Lot 180: A Collection of 1930s British Cigarette Card Albums
A collection of seven vintage cigarette card albums issued by British tobacco companies. The group includes two copies of Radio Celebrities issued by W. D. & H. O. Wills, featuring portraits and biographies of contemporary entertainers such as Clapham & Dwyer, Ernest Butcher, Muriel George, and Gracie Fields. Also included are two copies of Our King and Queen, one album titled The Reign of King George V 1910 – Silver Jubilee – 1935, and one unnamed Wills album. A John Player & Sons album titled R.A.F. Badges is present, featuring squadron crests and an illustrated cover depicting a pilot and biplane. The albums are constructed from printed card covers with internal pages designed to hold sets of 50 trade cards. The front cover of the R.A.F. Badges album bears the handwritten names BRIAN GREEN and SUSAN GREEN in ink. One Radio Celebrities cover features handwritten names JACK and R. STUBBINGTON.
Condition report:
The collection shows signs of significant age and handling. The R.A.F. Badges album has ink inscriptions to the front cover and visible foxing (photo 2). One Radio Celebrities album has extensive red crayon or pencil markings across the front cover (photo 2). General wear includes bumped corners, frayed edges, and surface dirt consistent with mid-20th-century paper ephemera. The interior cards show varying degrees of toning and some adhesive staining. The albums are supplied as a loose group without additional protective sleeves.
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