Pre-War Cards

‘It’s In The Details’

Title	Huntley and Palmers Biscuits Amusements Around the World Trade Cards
Year	1878
Size	3 1/2″ x 4 1/2″
Images	Color
Type	Trade Cards
Number in Set	9 (?)

1878 Huntley and Palmers Biscuits Amusements Around the World Trade Cards Overview

This was one of many trade card sets distributed by Huntley and Palmers, an English biscuit manufacturer.

I have never seen a formal name for this set so I have simply dubbed them the ‘Amusements Around the World Trade Cards.’ These cards feature a variety of scenes, generally participating in recreational activities. The cards feature color images with a caption at the bottom. On each card, packages of Huntley and Palmers of products (the squares bearing their logo) are featured as well.

And while Huntley and Palmers was an English company and the front captions are in English, like other Huntley and Palmers cards, the backs have a horizontal advertisement in French.

Collectors should note that these have a similar look to Huntley and Palmers 1878 trade card set featuring only sports and that also had gold borders. But this is a separate issue. These should also not be confused with another gold-bordered Huntley and Palmers set that featured children of the world. Yet another gold-bordered set exists that is closest in comparison to this one,  also featuring the boxes of Huntley and Palmers products. Those, however, are untitled and have a different, vertical red ink back advertisement. To date, aside from the sports set, I have not seen any sports cards represented in those latter two issues.

Of note to sports collectors is the tennis card found in the set. The tennis card is titled, ‘The Lawn Tennis Match’ and features a casual game of the sport with spectators watching.

The exact date of this set is not fully confirmed but the backs advertise the 1878 Exposition Universelle, which was Paris’ third World Fair.

1878 Huntley and Palmers Biscuits Amusements Around the World Trade Cards Checklist

Below is a list of trade cards in the set that I have seen to date. Others may exist.

1. An Ascent of the Himalayas
2. Egypt – Across the Desert
3. Gathering of the Clans
4. India – Fort on the Indus.
5. Luncheon on the Sands
6. On (sp.) Route to the North Pole
7. The Lawn Tennis Match
8. The Meet at Hyde Park
9. The Picnic (Epping Forest)

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