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C.W.S. ‘Game of Snap’

Published November 10, 2016 Updated August 05, 2022

C.W.S. ‘Game of Snap’ advertising household products, Manchester (UK), 1930s.

1930 United Kingdom CWS Print Works Advertising Snap

The Co-operative Wholesale Society ‘Game of Snap’ features vintage artwork promoting household products of the day, such as cod liver oil and floor polish, manufactured by the C.W.S. Printing Works, Manchester (UK), c.1930s. At least six different C.W.S. Snap games were published during the 1930s and this is probably one of the best. The back design includes the C.W.S. wheatsheaf motif.

C.W.S. Game of Snap, Manchester (UK), c.1930s
C.W.S. Game of Snap, Manchester (UK), c.1930s

Above: C.W.S. ‘Game of Snap’, Manchester (UK), c.1930s. 48 cards in box.


“Game of Snap” manufactured by C.W.S. Printing Works, Manchester during the 1930s

Above: another “Game of Snap” manufactured by C.W.S. Printing Works, Manchester during the 1930s. The reverse features the wheatsheaf motif with the legend "Labor and Wait".

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By Rex Pitts (1940-2021)

Member since January 30, 2009

Rex's main interest was in card games, because, he said, they were cheap and easy to get hold of in his early days of collecting. He is well known for his extensive knowledge of Pepys games and his book is on the bookshelves of many.

His other interest was non-standard playing cards. He also had collections of sheet music, music CDs, models of London buses, London Transport timetables and maps and other objects that intrigued him.

Rex had a chequered career at school. He was expelled twice, on one occasion for smoking! Despite this he trained as a radio engineer and worked for the BBC in the World Service.

Later he moved into sales and worked for a firm that made all kinds of packaging, a job he enjoyed until his retirement. He became an expert on boxes and would always investigate those that held his cards. He could always recognize a box made for Pepys, which were the same as those of Alf Cooke’s Universal Playing Card Company, who printed the card games. This interest changed into an ability to make and mend boxes, which he did with great dexterity. He loved this kind of handicraft work.

His dexterity of hand and eye soon led to his making card games of his own design. He spent hours and hours carefully cutting them out and colouring them by hand.


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