Auction #9 - October 2021
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 10/24/2021
The American Tobacco Company (ATC) issued a number of sets to be inserted into packages of cigarettes sold overseas--mostly in the UK--in an effort to combat the newly formed British American Tobacco (BAT) company. The "Tobacco War" era as it was called was one of fierce competition for the cigarette tastes of the UK and European market. To that end, both the ATC and BAT created card sets as inserts into their packages for this lucrative market. Most all of these sets were cataloged by Burdick in the T400-T499 range. Many are quite scarce and are most frequently found still in the UK rather than in the United States. In many instances, artwork was used from previous sets from Kinney, Kimball and other 19th century popular series. In other instances, new artwork was commissioned.
The T488 Murai Tobacco World's Distinguished Personages is a (50) card set picturing world leaders bust with name in Japanese on the front of the card. The backs of the card notes that Murai is packing one of these cards in each box they sell and the smoker can study the pictures to figure out the persons. The set is checklisted and subjects outlined in the CSGB booklet "Tobacco War" that covers most of the T400-T499 issues in depth. Subjects include world leaders from the very end of the 19th century to the very early 20th century including: Queen Victoria, King Leopold (Belgium), USA Presidents Cleveland, McKinley and Harrison, Czar Nicholas of Russia and many many more.
This lot includes a near set of (37/50) of the tough T488 Murai Tobacco World's Distinguished Personages. The cards range in Fair to VGEX condition with most falling around G to GVG with moderate wear to corners and surfaces and back issues.
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