Tobacco Cards

1. This card is part of a collection of 72 pieces named "Knowledge of the Arts". The language is Dutch, and the card came with half pounds of coffee.

2. This is the description made by the seller of this card: "This original card was issued by the Ogden's Tobacco Company of England between 1899 and 1901. It is card number 66 from a set of 200 cards entitled General Interest Numbered 1-200. The card was given as a free premium and was inserted into Guinea Gold cigarette packs. The front of the card shows the name, card number, a brief description, and a glossy black and white photo, while the back of the card is blank."

3. This is the description made by the seller of this card: "This very scarce card was issued in the UK by W. D. & H. O. Wills Ltd. in 1914. It is card number 24 from a set of 50 cards entitled Musical Celebrities, Second Series. The front of the card shows a superbly printed artist drawn portrait of Pietro Mascagni, while the back of the card has the set title, card number and a nice brief biography. The card was given as a free premium and was inserted into a pack of 10 Wills' cigarettes. The size of this card is approx. 1.4 X 2.7 inches."

4. This card was issued by the Swiss chocolate maker Suchard. The back of the card contains a short biography of the composer listing only early operas, not including for example a work like Iris, which can make think that the card was issued after 1895 and before 1898. The biography is in French, English and German. The English version of the text reads: "Pietro Mascagni, the composer of that very popular opera Cavalleria Rusticana or Rustic Chivalry was born the 7. December 1863 at Leghorn. He has forsaken the trodden path and represents a quite new school. His other operas are l'ami Fritz, les Ranzau, Ratcliff."

5. Another version of the Ogden card. This one mentions the composer to be 37, which would set the issue date around 1900, Mascagni being born in 1863. The text on the back says "Pietro Mascagni, the popular Italian composer of Cavalleria Rusticana, which was written to compete for prize for one act opera in 1890 Age 27".

6. Playing card.

7. Tobacco card. "Collection Félix Potin". No text or graphics on the back.