CIGARETTE CARDS

Introduction

In Britain, Cigarette Cards began to be presented with packs of cigarettes at the end of the nineteenth century. The practice flourished until 1939, when legislation at the outbreak of war imposed severe economy regulations on the paper industry. Such regulations did not apply during the First World War when the cards helped serve as propoganda and to boost morale. After 1945, other trade cards were produced, especially of tea, but with little success compared to the cigarette cards.

Generations of children collected them. They called them fag cards and swapped them with their friends in order to complete the sets, which were usually of fifty cards.

One of the main attractions was the high quality of their production, with vivid colours and sophisticated printing processes. The subject matter seemed to be endless, but there was a succession of heraldic sets which is my intention to reproduce here.

The size on screen is approximately 6.5 x 12.5cm, whereas the actual size of almost all cards was in the region of 3.5 x 6.5cm. By increasing the size, I have been able to show them in more detail.

Many of the cards are nearly 100 years old, and have naturally suffered from time and handling. It has to be remembered that the usual collector was a young child! In particular, because the sets tended to be wrapped in a rubber band, and put into the pocket, Nos 1 & 50 suffered the most. I have cleaned up the cards, and hope that they appear more or less as they would have done when the cigarette packet was opened.

The heraldic cards were largely published by W D & H O Wills.

Because of the work involved, I would appreciate it if you would let me know whether you think the effort is worthwhile.

I am very interested in looking at examples of a French set published by Cigarettes Laurens, "Le Blason des Villes de France", and would be grateful for information.

The sets of cards for Borough Arms contain Irish Towns.
The Republic of Ireland was not formed until 1922.