Carreras Set of 50 Celebrities of British History 1935

The mid-1930s period was probably the heyday of cigarette cards, with the major tobacco manufacturers pulling out all the stops to produce appealing series to outshine their competitors in the battle for brand loyalty. Carreras were one of the leading companies, so for their 1935 series Celebrities of British History to be described in Card Collectors News of September that year as being "very finely produced... the best by this firm for a long time" was praise indeed. As to whether this accolade was justified, we will leave you to judge when you see our Set of the Month for July. The famous people selected for inclusion are from all walks of life and span 700 years from Thomas A'Becket down to late Victorian notabilities and including Chaucer, Drake, Raleigh, Shakespeare, Cromwell, Wren, Cook, Nelson, Wellington, Darwin and Dickens through to Florence Nightingale. The pictures are taken mostly from paintings, many of which are in the National Portrait Gallery, and it's interesting to note that Dr. Johnson on no. 25 is from a painting in the Tate by Sir Joshua Reynolds who himself appears in a self-portrait on no. 28. Text backs summarise each subject's place in British history.

Carreras 50 Celebrities of British History 1935 in very good condition is catalogued at £45.00

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