire, Margaret Gredon, Movita Gastenada, Dorothy Lamour, Mlle L'ardy, Paulette Goddard, Mlle De Sainte Marie, Evelyn Kelly, Hazel Lombard, Azalie Cecil, Adele Jergens, Jean Morgan, Audrene Brier, Sonja Levkova, Polly Walters, Adrienne Ames, Suzanne Kaaren, Nini Peters, Paulette Maszaros, Eleanor Whitney, Mary Carlisle, Janice Jarratt, Edith Zeisler

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German WW2 Weapons Panzerkampfwagen Mk iv Tank Blitzkrieg MP38 Submachine Gun V1 V2 Rockets Trading Cards

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Nothing was safe from WW2, even cigarette cards. Supply ships were attacked and blocked by the German navy, leading to severe paper rationing, which continued well into the 1950s in the United Kingdom. Although cigarette card production came to a virtual stand-still in the war years, many military card sets were issued before the war. The problem with these pre-war sets is that rapid technological advancements meant that many of the weapons featured were either upgraded or completely obsolete by the time of the war.

However, we know from WW1, that even when cards continued to be produced well into the war they were heavily censored and infused with propaganda. Although this has a nostalgic charm in itself, it does tend to distort our view of the frontline. I recently reviewed a set of WD and HO Wills’ Military Motors, 1916. Anyone seeing these cards could be forgiven for thinking that the allies’ land transportation was quite advanced. This is a bit puzzling since the lack of effective land mobility is often cited as one of the major problems with the war.

WW1 cigarette cards give us numerous examples of early propaganda, such as the patriotic Wills’ miniature Recruitment Posters and the very dark war cartoons of Louis Raemaeker, which I reviewed recently. Raemaeker was a very imaginative and passionate cartoonist, but I do think he went a little bit too far in suggesting that the German people and soldiers were demonic and preyed solely on the weak and vulnerable. I’m sure there would have been cases of atrocities committed on both sides. It makes you wonder whether the Allies’ very dark WW1 propaganda became a self fulfilling prophecy in WW2, feeding the cycle of violence by creating insane war leaders like Hitler. Hitler stated in his book Mein Kampf that “...it became evident what immense results could be obtained by a correct application of propaganda”

Although hardly any card sets were issued during WW2 and the pre-war sets give us a rather incomplete picture of weapons during that time, a number of retrospective sets were issued decades later, like the series we are about to review in this blog. We often get a clearer picture of conflict as the mists of war lift.

The magazine “Battle Picture Weekly” issued five card sets on “Weapons of World War II” in the mid 1970’s, each focusing on a different country. These sets are quite rare and not even listed in the main cigarette card and trading card price guide.

This particular card set is perhaps the most controversial since it is devoted to German armaments. It includes the infamous Panzerkampfwagen Mk4 tank that played an important role in Germany’s Blitzreig strategy, helping them to quickly overrun Europe in 1940. The Germans revealed the true potential of the machine gun in WW1 and, according to one of the cards in this set, “carried on the deadly tradition in the Second World War” with guns like the MG36 dual purpose machine gun. This card series also reveals that the 88 MM A.A. gun was “... feared and admired by the British in North Africa”. At 25 feet long, this gun “could fire to a maximum effective height of 14,680 meters and to 10,600 metres horizontally”. If that wasn’t far enough then the V2 rocket, a weapon developed towards the end of the war and aptly featured on the last card of this set, might be the answer, with a range of up to 210 miles.

I will be reviewing the other WW2 weapon card sets issued by Battle Picture Weekly soon.

Trading Cards,Battle Picture Weekly,Weapons of World War II, Germany (16 cards), 1970s

Includes:88MM Anti-Aircraft Gun, Junkers JU 87 Stuka Dive Bomber, mp38 Submachine Gun, Panther Tank, Panzerfaust and Panzerschreck Anti-Tank Weapons, Grizzly Bear Self Propelled Gun SP Gun, mg36 Machine Gun Dual Purpose, Nebelwerfer Rocket Launcher, Scharnhorst Battle Cruiser, Panzerkampfwagen Mk iv Blitzkrieg Attack,Type VIIC U-Boat, Hanomag Halftrack 37mm AA Gun Anti-Aircraft Gun, ME 109E 1 Fighter, Junkers JU 88 G 6 Night Fighter Version, Bohler 75mm Recoilless Gun, vergeltungswaffe v2 V1 or Revenge Weapon V 1 and 2 Rockets (Doodlebug)

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17th Century English Civil War Token 1653 Tower Hamlets London St Katherines Dairy Maid Deary Made Oliver Cromwell

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Tokens are a form of coinage produced by private businesses and institutions. They often come about when the government or monarch fails to mint enough coinage. This is a clear example of how the flexible free market comes to the rescue when centrally controlled monetary systems collapse. This commonly occurs during conflict, especially civil wars. The Industrial Revolution also provided the ideal conditions for tokens to flourish. The rapid flow of people from agricultural to industrial jobs put a massive strain on the availability of low denomination coinage.

The token featured in this blog was issued in 1653, in the aftermath of English Civil War. For many centuries, only the Monarch was allowed to issue money and anyone violating this law could be put to death. However, since Oliver Cromwell removed the king, Charles I, this no longer applied. Since there was no risk of execution and the long war had resulted in a shortage of coins, token production took off rapidly among 17th century merchants.

This particular token was issued by someone with the initials W.W. The rules on spelling seemed to be a lot more forgiving in the 17th century as most words inscribed on tokens are spelt phonetically. This is probably why it states “deary made” instead of dairy maid on the obverse of the token. The token also reveals a picture of a woman churning milk. I’m guessing the issuer owned a dairy, although one internet source
implies that it could be the name of a tavern.

Another interesting internet article reveals that the use of merchant signs was essential along the labyrinth of unnamed alleys and unnumbered houses in 17th century London. It also states that these signs became so important to customers that, when a new trader moved into the vacated premises, they might keep the sign even if it bore no relationship to their trade. Of course you can imagine how confusing this can be for the token collector in trying to identify what line of business the token issuer was in.

The creative spelling on this token also makes it difficult to identify the location of the issuer. Luckily, I found a website by the Tower Hamlets Numismatists Society that has done this job for me. So the inscription on the reverse of the token, “S. KATHERNS”, in fact refers to St Katherines, which is located in a part of London that is now known as Tower Hamlets.

Please contact me if you have any more information, thank you.

English Civil War Token Deary Made 1653 Tower Hamlets St Katherines

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What Was The Earliest Movie? History of Cinema Magic Lantern Thomas Edison Louis Le Prince Lumière brothers Oldest Movie Cigarette Card

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The Earliest Movie Tobacco Card / Trading Card (Circa 1901)?

Above is a picture of one of the earliest movie related tobacco cards ever issued . In fact, it could be the first. It features the American inventor Thomas Edison and was issued by Ogdens Limited, circa 1901. If you know of any earlier cinema related trading cards or tobacco cards please feel free to comment, but I’ve got a feeling that this card is going to be hard to beat.

The Earliest Movie Ever Made

Whether they were conscious of it or not, the western world was caught up in a race to invent the first motion picture in the late 19th century. Winston Churchill once said that “History is written by the victors.” Hollywood wouldn’t just write history, it would broadcast it worldwide, dominating popular culture and politics for decades. A new global power would rise up from the ashes of the old British Empire. Instead of invading physical space it would take over the virtual countries of our mind. Children in every nation would memorize songs by their favourite US pop singers and demand their own version of the consumerist, American dream.

Trying to untangle the complicated web of weird and wonderful inventions that helped contribute to modern cinema is mission impossible, but here goes:

With a name like magic lantern, it’s no wonder 18th century magicians and charlatans were quick to use this early optical instrument of illusion. Their shows would have terrified and hoodwinked their superstitious audiences. The lanterns could project ghostly images of long lost relatives. Simple animation effects could be created, but they bear little resemblance to the CGI blockbuster movies of today.

Mechanisms that create the illusion of motion from a series of static pictures were first developed in the 1830s: the Stroboscope, invented by Simon von Stampfer in Austria; Phenakistoscope , by Joseph Plateau in Belgium and the modern zoetrope, developed by William Horner in Britain.

In 1877 Eadweard J. Muybridge adapted these early motion machines for use with photographic images. Muybridge traced the galloping movement of a horse using a series of 24 cameras triggered by trip wires. He then used his zoopraxiscope to view the horse in motion.

The earliest surviving motion picture was filmed by the Frenchman Louis Le Prince in 1888 at Roundhay, Leeds, West Yorkshire, UK. He mysteriously vanished before he could demonstrate his latest invention in the USA in 1890. Due to the ruthless nature of patent disputes between Europe and the United States, many interesting conspiracy theories have arisen.

William Friese-Greene, a British inventor, developed the chronophotographic camera. It was apparently capable of taking up to ten photographs per second using perforated celluloid film. Friese-Greene gave a public demonstration in 1890. The low frame rate and unreliability failed to impress and Greene filed for bankruptcy soon after.

Thomas Edison and William Kennedy Laurie Dickson gave a public demonstration of their movie viewer, the Kinetoscope, in 1893. Its major draw-back was that the film could only be viewed by one person at a time, through a peep hole. This prompted the inventor Charles Francis Jenkins to develop the Phantascope movie projector , allowing whole groups to view moving pictures at once.

Auguste and Louis Lumière invented the cinematograph. It combined the camera, printer, and projector into one machine. The Lumière brothers held their first demonstration in front of a paying public audience in Paris, 1895.

Ogden Guinea Gold , General Interest Thomas Edison (Cinema History)

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1960's Pop Stars The Beatles Dusty Springfield Billy Fury Kathy Kirby Mister Softee Ice Cream Trading Cards

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Mister Softee , who ran an ice cream van fleet, issued a number of pop star trading card sets from the 1960’s -1970’s. This 1965 card set was issued in association with the Record Mirror, which was a popular music newspaper of the time. There are details of a competition on the back and it states that the “prize winners will be announced from Mister Softee ice cream vans”. This card set features a diverse range of talented singers from the “British Invasion” era.

The Beatles

The USA had dominated popular music for decades. The Beatles managed challenge this with their own unique take on Rock-n-Roll. Once established, they had the creative freedom to experiment with multiple music genres whilst maintaining their mass appeal.

Sandie Shaw

The barefooted pop princess had a long string of hits in the 1960’s and was the UK’s first singer to win the Eurovision Song Contest with the song “Puppet on a String”.

Roy Orbison

Elvis Presley described him as the greatest singer, a perfect accolade for a singer. His distinctive voice and haunting ballads secured him a place in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Manfred Mann

Were regular chart toppers in the 1960s and were the first south-of-England band to top the US charts during the British Invasion era.

Dusty Springfield

This British icon scored numerous hits in the 1960’s and made a huge impression the American market.

Georgie Fame

This talented singer /song writer scored big 1960’s hits with “The Ballad of Bonnie and Clyde” and “Yeah, Yeah”. His much in demand musicianship has meant that he is still active today, collaborating with many music veterans .

Adam Faith

He scored numerous hits in the 1960’s, the first seven of which were in the top 5. Unlike many of his peers, Adam Faith was a shrewd investor, securing him a position as a financial journalist in the 1980s.

Kathy Kirby

This Blonde Bombshell, whose voice was considered good enough for opera, scored 5 hits from 1963 to 1965. Her last hit was I Belong, which was the song she sang at the Eurovision Song Contest. In an interview, Kirby explained that her career declined after a 6 month affair with Bruce Forsyth. Her manager, who she was romantically involved with, was insanely jealous and destroyed Kirby’s chances of becoming a Hollywood star.

Cilla Black

After achieving worldwide fame as a 1960’s singer, she went on to become the best paid female presenter in British television history.

Cliff Richard

Sir Cliff Richard has sold 260 million records worldwide and is the only singer to have had a number one single in the UK in six consecutive decades.

Billy Fury

He went from a Liverpool dockworker to an internationally successful English singer, but sadly died young.

The Bachelors

Heralding from Ireland, this group had a monster hit with the song “Diane” .

Mister Softee, Top Ten ("Win a Big Prize") (12 cards)

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Gun Money 17th Century 1690 James II Irish Jacobite War Half Crown Coin 28mm Diameter May Williamite War

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James II, the deposed Catholic British king, attempted to take back his kingdom from William of Orange. With strong support in Ireland, he decided to raise an army there first. “Gun money” was the name given to coins that were minted in base metals and were designed to be redeemed for silver coins following a victory by James II. Since James was not victorious, the exchange never took place, although the base metal coins were allowed to circulate at much lower values.

The coins were called “gun money” because some of them were minted from melted down guns. In fact , many other objects were used, such as church bells.

The effects of the Williamite War would be felt for many centuries, deepening divisions between the Catholic and Protestant communities. The British and Protestants systematically excluded the Irish majority Catholic population from land and power. The Williamite war is even commemorated by the Protestant Unionists today.

Gun Money, James II Half-Crown (28mm diameter), May 1690

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WW2 Weapons High Altitude Flying Heavy Artillery Fighter Planes Bren Machine Gun Tanks Cigarette Cards

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It’s eerie how so many military card sets were issued in the years leading up to WW2. This particular set of cards was released just before WW2 started. Cigarette cards ceased being produced during the War, due to severe paper rationing. Rationing continued right through until the 1950s. Carreras’ Turf brand managed to get round this by ingeniously printing their cards on the sliding section of the packets, inspiring cereal companies to produce a number of packet card issues, such as Sugar Puff’s Nation Motor Museum, 1974. Turf’s monochrome blue ink picture cards were not as well received as their multi-coloured counterparts.

Returning to the subject of this WW2 card set, these cards show how Britain’s defences had changed since WW1: “during the Great War a soldier laden with his pack could travel about fifteen miles per day, now he can be moved a hundred miles or more..” , thanks to improvements in military vehicles such as the tank, which is featured on card no. 34. Recently, I reviewed a card set of WW1 Military Motors. I wonder how significant these vehicles were in The Great War or whether they were more experimental than practical. Perhaps the set was an elaborate bluff, over emphasising the allies’ mobility capability to scare the Germans into submission.

Military aircraft were first used in the Great War but it was not until WW2 that they played a decisive role : “planes are being built in thousands, whereas they used to be counted by tens”, it states on the back of one card. Aviation had advanced so much that one card is devoted to high altitude flying and speculates about space warfare in the not too distant future. The Germans did not resort to gas warfare on the battlefield in WW2 but the allies still had be prepared and several cards show soldiers wearing gas masks. The famous light Bren machine gun was quite new when this set of cards was issued but is featured on no. 27. Card no. 14 shows several naval personnel escaping from a submerged submarine, although I don’t think they would be smiling as much as they are if it were really happening.

Carreras, Britains Defences, 1938 (50 cards)

Includes:Britain's First Defence Line,HMS Hood 4 in Anti-aircraft Gun,How Blows the Wind?,Home To See the Family,The Daily Round,Quarters Clean Guns,Pay Day in the Navy,The Dinner Hour,Signalling in the Royal Navy,They're in the Navy Now,Signalling at Sea,Anything About?,Loading Torpedoes,Davis Escape Apparatus,After a Gas Attack,With The RNVR,Defence Not Defiance,Coastal Defence Artillery,Medium Artillery,Field Artillery,An Anti-Tank Gun,The King's Own Soldiers,The Royal Scots,Our Mechanised Army,Infantry Mortar, Mechanised Transport,The Bren Light Automatic Gun,Anti-Tank Rifles,Anti-Aircraft Gun,A Listening Post,A Searchlight Projector,Anti-Aircraft Guns,Air Barricades,With The Tank Corps,All Aboard,Flying Training,Preparing For a Hop,High Altitude Flying,Air Duels,Loading Bombs,Landing Troops From The Air,Torpedoing From The Air,Ground Range Practice,Gas Training in the RAF,Fighting Aircraft Fires,Catapulting an Aeroplane,Gloster Gauntlet Fighter,Hawker Hector Biplanes,Hawker Hurricane Fighter,Vicker Wellesley Monoplane

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1970's Star Wars & Pin-Up Girls Vintage Erotica on Dandy Gum Trading Cards

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These saucy cards appeared in gum wrappers in the same year that Star Wars first graced our cinema screens, 1977. I bet Dandy gum was nicknamed “Randy Gum” after they issued this set of cards. This set features 1970’s pin-up girls in scanty bikinis with beautiful sea swept backgrounds. The playing card insets mean that you can easily use this set for card games. Although I wouldn’t recommend this, since I believe this set is quite rare. A full set of these does not appear in any of the major British card catalogues and I’ve never come across them myself.

Dandy Gum, Pin-up Girls, 1977 (playing card inset) (52 cards)

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Pre WW1 Army Life: Manned Kite, Hot Air Balloon, Wireless Telegraphy (Early Radio) on Cigarette Cards

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This is one of the few military card sets issued just before WW1. It includes an unusual manned kite, designed by the aviator Mr. SF Cody, and shows a hot air balloon being used for observation. One card features an early Holt Caterpillar steam tractor, which inspired the designs of the first ever standard issue military tanks of WW1. Wireless telegraphy (radio communication) was quite new when this set was issued and one card features a field telegraph office, which looks like a small tent. Several cards show that horses were still widely used, although a motor car makes an appearance on card no. 23.

Army Life, John Player and Sons, 1910, 25 cards

Includes:Bringing in Wounded Man,Field Waggons,War Kite Drill (manned kit or man-lifting kite),Laying a Field Telegraph Line,Firing from a Gun Pit,Pitching Tents,Watering Horses,Filtering Water,Field Telegraph Officer (Radio Communication),Jumping with Led Horses,Bayonet Fighting,Lamp Signalling,Map Reading Class, Picking Up Wounded,Cyclist Scout Section,Unpacking Waggons,Mechanical Transport Section (Caterpillar Steam Tractor (Designed by Benjamin Holt)- Inpspiration for WW1 Tanks),Lance versus Sword,Making Gas for War Baloons,Filling War Baloons,Searchlight Section,Baloon Drill,Starting the Engine,Presentation of Long Service Medals,Flag Signalling

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WW1 Weapons Maxim Machine Gun Howitzer Aviation Armoured Vehicle Cigarette Cards

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WW1 was arguably the most significant war in the history of mankind. As well as wiping 9 million combatants off the face of the earth, it also laid the foundations for future wars. Financial crises and discontentment among Russian and German citizens would trigger the Russian revolution and the rise of the Nazi party in Germany. These would culminate in both the Cold War and WW2.

This set of cards features many powerful weapons used by the British forces in WW1. The British were a bit slow in utilising the machine gun at the beginning of the war but this soon changed when large numbers of their soldiers were slain by this killing machine. In fact the British became so enthusiastic that they created a special Machine Gun Corps in the same year that this set was issued. This could explain why the Maxim machine gun is featured on several cards. The howitzer artillery piece, which appears on several cards, was designed to fire shells at high trajectories over obstacles. A couple of cards show recent WW1 technological developments, including the aeroplane and an armoured car. One card shows that horses were still being used for transporting heavy artillery.

Modern Weapons (WW1), Ogden's, 1915, 50 cards

Includes:12 Pounder Gun on A Destroyer,92 in Gun In Barbette,Torpedo Leaving Ship's Side,47 in Gun Charge And Projectile / Missile,Maxim Gun Drill,Monster Guns of the Royal Garrison Artillery,Torpedo Just Left The Tube,Torpedo Entering The Water,5 in Howitzer Brigade, Infantry Machine Guns,Maxim Gun Drill RN,The New Aerial Missiles,The Forward Four 13.5 in Guns on HMS Monarch,6 in Howitzer Garrison Artillery,12 in Guns In Turrets - H.M.S. Neptune,The Fore Barbette Of HMS Victorious,A Naval 12 Pounder Gun,Inserting The Torpedo In Its Tube,12in Guns HMS Dreadnought,German Mortar Siege Gun,Comparative Sizes of Guns and Projectiles,6 in Gun - Royal Garrison Artillery,British Armoured Motor Car,Laying A Mine,Dropping Bombs From Aeroplane,18 pounder Gun Entrenched RFA, Shells ETC Used In The British Navy,5 in Heavy Field Gun,Maxim Machine Gun In Action,5 in Howitzer Brigade,A Pair of Neptune Fangs,Inside 12in Barbette Loading By Hydraulic Ram,Guns Out HMS Dreadnought,12 in Guns HMS Bellerophon,German Artillery - Observation Ladders and Shields,Latest German Howitzer,A Contact Mine,A Naval Field Gun,German Heavy Gun Used As A Field Weapon,Howitzer Gun Supported On Steel Arms,12.5 in Projectiles On The Deck of A Dreadnough,Torpedo Boats - Showing Deck Tubes,Dreadnought Cleared For Action,The Fore Barbette Of HMS Victorious,Maxim Automatic Machine Gun Under Cover,Whitehead Torpedoes,Maxim Fully Automatic Machine Gun Instruction RN,German Range Finder In Use,13.5 in Guns HMS Royal Sovereign

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1900′s Beauties Edwardian Era Glamour Fashion, Hats and Hairstyles on Cigarette Cards

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Who said card collecting can’t be sexy hey?! Beautiful women appeared on some of the first ever cigarette cards. They were extremely popular with customers, most of whom were men during late 19th century. Those pioneering cards would have been quite shocking for their time. I bet the sanctimonious church-going puritans would have disapproved of the immoral illustrations on these cards . Of course, they are very tame by present day standards but this just shows how times have changed..

Here’s a set of Beauties (Leaf backs with playing card inset fronts), issued by the British American Tobacco Company in 1908. Wow! That’s over a century ago. These Edwardian era cards certainly are beautiful. They have immortalised a vast array of attractive actresses, dancers and music hall artists dressed in colourful and mesmerizing vintage clothing. Unfortunately these bygone personalities are not named, which was quite often the case on these early cards. Who needs Dr Who’s Tardis when we can gaze through these card windows to a world that is almost unrecognizable today. Society’s innocence and simplicity, mirrored on these cards, would vanish in the apocalyptic thunder of WW1 artillery, gas and machine gun fire. The 20th century juggernaut would promise a supposedly utopian modern world.

Is it any wonder that fashion designers and pop stars of today - Katy Perry, Amy Winehouse and Paloma faith to name a few - are turning back the hands of time to recreate the styles of this magical period. Why mimic the diluted interpretations of today’s trend setters when you can draw your own inspiration straight from that breathtaking period with these iconic cards.

These cards have stood the test of time, lasting over a hundred years. How much of today’s throw-away, consumerist society will last as long. Today’s consumables are designed to deteriorate as soon as we buy them to force us into buying infinitely more from a finite planet. We will soon find out how sustainable this way of life really is. I think that collecting antiques is very commendable, since we learn from history and recycle it and preserve it for future generations.

Beauties, Playing Card Inset (Leaf Back), British American Tobacco Company, 52 cards

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1950's and 1940's Pin Up Girls Vintage Erotica Risque Phillip Allman Cigarette Cards

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I’ve decided to take a slight detour from reviewing early 20th century military card sets, but even these pin-up girl cards have links with warfare. Artists decorated American fighter planes with seductive pin-up girls. Perhaps these Sirens distracted the WW2 Luftwaffe as the US gunners took aim.

Pin-up girl art was popular with both servicemen and civilians before colour photography really took hold. A number of artists made names for themselves specialising in this art form: Alberto Vargas, Gil Elvgren and George Petty. With Fashion designers and pop icons, such as Katy Perry and Amy Winehouse, increasingly being influenced by vintage styles, there is currently a resurgence in interest in Pin-up girl art.

This particular pin-up girl cigarette card set was issued by Allman in 1953, more than half a century ago. It is one of the few series of cigarette cards issued after WW2. Cigarette cards became one of the many casualties of the war as British paper rationing took effect. Most of the British tobacco companies came to a gentleman’s agreement not to restart card production after the war. This is despite the fact that these humble cards had helped put them in the powerful, monopolistic positions that they now enjoyed.

Allman bucked the trend by resurrecting cigarette card issues briefly in the early 1950s and looked to the origins of cards for inspiration in choosing a subject for their first set. A high proportion of the early cigarette cards featured pretty girls, indicating that even as early as the 19th century card issuers knew the selling power of sex.

As with the early cigarette cards Allman tragically failed to mention the name of the artist whose illustrations adorn these beautiful cards. I’m a card collector and I’m not an expert on pin-up girl art but I’m sure some of you will know who the artist is. Please leave a comment below. Also, was your great grandma a glamour model? Maybe she is featured on one of these cards. Please feel free to comment if you are related to any of these beauties.

Phillip Allman, Pin-Up Girls (1940s and 1950s), 1953 (12 cards)

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Roaring Twenties: 1920's Glamour and Bathing Costumes Vintage Erotica Risque Photos Cigarette Cards

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Whilst men went off to fight in WW1, women were involved in a more subtle war closer to home. Women filled many of the new job vacancies left by male war recruits. This role changing achieved more than any amount of suffragette campaigning in re-shaping the public attitude towards the female gender. Surely it wasn’t just a coincidence that women from many countries won the right to vote soon after the WW1 ended.

Women’s rebelliousness and new found freedoms dramatically influenced female fashion in the 1920s, taking on a more androgynous look. Their hair became shorter and their clothing much more daring than before WW1.

Luckily, women didn’t desert their femininity completely, as these lovely late 1920’s cigarette

Real Photos (Glamour) (Space on back), RJ Hill, 1930, 42 cards

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