W.D. & H.O. Wills cigarette card set

1906 medals (50 card set)

W.D. & H.O. Wills 煙草公司香煙卡

1906戰爭勳章系列(50)

Item number: C57, C58, C59, C60, C61, C62, C63, C64, C65, C66, C67, C68, C69, C70, C71, C72, C73, C74, C75, C76, C77, C78, C79, C80, C81, C82, C83, C84, C85, C86, C87, C88, C89, C90, C91, C92, C93, C94, C95, C96, C97, C98, C99, C100, C101, C102, C103, C104, C105, C106

Year: AD 1906

Size: 36 x 68mm

Provenance: Private Collector, UK, 2023

This complete set of 50 “War Medals” cigarette cards is a series issued by the British tobacco company W.D. & H.O. Wills in AD 1906. Founded by Henry O. Wills near Bristol, Wales, in AD 1786, W.D. & H.O. Wills entered the cigarette market in AD 1871 and has been active ever since.

At the end of the 18th century, the American independence proved to be a significant blow to the British Empire. However, starting in the 19th century, Britain participated in various wars such as the Napoleonic Wars and the Crimean War to balance the power among European nations. On the other hand, leveraging the immense power unleashed by the Industrial Revolution, Britain planted the Union Jack in various corners of the world outside Europe. By the early 20th century, the British Empire had become an unparalleled global power, proudly declaring itself the empire on which the sun never sets.

In AD 1906, W.D. & H.O. Wills introduced the complete set of 50 cards in the “War Medals” series, which aptly portrayed the pride and glory of early 20th-century Britain as an unrivaled power. As one of the most significant tobacco companies in the United Kingdom, W.D. & H.O. Wills pioneered the use of thick cardboard inserts for marketing, serving as a prominent advertising platform to boost the company’s brand awareness. In an era dominated by Victorian ideals of masculinity and imperial expansion, and considering the predominantly male consumer base, war and military medals became common themes in advertising.

The obverse side of this series of cigarette cards showcases a chronological timeline of British involvement in battles and conflicts spanning over a century, from the American War of Independence (No.5, 1779) to the recently concluded Second Boer War in South Africa (No.50, 1902). These battles represent instances where the British government awarded campaign or commemorative medals to those who participated or exhibited exceptional performance. The medals often feature the profile of Queen Victoria or the iconic Britannia, symbolizing the warrior spirit of Britain. Some designs incorporate battle reliefs or feature the distinctive products of the regions where the conflicts took place.

On the reverse side of the cards, the top section features the card number and information about the specific battle. It is noteworthy that W.D. & H.O. Wills distinguished itself from its industry counterparts by not promoting its own products on the back of this series. Instead, all the textual descriptions focus on explaining the history of the medals and battles depicted. At the bottom, beneath the Union Jack and the royal standard, the full name of the company, W.D. & H.O. Wills, along with the addresses of the company in Bristol and London, is inscribed.

物件編號: C57, C58, C59, C60, C61, C62, C63, C64, C65, C66, C67, C68, C69, C70, C71, C72, C73, C74, C75, C76, C77, C78, C79, C80, C81, C82, C83, C84, C85, C86, C87, C88, C89, C90, C91, C92, C93, C94, C95, C96, C97, C98, C99, C100, C101, C102, C103, C104, C105, C106

年代: 公元 1906 年

尺寸: 36 x 68mm

來源: 英國私人收藏 2023

此全套50張「戰爭勳章」香煙卡系列，為英國香煙公司W.D. & H.O. Wills於公元1906年所發行的。公元1786年，W.D. & H.O. Wills公司由Henry O. Wills創建於靠近威爾斯的布里斯托爾，並於公元1871年投入香煙市場迄今。

18世紀末，美國的獨立對於大英帝國來說不啻是重大打擊。不過19世紀起，英國相繼參與拿破崙戰爭和克里米亞戰爭等，平衡歐洲各強權勢力的戰爭。另一方面，英國憑藉工業革命釋放的龐大力量，將米字旗插上歐洲以外的世界各個角落。當時序來到20世紀之際，大英帝國已經成為不可一世的世界強權，自詡為永遠看得到朝陽的日不落帝國。 

公元1906年，W.D. & H.O. Wills公司出品的全五十張「戰爭勳章」系列，貼切表現20世紀初英國不可一世的自豪感和榮耀。作為英國最重要的煙草公司之一，W.D. & H.O. Wills率先以保護香煙的厚紙板為行銷看板，替公司的品牌打響知名度。出於消費者多為男性，和身處鼓吹男子陽剛氣質和帝國擴張的維多利亞時代，戰爭和從軍獎章便成為常見的廣告題材。 

該系列的香煙卡正面，展示時間上溯至美國獨立戰爭(No.5, 1779)到最近在南非剛結束的第二次波爾戰爭(No.50, 1902)，即一個多世紀以來英國在世界各地參與的大小戰役，其政府授予參戰者的戰役紀念獎章或特殊表現的勳章。勳章經常以維多利亞女皇側臉或象徵英國的「不列顛尼亞」女戰士為圖案，也不乏以戰鬥浮雕或征戰地區的特產為設計。

卡片背面的上方是編號和戰役資訊。另外W.D. & H.O. Wills公司不同於同業，在本系列的背面隻字不談自家產品，所有的文字敘述皆是在解釋勳章和戰役的歷史。底部在英國國旗和皇室旗的下方，則寫有公司的全名W.D. & H.O. Wills，跟公司位於布里斯托爾跟倫敦的地址。

更多相關訊息請參考:

John Broom, A History of Cigarette and Trade Cards: The Magic Inside the Packet (England: Pen & Sword History, 2019)

http://www.davenapier.co.uk/wills/wdhowill.htm