Historic Early Aviation
Reproductions of cigarette cards from 1910 on the subject of the early days of aviation.
The history of early aviation – from 1783 to 1909 – is a fascinating subject. However, this pack is a bit of a hotchpotch and doesn’t really do justice to the subject matter. The designs are taken from old cigarette (insert) cards of 1909, with text written at that time. The cards are larger than normal in order to accommodate both the original cigarette card designs and the text which would originally have appeared on the reverse of those insert cards. Unfortunately, the text takes up a lot of space, resulting in the cigarette cards (especially the ones in horizontal format) looking minute. One of the extra cards explains how the pack was put together. There are no Jokers. See the box►
Above: Historic Early Aviation playing cards published by U.S. Games Systems, Inc., Stamford, CT, USA, 2003. Printed in China. 52 cards + 2 extra cards in hard, flip-top box. Size: 70 x 105 mm. © 2003 U.S. Games Systems, Inc.
By Roddy Somerville
France • Member since May 31, 2022
Roddy started collecting stamps on his 8th birthday. In 1977 he joined the newly formed playing-card department at Stanley Gibbons in London before setting up his own business in Edinburgh four years later. His collecting interests include playing cards, postcards, stamps (especially playing cards on stamps) and sugar wrappers. He is a Past President of the Scottish Philatelic Society, a former Chairman of the IPCS, a Past Master of the Worshipful Company of Makers of Playing Cards and Curator of the WCMPC’s collection of playing cards. He lives near Toulouse in France.
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