Over a period from 1936 to the
outbreak of World War II, Ardath Tobacco specialised in photocards,
producing many different series in which sportsmen and film stars
predominated, but one of the last was a set of 44 views titled
Real Photographs Series Four and this is our choice this month.
The hand-coloured photos comprise twenty British scenes and
twenty-four from overseas. The selection is rather eccentric. For
instance, the British views include 'the regular suspects' like
York, Edinburgh, Cambridge, Salisbury and Stratford, but none of
London, and three of the Isle of Wight. Similarly, among the
foreign entries there are four from Canada, two from Chile and a
couple from the West Indies, whilst the European subjects include
rather obscure places like Merok (Norway) and Meteore (in Greece).
So this is certainly a mixed bag without any particular rhyme or
reason and includes views that will not be found on cards
elsewhere. The backs are a mine of information - Montreal has 3000
factories, Bournemouth has 'soft air', Lord North discovered the
springs at Tunbridge Wells, pilchard fishing supports the town of
Fowey, and so on.
This set of Ardath L44 Real
Photographs Series Four 1939 in Very Good to Finest Collectable
Condition is catalogued at £15.00 |
|
