Guide to the Cigarette & Trade Card Collection
Summary
Title: Guide to the Cigarette & Trade Card collection.
Date range of collection: c1900 - 1995.
Scope and content note: The cigarette and trade card collection consists of series of cards which were issued by cigarette companies, or other companies such as confectionery firms, cereal manufacturers and clothes companies. Beginning with advertisement cards, they soon progressed to numbered series (ranging from 10 to 100 cards) on particular themes . Themes include scenes from war/war incidents, crests and badges, officers and VC winners, medals, aircraft, warships, uniforms and modern war weapons. Non-conflict subjects include cars, sports, butterflies, birds and flags. The collection is printed on either card, or silk (sometimes paper backed). Cards are stored by series in both folders and albums. The average size of a card is 360mm x 640mm, however this can range up to the size of a playing card. The series in the collection were all produced between 1900 and 1995. However some series, notably German ones produced in the 1930s, cover topics from as early as 1813, up to 1939. Features of the the collection included a series called Australian VCs and Officers, and cards featuring Australian Official War Photographs.
Extent: 9 folders; 25 albums. (Approximately 6812 original cards; 1046 duplicate cards).
Location: Published & Digitised Collections, Research Centre, Australian War Memorial.
Related collections: Postcards and Souvenirs.
Administrative Information
Access: Open. View information about accessing records held by the Memorial.
Copyright: Contact Senior Curator of Published & Digitised Collections.
Preferred citation:Cigarette and trade card collection, Published & Digitised Collections, Australian War Memorial.
Historical background
History of Cigarette and Trade Cards
Cigarette and trade cards were a form of advertising card issued between the 19th century to the present day to promote goods or services. They were often distributed by merchants or enclosed with products such as bread, cigarettes, coffee and chocolate. Cards often bear the sellers or product name and a pictorial representation of the service or product. In other cases the picture may be unrelated to the product.
Cigarette cards were also used as a form of propaganda as illustrated by the German Cigarette cards used to promote the virtues of the Third Reich and Raemaekers Cartoon series, based on anti-German propaganda cartoons drawn by Louis Raemaekers.
References:
Skinner, Dion H. Cigarette cards Australian issues and values (Rennicks books: Malvern South Australia,1983)
London cigarette card company, The complete catalogue of British cigarette cards / compiled by the London cigarette card company (Webb & Bower : Exter [Devon], 1981)
| Series number | Title of Series and Date |
|---|---|
| 1 | Unbound cards, c1900s - 1980s |
| 2 | Album Cards, c1900 - 1980s |
| 3 | Telephone cards, 1995 |
SERIES 1: Unbound cards
Description: Consists of 97 series of which many are incomplete and held in plastic folders. The collection is arranged alphabetically by series name.
| Series title and firm | Folder |
|---|---|
| Action soldiers Cadbury (12 cards) | 1 |
| Adolf Hitler und sein weg zu grossedeutschland Austra Tabakwerke (44 cards plus 2 duplicate cards) | 1, 9 |
| Advance Australia series Sanitarium (1 card) | 1 |
| Aircraft of the Royal Air Force (1938) Player (50 cards) | 1 |
| Aircraft recognition cards (41 cards) | 1 |
| Aircraft spotter series Sweet Caporal (3 cards) | 1 |
| Allied army leaders Wills (50 cards plus 1 duplicate card) | 1, 9 |
| Arms and armour (1916) Wills (5 cards) | 1 |
| Army badges Gallaher (48 cards) | 1 |
| Australian Army Corps Badges Unknown (28 cards) | 1 |
| Army corps and divisional signs 1914 - 18 Player (2 cards) | 1 |
| Army life (1910) Player (25 cards) | 1 |
| Australia day July 1915 Anonymous (1 card plus 1 duplicate card) | 1, 9 |
| Australian infantry Henderson (1 card) | 1 |
| Australian VCs and Officers A Sniders & Abrahams (16 cards plus 1 duplicate card) | 2, 9 |
| Australian VCs and Officers B Sniders & Abrahams (48 cards plus 2 duplicate cards) | 2, 9 |
| Australian VCs and Officers C Sniders & Abrahams (2 cards) | 2 |
| Australian VCs and Officers D Sniders & Abrahams (2 cards) | 2 |
| Das auto von heute Bilderdienst (10 cards) | 2 |
| Aviation (1910) Wills (10 cards) | 2 |
| Battle scenes (1933) Triumph (14 cards) | 2 |
| Battleships McNiven (3 cards) | 2 |
| Boer War series A (1901) American Tobacco (25 cards plus 3 duplicate cards) | 2, 9 |
| Boer War series B (1901) American Tobacco (2 cards) | 2 |
| Britain's defenders Wills (57 cards plus 48 duplicate cards) | 2, 9 |
| Britain's part in the war (1917) Wills (24 cards) | 2 |
| British beauties Phillips (2 cards) | 2 |
| British Empire series (1913 ) Wills (50 cards plus 23 duplicate cards) | 3, 9 |
| British naval crests (silk) Phillips - BVA (8 cards) | 3 |
| British uniforms of the 19th Century Mills (25 cards) | 3 |
| British War ships and Admirals (1915) Anonymous (9 cards) | 3 |
| Cameo curiousities Griffiths ( ? ) (1 card) | 3 |
| Celebrated pictures (1916) Wills (1 card) | 3 |
| Celebrities (1900) American Tobacco (1 card) | 3 |
| Ceremonial and court dress (1911) Player (25 cards) | 3 |
| Clan tartans (silk) Phillips (12 cards plus 3 duplicate cards) | 3, 9 |
| Colonial and Indian army badges (1917) Player (25 cards plus 4 duplicate cards) | 3, 9 |
| Crest and badges of the British army (silk) Anonymous (3 sets) (Could be duplicated in G.B Territorial badges) (105 cards plus 24 duplicate cards) |
3, 9 |
| Crests of British War ships (1915) Sniders & Abrahams (4 cards) | 3 |
| Deutscher sport (1934) Bulgaria (25 cards) | 3 |
| The European war Anonymous (8 cards) | 3 |
| Exploits of the Great War Triumph (16 cards) | 3 |
| Fighting planes Allens (1 card) | 4 |
| Flags (silk) Anonymous (24 cards plus 3 duplicate cards) | 4, 9 |
| Flags Pascalls (23 cards) | 4 |
| Flags Three Castles (16 cards) | 4 |
| GP Territorial badges (silk) Phillips (23 cards) | 4 |
| The Great War 1914 - 18 Champion (24 cards) | 4 |
| The Great War 1914 - 18 (new series) Champion (14 cards) | 4 |
| Great War deeds Triumph (31 cards plus 1 duplicate card) | 4, 9 |
| Great War leaders (1915) Peter Pan (9 cards) | 4 |
| Irish Republican stamp (silk) Phillips (1 card plus 1 duplicate card) | 4, 10 |
| Kings and Queens of England Three Castles (6 cards) | 4 |
| Leading generals at the War Ogden (1 card) | 4 |
| Life in the Royal Navy (1939) Wills (50 cards) | 4 |
| Medals and decorations 1914 - 20 Peter Pan (1 card) | 4 |
| Men of stamina Stamina clothes (18 cards plus 12 duplicate cards) | 4, 10 |
| Military decorations and medals Vita Brits (18 cards plus 7 duplicate cards) | 5, 10 |
| Military head-dress Player (50 cards) | 5 |
| Military uniforms - Australian Golden Fleece (36 cards plus 26 duplicate cards) | 5, 10 |
| Military series of 50 regiments (reprint) Player (50 cards) | 5 |
| Modern war weapons Kornies (1 card) | 5 |
| Modern war weapons Wills (50 cards plus 153 duplicate cards) | 5, 10 |
| National flags & arms (1936) Player (See also British Naval crests) (49 cards) |
5 |
| Naval and military decorations of the allies MacRobertson's confectionery (3 cards) | 5 |
| Official war photographs Magpie (2 sets) (12 cards plus 50 duplicate cards) | 5, 10 |
| Paintings (silk) Anonymous (2 cards) | 5, 11 |
| Raemaeker's war cartoons (1916) Carreras-Black Cat (139 cards) | 6 |
| RAF badges (1937) Player (50 cards) | 6 |
| Recruiting posters Anonymous (17 cards plus 17 duplicate cards) | 6, 11 |
| Riders of the world Wills (6 cards) | 6 |
| Signalling world (1911) Wills (22 cards) | 6 |
| Soldiers of the Empire Sunday Stories (5 cards) | 6 |
| Soldiers of the Empire Allens Sweets (35 cards plus 5 duplicate cards) | 6, 11 |
| Der Staat der Arbeit und des Friedens (1934) Bulgaria (134 cards) | 7 |
| Tobruk Anonymous - Italian (1 card) | 7 |
| Types of the British Army (c1905 - 10) Wills (1 card) | 7 |
| Types of the British Army Capstan (43 cards) | 7 |
| Types of the Commonwealth forces (c1905 - 15) Wills (3 cards) | 7 |
| Types of London (1919) Carreras-Black Cat (1 card) | 7 |
| [Uniforms] Anonymous (26 cards) | 7 |
| [Uniforms] Bonus cards Collectors shop (25 cards) | 7 |
| Uniforms of the Territorial Army (1939) Player (50 cards) | 7 |
| United States military aircraft Anonymous (25 cards) | 7 |
| United States warships Wills (25 cards) | 8 |
| United States warships (1911) Wills/Havelock (6 cards) | 8 |
| Victoria Cross (1914) Player (25 cards) | 8 |
| Victoria Cross Heroes Wills (25 cards plus 5 duplicate cards) | 8, 11 |
| Victoria Cross Heroes (1901) Ogden (1 card) | 8 |
| Volts ans gewehr (1934) Sturm (1 card) | 8 |
| War incidents - 1st series Wills/Havelock (50 cards plus 136 duplicate cards) | 8 11 |
| War incidents - 2nd series Wills (50 cards plus 158 duplicate cards) | 8 11 |
| War medals (silk) Wills (14 cards) | 8 |
| War pictures Wills (50 cards plus 57 duplicate cards) | 8, 11 |
| War scenes Allen (2 cards) | 8 |
| Wer fuhrt das Dritte Reich ? Orientalische (23 cards) | 8 |
| Wie die Anderen gerustet sind Orientalische (1 card) | 8 |
| The World's dreadnoughts (1911) Wills/Vice-Regal (25 cards plus 2 duplicate cards) | 8, 11 |
SERIES 2: Album cards
Description: Consists of 22 series of miscellaneous collections in albums and German collections in their original albums.
| Series title and firm | Folder |
|---|---|
| Australian wild flowers, War incidents, Modern War weapons, Birds of Australasia (2 albums) Wills (120 cards) | 13 |
| Army Corps and Divisional signs 1914 - 18 Players (292 cards) | 13 |
| Australian Official War photographs Magpie (72 cards) | 15 |
| Military uniforms of the British Empire overseas (1938) Players (50 cards plus 50 duplicate cards) | 15, 16 |
| Raemakers War cartoons (1916) - Part 1 Carreras-Black Cat (132 cards) | 14 |
| Raemakers War cartoons (1916) - Part 2 Carreras-Black Cat (144 cards) | 14 |
| Regimental badges Anonymous (107 cards) | 15 |
| War decorations and medals (Including Photographs) (1927) Players (180 cards) | 15 |
| Das Reichswehr und seine tradition (War scenes) (1934) Waldorf-Astoria (328 cards) | 14 |
| Der Bunte Rock (Colored coat) (1932 ? ) Haus Neuerburg (252 cards) | 14 |
| Deutsche uniformen album: Zeitalter Deutsche der Freiheitstriege 1813-15 (Uniforms) (1932) Sturm (240 cards) | 13 |
| Deutsche uniformen album: Album III : 1864 - 1914 Band 1 (1933) Sturm (240 cards) | 13 |
| Deutsche uniformen album: Album IV : 1864 - 1914 Band 2 (1933) Sturm (240 cards) | 13 |
| Deutsche uniformen album das Zeitalter Friedricks des Grossen (1932) Sturm (240 cards plus 240 duplicate cards) | 13, 16 |
| Deutsche uniformen album : SS SA & HS (Uniforms of the Third Reich) (1933) Sturm (240 cards) | 13 |
| Deutsche Reichsmarine / Dienst und Leben der Matrolen Anonymous 0 | 15 |
| Die Eroberung der luft (aircraft) (1932) Saba/Garbaty (234 cards) | 15 |
| Die Reichswehr (Military scenes) (1933) Waldorf-Astoria (280 cards) | 14 |
| Ruhmesblatter Deutscher geichrichte (battle scenes) Anonymous (252 cards) | 15 |
| Saba schiffsbilder (ships) (1933) Saba/Garbaty (251 cards) | 15 |
| Saba schiffsbilder mit spezialflaggen II folge (ships) (1933) Saba/Garbaty (250 cards) | 15 |
| Uniformen der marine und schutztrupen (uniforms) (1933) Waldorf-Astoria (96 cards) | 14 |
| Uniformen der alten armee (uniforms) (1932) Waldorf-Astoria (312 cards) | 14 |
| Watson's No. 10 Whisky Prints of portraits of VIPs and commanders of armed forces drawn by advertising and poster artist Walter Jardine. Includes portraits of: Gen Cadorna; Lieut-Gen. Sir W. Birdwood; Gen Sir W. Robertson; M. Venizelos; Gen Sarrail; Gen Sir John Monash; Vice-Admiral Sir F.C.D. Sturdee; Gen Brussiloff; Gen Sir Douglas Haig; General Foch; Peter I, King of Servia; Gen Russky; Capt Sir Ross Smith M.C. A.F.C.; Admiral Sir D. Beatty; General French, Commander-in Chief of the British Army; Albert, King of the Belgians; Rt. Hon. H. H. Asquith, Prime Minister of Great Britain; Sir Edward Grey, Secretary for Foreign Affairs; General Botha, Prime Minister of South Africa & leader of the Union Forces; General Joffre, Commander-in-Chief of the French Army; Grand Duke Nicholas, Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Army; The Right Hon. D. Lloyd George M.P. Chancellor of Exchequer; Lord Fisher, First Sea Lord of the Admiralty; Admiral Jellicoe, Commanding North Sea fleet; Rt. Hon. Winston Churchill, First Lord of the Admiralty. (25 prints) |
16 |
| Air Raid Precautions: An album to contain a Series of Cigarette Cards of National Importance(1938) W.D. & H.O. Wills (50 cards) | 16 |
SERIES 3: Telephone Cards
Description: Consists of Telephone cards issued to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the end of World War Two.
| Series title and firm | Folder |
|---|---|
| (1995) Telecom Australia (5 cards) | 12 |