Lot 267: A Collection of 1930s W.D. & H.O. Wills and John Player & Sons Cigarette Card Albums
Sold for: £2
A collection of six 20th Century paper trade card albums issued by British tobacco companies. The group includes two copies of the album titled OUR KING AND QUEEN, issued by W.D. & H.O. WILLS, BRANCH OF THE IMPERIAL TOBACCO COMPANY (OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND), LIMITED, featuring portraits of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth. Also included is THE REIGN OF KING GEORGE V 1910 – SILVER JUBILEE – 1935 commemorative album, and two copies of the RADIO CELEBRITIES album, both issued by W.D. & H.O. WILLS. The final album is titled R.A.F. BADGES, issued by JOHN PLAYER & SONS, BRANCH OF THE IMPERIAL TOBACCO COMPANY (OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND), LIMITED, featuring a price mark of PRICE ONE PENNY. The interior pages are designed with designated spaces for mounted cigarette cards, and several albums appear to be partially or fully populated with printed colour lithograph cards depicting various subjects including royalty, entertainers, and heraldic military badges.
Condition report:
The albums show significant signs of age-related wear and domestic handling. There is heavy foxing, surface soiling, and toning to the paper covers of all volumes. Multiple covers feature contemporary inscriptions in ink and pencil, including names such as JACK and BRIAN DREW. One RADIO CELEBRITIES album cover has substantial red crayon scribbling. The edges show fraying and soft corners. Internally, there is adhesive staining around the mounted cards, though the cards themselves appear to retain good colour.
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