Lot 183: A Collection of Vintage W.D. and H.O. Wills Cigarette Card Albums, Illustrated Educational Booklets, and Ephemera
This lot comprises an assortment of vintage paper ephemera and collectibles housed in a cardboard storage box. The collection includes a significant quantity of illustrated softcover booklets, such as British Wild Life, described by Frances Pitt with illustrations by C.F. Tunnicliffe R.A. and priced at Sixpence. Another booklet titled Explorers features a dual price of 5p and Price Sixpence. The internal pages of these albums contain thematic educational content including British mammals, historical costume from 1650 to 1700, world heraldry and flags including Wales and Yugoslavia, and the history of palaeontology featuring Dr. Gideon Mantell and the Iguanodon. Several albums and loose cards issued by W.D. and H.O. Wills are present. Visible card series include nature and bird studies with titles such as Buzzard Seizing Prey, Heron’s Nest and Occupants, and Merlin at Home. A botanical series is also visible, featuring Agapanthus, Aloe, Arum Lily, Begonia, Balsam, and Achimenes. Loose cards include examples from the Wills’s Celebrities series, such as one depicting pianist Eileen Joyce, alongside other cards featuring military figures, scouting scenes, and jungle illustrations. The collection is accompanied by a circular metal lid embossed with the name HORLICKS. The cardboard storage box bears a white square adhesive label printed with the number 21 and a small orange rectangular adhesive label printed with the number 183.
Condition report:
The collection shows signs of age-related wear consistent with handled paper ephemera. Booklets have softened edges, minor creasing to the covers, and spine wear (photo 1). Cigarette card albums show surface rubbing and edge wear to the covers, while the cards contained within appear well-preserved (photo 3). Loose cards exhibit varying degrees of edge wear and surface marking. The Horlicks metal lid shows oxidation and surface wear (photo 2).
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