1960's Mysteries of the World Mount Everest Pyramids of Mexico First Astronauts Oldest Living Thing on Trading Cards by Cooper Tea

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This great tea card set features natural, historical and technological wonders. There was a lot of excitement about space travel in the 1960s and this set reflects that with a card devoted to “Space Suits of the Future” and another to the very first space astronauts, two frightened but privileged monkeys. Our modern electronic world owes so much to the humble transistor and this mighty midget is not left out from this trading card set. The information rich trading card is a type of mass media that evolved from the industrial revolution, from a time when most other forms of media were either in their infancy or didn’t exist. So, it seems only fitting that one of the cards in this particular trading card set celebrates probably the most advanced form of media of the 1960s, the television.

Natural wonders included in this card set are the Great Canyon, a 5000 year old Mexican tree, and a demonstration of man’s mastery of nature, the conquest of highest mountain in the world, Mount Everest, by Sir Edmund Hillary and Sherpa Tensing in 1953.

Historical wonders featured in this set are the mysterious Pyramids of Mexico; the Rosetta stone, which was used to decipher Egyptian hieroglyphics, and the strange heads of Easter Island.

Cooper & Co. Ltd. (Tea), Mysteries & Wonders of The World, 2nd Series, 1961 (25 cards)

Includes:Grand Canyon,Mystery Pyramids of Mexico,Parthenon,Television,The Coelacanth,Miniature Marvel - The transistor,The Heart-Lung Machine,Space Suits of the Future,Mona Lisa,The Electron Microscope,Indian Rope Trick,Unheard Music,Tallest and Shortest Living, Men,The Oldest Living Thing,Newton and the Apple,Highest Waterfall,Tallest Trees,Child Genius,Rosetta Stone,Mount Everest,Nostradamus,Mystery Head,Small World Balloon,Saunder-Roe Hovercraft,

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1950's Movie Stars, Singers and TV Celebrities Perry Como Dick Powell Dinah Shore Irene Dunne Tony Martin Trading Cards By Peerless Weighing and Vendi

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Although titled Portraits of Movie Stars, this 1950’s card set features many singers, including Perry Como who sold millions of records and became a television personality; Dinah Shore, who enjoyed 80 chart hits from the 1940s through to the 1950s, and Tony Martin, who was as well known for his singing as his acting. This set includes the multi talented Dick Powell, who was a singer, actor, producer, director and studio boss. The movie veteran Irene Dunne also makes a welcome appearance in this mini set. Her career spans from the 1920’s-1960s, and she is described as the best actress not to win an Academy Award.

Peerless Weighing and Vending Machines Corp, Portraits of Movie Stars, 1950s (10 cards)

Includes:Peggy Wood, Tony Martin, Dick Powell, George Montgomery, Perry Como, Eva Garbo, Dinah Shore, Faye Emerson, Lisa Kirk, Irene Dunne

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1930's Glamorous Movie Star Legends Jean Harlow Mae West Greta Garbo Kay Francis Claudette Colbert Cigarette Cards by Rothmans, 1939

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Many of the glamorous movie stars from the Golden Age of cinema, and earlier, are featured in this classic card set. The colourful portraits of each movie star are set on an appropriately golden background. Movie veterans Joan Crawford and Greta Garbo, both included in this cinema treasure, had successful careers that spanned the Silent and the Golden Era. Hollywood's highest earners from the 1930s appear in this set, including the Academy Award winning and hardworking Claudette Colbert; the woman who inspired millions to dye their hair blonde, Jean Harlow; controversial and wild Mae West who rewrote many of the scenes that she appeared in, and Kay Francis, who some say was motivated more by money than quality scripts.

You will also find the first “scream queen”, Fay Wray who is best remembered for her role in the classic horror film King Kong. Gloria Stuart is one of the few stars depicted on this set to have been lucky enough to have witnessed the film industry from the Silent films right through to today. She was quite recently nominated for an Academy Award for her part in the epic film Titanic. There are numerous other vintage movie icons in this set, too many to mention. Please browse through my other movie card set blogs.

Rothmans, Beauties Of The Cinema, 1939 (40 cards)

Includes:Heather Angel,Constance Bennett,Joan Bennett,Elisabeth Bergner,Tala Birell,Sally Blane,Joan Blondell,Chili Bouchier,Mary Carlisle,Madeleine Carroll,Dorothy Gulliver,Joan Crawford,Marlene Dietrich,Rose Hobart,Myrna Loy,June Marlowe,Jessie Matthews,Grace, Moore,Merle Oberon,Dolores Del Rio,Claudette Colbert,Lilian Harvey,Kathryn Crawford,Mae West,Jean Harlow,Irene Dunne,Sydney Fox,Kay Francis,Greta Garbo,Janet Gaynor,Norma Shearer,Barbara Stanwyck,Anna Sten,Gloria Stuart,Lupita Tovar,Marion Davies,Anna, May Wong,Fay Wray,Diana Wynyard,Loretta Young,

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Bicycle and Motorcycle Cigarette Cards (Collectables)

There is only one pre WW2 cigarette card set that was devoted purely to bicycles and cycling, as far as I know. Player's "Cycling", issued in 1939, charts the history of the bicycle from the legendary hobby-horse through to 1930s cycle racing. Bicycle cards also appear in general sports, transport and invention card sets such as Churchman's "Kings of Speed", issued in 1939, Will's "Famous Inventions", issued in 1915, etc.

Many more sets were issued on motorcycles but, due to high demand, most are increasingly difficult to find these days.

I've listed a small selection of sets containing bicycle and motorcycle cigarette cards and vintage trading cards below. I've provided scans of a sample card from each set and tried to include all card titles.

Name Of Set: Sports II With Hidden Objects S462

Manufacturer: Liebig Extract of Meat Co

Issue Year: 1895

Card Number: 6

Card Titles: -

Name Of Set: Special Troops I, S510

Manufacturer: Liebig Extract of Meat Co

Issue Year: 1897

Card Number: 6

Card Titles: -

Name Of Set: Travel One Hundred Years Ago and Now

Manufacturer: Liebig Extract of Meat Co

Issue Year: 1904

Card Number: 6

Card Titles: -

Name Of Set: Motor Cycles

Manufacturer: Lambert and Butler

Issue Year: 1923

Card Number: 50

Card Titles: AJS Passenger Combination, Allon,American X, Ariel,BAT, Beardmore-Precision, Bradbury, Brough Superior, BSA, Cedos, Chater-Lea, Clyno, Coventry-Eagle, Coventry Victor Super-Six, Diamond, Douglas, Dunelt, Excelsior, FN, Harley Davidson, Hawker, Henderson, Humber, Indian Super- Chief, Ivy, James, Lea-Francis ,Levis, Martinsyde, Matchless, Ner-A-Car, New-Hudson, New Imperial, Norton Big Four, NUT, OK Junior, Omega, P & M, Quadrant, Raleigh, Rex-Acme, Rover, Royal Enfield, Rudge-Multi, Scott Squirrel, TT Sunbeam, Triumph, Velocette, Wooler, and Zenith Super-Eight.

Name Of Set: Famous Dirt-Track Riders

Manufacturer: Ogdens

Issue Year: 1929

Card Number: 25

Card Titles: Frank Arthur, Jack Bishop, Cecil Brown, Hilary Buchanan, Clem Cort, Tom Croombs, Paddy Dean, Sprouts Elder, Roger Frogley, Buzz Hibberd, Vic Huxley, Noel Johnson, Jim Kempster, Gus Kuhn, Billy Lamont, Alf Medcalf, Frank C. Pearce, Art Pechar, Reg Pointer, Mart Sieffert, Dicky Smythe, Eric Spencer ,Charlie Spinks, Ben Unwin, and Colin Watson.

Name Of Set: Motor Cycles (NZ)

Manufacturer: WD and HO Wills

Issue Year: 1926

Card Number: 50

Card Titles: New Gerrard, A.J.S., P & M.Ner-A-Car, Chater-Lea, Quadrant, Montgomery, AJR, Excelsior, James, Bradbury, Raleigh, Brough Superior, BSA, Scott, Rex-ACME, Triumph,Connaught, Zenith, Velocette, New Imperial, Sun, Humber, Ariel, HRD, Coventry Eagle, Matchless, Douglas, Grindlay, OK, Carfield, New Hudson, Calthorpe, Rover, Royal Enfield, NUT, Cedos, Cotton, OEC, Rudge, Diamond, Sunbeam, Norton, Radco, Francis-Barnett, Levis, Dunlet, Omega, Ivy, and Coventry Victor.

Name Of Set: Speedway Riders

Manufacturer: John Player and Sons

Issue Year: 1937

Card Number: 50

Card Titles: Joe Abbot, Arthur Atkinson, Phil Bishop, Gordon Byers, Dicky Case, Frank Charles, Eric Chitty, Eric Collins, Tommy Croombs, Billy Dallison, Jack Dixon ,Acorn Dobson, Frank Goulden, Stan Greatrex, George Greenwood, Max Grosskreutz, Morian Hansen, Bob Harrison, Vic Huxley, Ron Johnson, Nobby Key, Wally Kilmister, Bill Kitchen, Gus Kuhn, Billy Lamont, Eric Langton, Ginger Lees, Walter Lloyd, Cordy Milne, Jack Milne, Mick Murphy, George Newton, Jack Ormston, Jack Parker, Cliff Parkinson, Tommy Price, Geoff Pymar, Claude Rye, Jack Sharp, Harry Shepherd, Dick Smythe, Tiger Stevenson, Fred Strecker, Lionel Van Praag, Frank Varey, Colin Watson, Bluey Wilkinson, George Wilks, and Dicky Wise.

Name Of Set: Cycling

Manufacturer: John Player and Sons

Issue Year: 1939

Card Number: 50

Card Titles: Pedestrain Hobby Horse, Lady's Pedestrian Hobby Horse, Macmillan's Lever Driven Bicycle, Sawyer's Velociped, Michaux Velocipede, Coventry Rotary Tricycle, Singer Tricycle, Salvo Tricycle, Lawson's Bicyclette, Sociable Tricycle, Post Office Centre Cycles, Invincible Bicycle, Rucker Tandem Bicycle, Rover Safety Bicycle, Invincible Tandem Tricycle, Olympia Tandem Tricycle, The First Pneumatic Tyred Bicycle, FT Bidlake, Simpson Lever Chain, Companion Safety Bicycle, Bicycle of nineteenth century, Pacing Triplet, Novel Tandems, Lady Cyclist, Dursley Pedersen Cantilever Bicycle, Divided Skirt, Italian Velocino Bicycle, Touring Tandem, Racing Tandem, Path Racing Bicycle, Ligh Roadster Bicycle, Horizontal Bicycle, Road Time Trial Bicycle, American Bicycle, Saddles, Family Tandem Side Car, Cyclists and the YHA, International Cycle Touring, Six Day Racing, Massed Start Racing Position, Track Tandem Position, Touring Position, Road Time Trial Position, Track Racing Position, Road Records, SH Ferris, and Bicycle Polo.

Name Of Set: Raleigh The All-Steel Bicycle

Manufacturer: Raleigh Bicycles

Issue Year: 1957

Card Number: 48

Card Titles: Police Model, Raleigh Dawn Gents - Model II, Dawn,Supreme Dawn Tourist, Dawn Tourist, Dawn Tourist, Superbe Dawn Tourist, Dawn R Tourist, Dawn R Tourist, Road Safety De-Luxe, Road Safety De-Luxe, Trent Sports, Trent Sports, Sports Light Roadster, Sports Light Roadster, Sports Tourist, Sports Tourist, Superbe Sports Tourist, Superbe Sports Tourist, Lenton Tourist, Super Lenton, Lenton Sports, Lenton Sports, Trent Tourist, Junior Boys - Space Rider, Junior Girls - Wendy, Junior Boys - Space Rider, Junior Girls - Wendy, Winkie Trycycle, Junior Boys - Space Rider, Junior Girls - Wendy, Boulevard Tourist, Trent Sports (Derailleur), Raleigh Popular, Raleigh Popular, Raleigh Balloon Model, Raleigh Popular, Raleigh Canadian Model 99, Raleigh Patent Front Fork Lock, Raleigh Patent Anti- Vibration Plate, Raleigh Seamless Bottom Bracket, Raleigh Fork Crown, Superbe Model Lighting Equipment, Stainless Steel Rims and Spokes, Reg Harris, and Cyril Peacock.

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Post-WW2 British Aircraft De Havilland Comet Series 1 Avro 707A Delta Wing jet Avro Vulcan on Cigarette Cards by Carreras, 1953

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Cigarette cards chart the ingenious inventions and technological achievements of mankind. This aviation set, issued by Turf cigarettes after WW2 features many jet aircraft, including one that was manufactured by the Gloster Aircraft Company. Gloster produced the first ever British jet fighter. The De Havilland Comet Series 1 (Jet), pictured on card no. 43, was the first commercial jet airliner to reach production. This high-flying set also includes the first British-designed helicopter to fly and serve with the Royal Air Force. Several experimental aeroplanes make an appearance in this set, including the Avro 707A Delta Wing jet. The Avro Vulcan jet plane, pictured on card no. 4, played its part in the RAF’s V bomber force, fulfilling the role of nuclear deterrence during the Cold War.

Although this set was issued during the early 1950s, paper rationing was still enforced. This huge obstacle largely spelt the end of cigarette card production among many manufacturers. Carreras had the imaginative idea of incorporating mono-colour cards into the actual packets, so that you had to cut them out yourself.

Carreras,British Aircraft (Turf) (Hand-Cut), 1953 (50 cards)

Includes:Gloster meteor FB Jet Aircraft,Vickers Valiant Jet,Percival Prentice,Avro Vulcan,Fairey FDI Delta Wing,Short Sealand,Fairey Gannet Turbo,English Electric Canberra Jet,Blackburn Universal,Westland Wyvern,De Havilland Venom,Bristol Type 171 Helicopter,, Handley Page Victor,De Havilland Vampire,Bristol Type 170 Mk21,Percival Prince III,Hawker Hunter,Bristol Britannia,Percival Provost,Hawker,Boulton Paul,Percival Sea Prince,Hawker Sea Hawk,Avro Ashton Jet,Westland Sikorsky,Saunders-Roe Princess Flying Boat, ,Avro 707B Delta Wing,Avro Vulcan,Vickers Varsity T1,Saunders Roe,Avro 707A Delta Wing,Airspeed Ambassador,Short SA4,Armstrong Whitworth Meteor NF11,De Havilland Venom FBI,Vickers Viking,Supermarine Attacker,De Havilland Comet Series,Shot SB/5,Hawker Sea, Fury,Supermarine Swift,Gloster Javelin,Handley Page Hermes,Supermarine,Vickers Viscount 701

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1920′s Silent Film Stars Constance Bennett Betty Compson Laura La Plante On Cigarette Cards by Sarony,1929

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This late 1920’s card set features the well respected Constance Bennett, whose movie achievements are honoured by the inclusion of a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Film stars in the 1920’s, like today, had their fair share of scandals, including Madge Bellamy (featured on card no. 22), who was accused of assaulting her lover with a deadly weapon, and Jacqueline Logan (card no. 10) was on the William Randolph Hearst’s yacht when film director Thomas Ince died. Delores Del Rio, making an appearance on card no. 2, is considered to be the first Latin American star to have international appeal. Olga Baclanova achieved the moniker Russian Tigress in the silent era, although her strong foreign accent held her career back during the “Talkies”. Betty Compson had a prolific film career, which flourished with the advent of sound.

Nicholas Sarony, Cinema Studies, 1929 (25 cards)

Includes:George Lewis and Dorothy Gulliver,Dolores Del Rio,William Desmond,Glenn Tryon and Kathryn Crawford,Mary Philbin,Richard Talmadge,June Marlow,Ted Wells,Marion Nixon,Jacqueline Logan,Laura La Plante,Constance Bennett,Belle Bennett,Renee Adoree and Conrad, Nagel,Wanda Wiley,Olga Baclanova,Jane Winton,Laura La Plante and Joseph Schi dkraut,Jack Hoxie,Ethlyne Claire,Dorothy Gulliver,Madge Bellamy,Pauline Starke,Fred Mackaye and Mary Philbin,Betty Compson

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1920′s Silent Movie Legends Marion Davies Mabel Normand Corinne Griffith on Cigarette Cards by Sandorides, 1924

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Sandorides’ Big Gun Cigarettes brand issued this card set of pretty cinema stars. This isn’t a surprise since it was still mainly men that smoked when this set was issued, 1925. It was not until 1928 that Edward Bernays made smoking more socially acceptable among women by ingeniously transforming the humble cigarette into a symbol of female liberation through a memorable publicity stunt, the “Torches of Freedom” campaign.

This card set is unusual in that the cards are very large, almost postcard size, and the illustrations include colour, albeit sparingly in earthy tones. Most silent movie era cards are either photographic or sepia, matching the presentation of the films themselves. This set includes an interesting mix of silent film stars, some of whom are still remembered by film buffs today, whilst many, although extremely popular in their time, have vanished into obscurity.

This card set includes silent movie icons such as Marion Davies, Pauline Frederick, who was idolized by the great Joan Crawford, and Corinne Griffith, considered by many to be the most beautiful actress of the silent screen. Louise Lovely travelled all the way from Australia to start her movie career in the USA and, at her peak, challenged even Mary Pickford’s status, “America’s Sweetheart”, despite not being American. Mabel Normand appears on card no. 3 and her movie genre was mainly comedy despite her personal life being shrouded by murder and violence. Edna Purviance, pictured on card no. 18, had the good fortune to appear in 30 films with Charlie Chaplin, although her romantic involvement with him might have influenced this. Wanda Hawley was the leading lady in a number of silent films, including an early adaptation of “The Wizard of OZ”, but, unlike the conclusion of many movies, her career didn’t have a happy ending and it is reported that she was working as call girl in the 1930s. This set also features many of the very early pioneers of the movie industry: Ethel Clayton, whose screen debut was as early as 1909, Dorothy Phillips, who starred in 150 films from 1911-1962, and Clara Kimball Young, who worked for the same film studio as the first every movie star, Florence Lawrence (born Florence Annie Bridgwood).

W. Sandorides & Co. LTD, Cinema Stars ( Big Gun ) (Extra Large), 1924 (25 cards)

Includes:Mabel Normand, Alice Terry,Helen Chadwick,Mae Murray,Madge Kennedy,Priscilla Dean,Marion Davies,Peggy Hyland,Jane Novak,Betty Blythe,Eileen Sedgwick,Norma Talmadge,Ruth Roland,Naomi Childers,Pauline Frederick,Wanda Hawley,Ethel Clayton,Louise Lovely,Edna, Purviance,Corinne Griffith,Dorothy Dalton,Dorothy Phillips,Viola Dana,Constance Talmadge,Clara Kimball Young,

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