these cigarette cards
back in the 19th century when wrapping machines were invented, pieces of plain card were used as protective stiffeners for paper packages, including cigarette packs. it was 1875 when us-based tobacco company allen & ginter first started issuing cards with illustrations of actresses, baseball players, indian chiefs, & boxers as a way to cultivate brand loyalty. then other tobacco companies followed suit & the fad was picked up in great britian. each set of cards usually consisted of 25 or 50 related subjects, like famous actresses, film stars, sporters, nature, boy scouts, military heroes + uniforms, heraldry, & city views. some very early original cards were printed on silk which was then attached to a paper backing. these cards were very popular during the 1920s & 1930s until they were officially banned by the british wartime government as an unnecessary & wasteful use of raw materials in 1940 during ww2 …