The Loose Association of Wargamers

So as part of my parent's campaign to declutter I have been given Great Uncle Bob's Cigarette Card collection to get rid of.

As he ran a pub - as did his parents before them - this is quite extensive... I'd estimate around 2000 of the blighters.

I've been diving into this particular rabbit hole but thought if anyone out there actually collects these and needs anything, I could see if I've got it whereupon a modest contribution to my wargaming fund could be negotiated.

They are of of themselves quite fascinating (but I don't need another hobby!).

There's an incomplete set from 1915 entitled Gems of Belgian Architecture.... not, you'd have thought, of immediate interest to the Edwardian working man.

Though the subtext is Nice Things The Filthy Boche Has Just Destroyed....

It must have seemed quite ironic, given that many of the smokers would have seen those buildings (and their smouldering remains) for real in their earlier life. And probably had one or two encounters with the "Filthy Boche" that made smoking 40 a day seem positively life-enhancing.

I think I probably answered this in FB.
I disposed of my father in laws Cigarette cards after he died over a decade ago.
I used Ebay and judged the value on the prices that similar collections had sold for on Ebay (not the daft prices many people think their single card is worth because it's 100 years old).
If you need any help researching stuff let me know as it's fun to do stuff like that
[Uncle Bob's Belgian Architecture Cards are unlikely to see you booking many foreign holidays, the last selling value for a partial set was 99p and full sets of 50 cards up to a £fiver]

Well I spent the day listing them, having invested in a trade catalogue.

It seems anything by John Player or Wills is worth buttons but fortunately, being East Anglian, there's a fair few Churchmans cards which go for considerably higher sums apparently.

I won't get rich but there's enough to make it worthwhile and they may as well go to those who will appreciate them.

Fleabay is the best place to get an idea of overall prices.


Willz.