1935-37 Wix Henry’s Adventures Series Set and Checklist
‘It’s In The Details’
Title | Henry’s Adventures Series |
Year | 1935-37 |
Size | Varies |
Images | Color |
Type | Tobacco |
Number in Set |
250 |
1935-36 J. Wix Henry’s Adventures Series Set Overview
These cards featured the activities of a mischievous boy named Henry. The cards were distributed by J. Wix and Sons Tobacco for their products and backs can be found with various tobacco brand advertisements, including Kensitas and Tareyton. While the set is often simply called the ‘Henry’ set, the actual name, as indicated in small print on the backs is ‘Henry’s Adventures.’
Each cartoon includes a picture of Henry in various situations. Cartoons, as indicated on the cards, were the work of Carl Anderson.
This is a massive issue with five different series, each consisting of 50 cards. The result is a 250-card set and, in reality, there are actually more cards than that. In addition to those 250 ‘regular’ cards (2 9/16″ x 3 1/16″), an extra large-sized set was available for the first two series’ and those included 25 cards in each series. The larger cards were similar but had more white space around the borders and, of course, were a little larger in size.
Counting the larger cards, there are 300 total cards, which would comprise a master set. The first two series’ were printed in 1935, the next two in 1936, and the last one in 1937. The first two series’ have card numbers while the latter three do not. The first four series are the easiest to find. Series 5, the final one, is significantly harder by comparison.
Albums were also available for the cards. Collectors were advised to see their tobacconist for them, though no cost information was mentioned on the cards as was the case with some other issues.
Backs of the first two series have an adhesive backing, which would make them easier to affix to the album pages. The other cards have more of a matte finish. Also in terms of the printing, many of the cards have a factory horizontal crease across the middle. That should not be counted as damage to the cards as they were deliberately printed that way, possibly to fit into a smaller package. Like other cards printed for albums, these were printed on a slightly thinner stock of paper.
Finally, two sets of 25 postcards each were created using pictures from the first and second series of cards. The postcards are significantly rarer than the trading cards.
Sports
Most of the cards are non-sports related. But a few include Henry being mixed up in various sports.
Golf is primarily the main type of sports cards from this set that interest American collectors. A total of three golf cards are featured — one with Henry carrying clubs himself and two with him interfering in the games of golfers. However, other popular cards include three soccer-related cards. A tennis card of sorts is included, too, with Henry holding a racket that has been chewed up by a cat.
In addition to those cards, cards depicting other minor sports including fishing, roller skating, and sailing. There are some more ambiguous sports cards as well. One features a fan with a megaphone wearing a cricket sweater. Other cards depict sporting events behind a fence, although the actual sport is not identified or stated.
Finally, a pseudo baseball card is included as he is holding sticks with two baseball gloves at the ends. He is in a room with men at an ‘Angler’s club’ and depicting the size of a catch.
Of the major sports cards, only one of the golf cards (from the first series) was made into a postcard.
Series Identification
While there are five series’ in all, only the first two are clearly marked as such on the back. Making matters worse, as mentioned earlier, the cards in the other three series’ are not numbered.
Still, there are easy ways to identify which series a card belongs to:
- 1st Series Cards – “A Series of 50” on back
- 2nd Series Cards – “2nd Series of 50” on back
- 3rd Series Cards – Have “Copyright Reserved” on the front with no mention of a series on back
- 4th Series Cards – Have “Copyright Reserved.” (with a period) on the front with no mention of a series on back
- 5th Series Cards – Have “Copyright Reserved-” (with a dahs) on the front with no mention of a series on back
1935-36 J. Wix Henry’s Adventures Series Set Checklist
The first two series’ are listed according to their card number. The other three series’ are not numbered and only listed according to images shown here. Titles are not presented on the cards themselves — I have merely provided descriptions below.
Series 1
- Just Married
- Roller Skating with Ram
- Balancing Dishes
- Slingshot with Boy and Apple on Head
- Kangaroos
- Henry and Indian Boy
- Pants on Clothesline
- Tea Cart
- Army Soldiers
- Large Crate
- Man with Cigar
- Woman with Grocery Scale
- Playing Marbles with Golf Ball (Golf)
- Boy Wanted / Butcher
- Parrot / Cracker
- Kite / Knitting
- Sliding Down Stairs Railing
- Spinning on Record Player
- In Carriage
- Treacle
- With Camera
- Dog House Garage
- Riding Pig
- Slingshot with Cuckoo Clock
- Swan Boat
- Playing Piano with Feet
- Top Hat and Coal
- Man Carrying Sandwiches
- Drinking Cat Milk
- With Ostrich
- Water Into Top Hat
- Furs and Skins
- Man on Telephone Pole
- “Simeze Twins”
- Head Without a “Stumick”
- Drinking from Pitcher
- Wedding
- “Ban Konsert”
- In Park
- Danger Blasting
- Aquarium Fishing
- On Couch with Movers
- “Traind Fleez”
- With Movers and Suspenders
- Pipe Smoking
- In Excavator
- On Bass Drum
- Top Hat in Water
- Fly in Church
- Sailboat with Shirt
Series 2
- Next to Bass Drum
- Playing as Police Officer
- Lying on Block of Ice
- Flies in Bed
- Hot Dog with Dogs
- Spraying Perfume
- Juggling Eggs
- Sliding Down Plank into Bathtub
- Soap in Bathtub
- Banging Pans
- Man on Raft
- Kissing Chef
- “Fizikal Kulcher”
- Pushing Boy with Boots
- Rabbit Skin Coat
- “Duck Soop”
- Football Match Blues vs. Reds (Soccer)
- “Chanz of a Live Time”
- Man Running for Train
- Sitting in Between Couple
- In Small Tub
- With Fat Man in Shade
- Firewood
- Comic Page
- Sliding Down Piano
- Left Handed Wart
- Fan with Megaphone (Cricket)
- Tick, Tick, Tick
- With Monkey
- Throwing Coal
- Eating at Fancy Dinner
- On Diner Stool
- “Mixt Drinks”
- See the “Son” Spots
- Sitting on Hood of Car with Man Chasing
- Spoon on Head
- Dog Carrying Picnic Basket
- Fishing with Man in Water
- Woman Crying on Umbrella
- Eating Wedding Cake
- Riding in Front of Car on Bumper
- Barber
- With Orchestra
- Boat Trips
- Blowing Whistle During Game (Soccer)
- Greyhound Racing / Riding Rabbit
- In Bird Nest
- Giving Poodle Haircut
- Hooking Sailor
- Castor Oil Medicine
Series 3
- Playing Checkers
- Stretcher and Ambulance
- Riding Line
- U. Blink Photographer
- Woman and Parrot Singing
- Orange Cart
- Crossing River on Rocks with Boy
- “Armles Wunder”
- “School Holidays Garanteed”
- Watching Play
- Pulling Teeth
- Cement Worker
- Holding Car Door for Girl
- Show Room
- Tattooing
- Strongman
- Pulled in Dog Cart
- Frogs in Bathtub
- Marchers on Banana Peels
- Under Policeman’s Stomach
- Behind Policemen with Angry Boys
- Serenading Girl
- Chocolates Toffee
- Starting Fire with Magnifying Glass and Sun
- Inside Tire
- Crutch for Bird
- “Mary Go Round”
- In Chandelier
- “Doors to Circus”
- Watering Man’s Head
- “Safety Guard Inside Yore Pants”
- With Horse in Bathtub
- In Revolving Door
- No Dogs Allowed
- Henry the Chimpanzee
- Behind Bass
- Woman Chasing Cat
- Chair for Large Woman
- Heat Wave
- Henry VIII
- Cash for Old Clothes
- Money Boxes Opened
- Great Strength Rings the Bell
- Tram Watchers of Game (Soccer)
- Kite Flying from Car
- Matador with Sword
- Waxworks
- On Stage for Magic Show
- Fishing from Bridge
- Laying Eggs with Hen
Series 4
- With Pots and Pans
- All Kinds of Instruments
- Watching Game on Top of Children
- Teacher Reading Book
- Painted Into Corner
- Man with Saxophone
- Walking in Cement
- Measuring Man’s Waist
- Magnifying Glass for Gorillas
- Holes to “Sea the Game”
- Fishing with Cat
- Man Driving Tied to Pole
- Wedding with Swordsmen
- “Trousers Steemed”
- Water into Car Horn
- Girl on Swing
- Picnic Basket on Head
- “See the Wild Kave Man”
- With Large Egg
- In Suitcase
- With Boot and Golf Clubs (Golf)
- Veterinary Surgeon
- Sawing Tree Branch
- Selling Paintings
- “Soles and Eels”
- Walking Away from Train
- “Old Skool Ties”
- Knitting with Girl
- Painting Dog’s Eye
- Man with Bagpipes
- Rings Around Soldier’s Bayonet
- Umbrella in Instrument
- Firemen
- Catching Fish from Tree
- Catching Fish in Man’s Pants
- Boiling Water with Surveyor Stand
- First Class Taxidermy
- Dog on Stilts
- Slingshot from Cow
- Catching Rabbits
- “Grate Log Cutting Kompetision”
- Post Office
- Arrow in Umbrella on Beach
- Slingshot with Hunter
- Behind White Horse
- Riding Dog with Horn
- In Front of White Horse
- Dog on Washboard
- Chasing After Runner (Track and Field)
- Fishing with Bird Eating Worm
Series 5
- “Loop the Lupins”
- Walking Large Dog
- Handstand on Scale
- Outside Drugstore
- Playing Xylophone
- Crawling Behind Wall
- In Kitchen with Stove Open
- Fishing Net over Man’s Head
- Sleepwalking
- With Asian Man
- Clinging to Golfer’s Leg (Golf)
- Man with Bagpipes and Water Hose
- Selling Flowers
- Making Adjustment to Machine
- Free Library
- Inside Statue
- Springs from Couch
- Angler’s Club (Baseball Gloves)
- Shelled Nuts
- Hanging from Man’s Cane
- Unloading Dirt from Truck
- Man with Gavel
- Man Painting
- “Won Man Band”
- In Garden Cage Hiding from Dog
- in Cart wit Sail
- Reading in Bathroom with Water in Tub
- Eating Baked Goods with Angry Woman
- See Saw on Big Mirror
- Loans
- Tug of War Behind Fence
- “Real Fire Water”
- Dual Bicycle
- Pushing Boys with Wheel
- Water into Volcano
- Free Air
- “Clay Pidgin Shootin”
- With Rum on Pirate Raft
- Magic Show in Yard, Stabbing Spear in Between Boys
- “Genooin Oatmiel Porrige”
- Many Hats on Floor
- Painting Mustaches on Billboards
- “Erial Thrill Ride”
- Cat Chewed Tennis Racket (Tennis)
- Lifting Cat with Fishing Pole at Window
- “Baving Tents”
- Sailboat in Pot on Stove
- With Elephant and Old Woman
- Using Slingshot Against Snare Drum of Band
- Goldfish in Water Pitcher with Two Women
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