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A History of Cigarette and Trade Cards (Paperback)

The Magic Inside the Packet

Colour Books P&S History > Social History Photographic Books

By John Broom
Imprint: Pen & Sword History
Pages: 158
Illustrations: 100
ISBN: 9781526721747
Published: 29th October 2018

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The collection of picture cards has fascinated generations of children and adults since the late nineteenth century. Between 1900 and 1940, cartophily, as the hobby became known, became widespread as hundreds of millions of attractive cards were issued, usually with packets of cigarettes. These cards give us a unique insight into the cultural history of the period. Although the production of cigarette and other trade cards has declined in recent decades, millions of people worldwide now collect trading cards and stickers issued by the likes of Topps and Panini.

This attractive and extensively illustrated guide to collecting cigarette and other trade cards gives the reader a lively history of the hobby, and offers the collector some valuable advice on how to begin and maintain a collection. The wide variation of themes of card issues is explored, with many of the stories behind the cards revealed. It will appeal to novice and established card collectors, and those with an interest in twentieth century social and cultural history.

This marvellous history of cigarette cards is image heavy, which is brilliant.

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Books Monthly

Big, diverse groupings of subject matter (i.e. wartime, sports, transportation, flora & fauna, pop culture, science, scenery, and valuable cards) that appeal to men, women, and children (and differing views on global/European history).

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GoodReads, Kristine Fisher

⭐⭐⭐⭐ Informative, pictorial and easy to read book.

A History Of Cigarette And Trade Cards is an informative, pictorial and easy to read book that describes the history of both cigarette and trade cards, and then goes on to talk about many of the themes that were depicted on the cards.

I enjoyed reading about this subject. Cigarette cards were first printed in the 1880s in America, with the cardboard being developed as supportive packaging, but its possibilities as a useful advertising tool were soon realised. Developers of the cards started to print information about the pictures on the cards, which were like mini-encyclopaedia. The idea caught on and the cards became collectable.

The book contains specific chapters on popular card themes and ends with a short list of further reading. I thought the book was well presented with good colour photographs and would happily recommend it for anyone who enjoys the hobby of collecting or has a particular interest in this aspect of cultural history.

Amazon Customer

The author has produced a delightful view of the cards and covered a wide, but not exhaustive, range of card topics. It is a very interesting review and will undoubtedly encourage more collectors.

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Firetrench

Article 'The magic inside the packet' as featured by

Nottingham Post, 13th December 2018 - words by Andy Smart

I thought the book was well presented with good colour photographs and would happily recommend it for anyone who enjoys the hobby of collecting or has a particular interest in this aspect of cultural history.

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GoodReads, Rosie Amber
 John Broom

About John Broom

After graduating in History from the University of Sheffield in the early 1990s, JOHN BROOM pursued a career in teaching, firstly in his chosen subject and latterly with children with autism. He has been awarded a PhD on Christianity in the British Armed Services by the University of Durham. John has a wide-ranging knowledge and interest in social, sporting, industrial and military history, and is the author of eight published books: Cricket in the First World War: Play Up! Play the Game (Pen & Sword, 2022), Cricket in the Second World War: The Grim Test (Pen & Sword, 2021), Reported Missing in the Great War: 100 years of searching for the truth (Pen & Sword, 2020); Faithful in Adversity: The Royal Army Medical Corps in the Second World War (Pen & Sword, 2019); Opposition to the Second World War: Conscience, Resistance and Service in Britain, 1933–45 (Pen & Sword, 2018); A History of Cigarette and Trade Cards (Pen & Sword, 2018); Fight the Good Fight: Voices of Faith from the Second World War (Pen & Sword, 2016); Fight the Good Fight: Voices of Faith from the First World War (Pen & Sword, 2015).

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