Curio

State Library of New South Wales
Telopea speciosissima (Waratah) from Australian Wildflowers cigarette cards, 1913

Telopea speciosissima (Waratah) from Australian Wildflowers cigarette cards, 1913

Printed silk with paper backing

Presented by WD & HO Wills, Sydney 1916

581.99 / W


Cigarette cards were produced to stiffen flimsy cigarette packaging and to advertise cigarette brands. Originally produced as individual cards, they were produced in sets by the 1890s. This set features 50 cards.

Most commonly made from paper, the cards were also made from other materials such as silk, satin and lace. The images were printed onto fabric with a paper backing often added to give rigidity.

Collectors were encouraged to make objects for home decoration such as cushion covers from their silk cards.

Sarah Morley, 2015

Insert accompanying Australian Wildflowers cigarette cards

By WD & HO Wills, Australian Wildflowers cigarette cards, Sydney, 1913

These beautiful inserts will be found
most decorative for cushion covers and
other fancy articles for home decoration.
To remove satin from the paper back
loosen at corner and pull gently –
moistening if necessary.
This is one of the series,
AUSTRALIAN WILD FLOWERS
50 in number,
now being presented to smokers
of these
CIGARETTES