Cigarette card
Category
Ephemera
Date
Unknown
Materials
card
Measurements
35 mm (Width) x 0.5 mm (Depth); 68 mm (Length)
Order this imageCollection
Mr Straw's House, Nottinghamshire
NT 749273.4.18
Summary
One of a set of 50 of Will's Cigarette cards 'Arms of the British Empire'. The first of three partail sets of cigarette cards kept in a wooden box with two compartments, a metal hinged lid painted red with a yellow / orange flower and card suit design. On the front of the card, at the top, is the title 'ARMS OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE.' To the left of the central coat of arms image it reads 'WILLS's, and then to the right 'CIGARETTES.' Beneath the image is the location the arms originate from, ‘BRITISH COLUMBIA.' The central coat of arms consists of a shield with a gold partial sun rising from the point of it on a blue and silver wavy striped background. A horizontal band across the top of the shield features a union jack with a gold crown in the centre of it. Beneath the shield a banner reads 'SPLENDOR SINE OCCASU.'On the rear of the card is decorative scrolling and the text at the top reads 'No18 ARMS OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE, 'WILLS'S CIGARETTES. The text at the base reads 'W.D. & H.O. WILLS.' BRISTOL & LONDON. ISSUED BY THE IMPERIAL TOBACCO Co. (OF GREAT BRITAIN & IRELAND)Ltd' Down either side of the card there is text running vertically which in its entirety reads 'ALBUMS FOR THESE PICTURE CARDS CAN BE OBTAINED AT 1/- EACH FROM ALL TOBACCONISTS.' In the centre of the rear of the card the decoration creates a box for information specific to the location portrayed on the card. In this instance it reads ‘These arms were assigned by Royal Warrant in 1906. Here we have the sun setting over the sea, this being the most westerly province of the British Empire. British Columbia, which includes Vancouver Island, has important fish-canning industries, chiefly salmon, on the Fraser river, and is also largely interested in timber and coal.'