Andy B has kindly sent in these interesting pics "The space cards were issued with the French-made "laughing cow cheese" (like Dairylea cheeses, and just as dull) in Egypt in the 1990s - can't get much more obscure than that. Thery're also stickers, which are very popular in Egypt. You can't escape them on Egyptian refrigerators. Very suspect artwork- would Russian Gargarin really have his name in English on his space suit?". Mmmm, I do love DairyLea cheese! Woodsy
Hee hee, I love these stickers Andy. Space World eh, that's the SW in SWORD! It would appear that the first american on space was a red laughing cow! and Gargarine sounds like the perfect russian space margarine to go with the delicious cheese spread!
ReplyDeleteWell, I never! These are fascinating. Thanks for showing them, Andy.
ReplyDeleteI am puzzled though. If they are French-made for an Arab market ... why IS some of the text in English? And as you point out, why IS Gagarine's name written using Roman characters?
Interesting comments, toad. I suspect the cards are partly in English because there is a sizeable ex-pat population of English-speaking people in Egypt, particualrly Cairo, who these cheeses would have been aimed at, as much as the Egyptians.
ReplyDeleteThe artwork may have been first used in other markets rather than prepared specifically for Egypt.
ReplyDeleteSean
Thanks Andy and Sean.
ReplyDeleteAndy, may I ask, how did you come to own these?