Another Brooke Bond classic album, from 1966, illustrated by Richard Ward. A bit before my collecting bug took over, as I was only 4 at the time, this one is from my dad's collection again. A little bit dull by comparison, to the others, but interesting from a historical perspective, as it gives a snapshot of the current technological achievements of the day. The highest of which appear to be the Mercury Atlas Rocket on the last card, but interestingly the X-15 rocket plane is shown on the inner front cover and the early tilt rotor aircraft near the end. For me, probably the most interesting card was Donald Cambell's Bluebird, who's sleek lines looked so removed from even the Le Mans racing cars as to appear almost science fictional.
Amazingly (since I too was 4 in 1966), I do remember having this one.
ReplyDeleteOh dear, I had stopped collecting cards by the time this one came out, but great artwork, looks like by Roy Cross, who did the Airfix boxlids and worked for Eagle?
ReplyDeleteI read online that the artist was one Richard Ward, but can't for the life of me find the source again. This site gives a great listing of all the releases: https://www.teacards.com/articles/articles.html
DeleteAnother great set. Thank you for the chance to see these cards.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful cards Bill. Thanks for all the effort you put in photographing them.
ReplyDeleteLovely to see all this stuff! Are card sets now a thing of the past? I remember how cereal toys stopped happening in the late 70s (and yes, I do remember a Star Wars Episode 3 promotion in Kellogs cereals, but that was very much an exception!) Cards in cereals went on a bit longer, but certainly Tea cards are long extinct.
ReplyDeleteAny thoughts about more recent card promotions, Moonbasers?
I do not remember New Zealand ever having cards in packets of tea. There were a couple of sets with large pictures that you cut from the back of the packet, early 1970s I think. These might have been Choysa.
ReplyDeleteThe Nanny State clamped down on small toys and items in cereal after several reported incidents of children choking on stuff, so all the fun rapidly went out of breakfast time. Cards were a cheap way to add a premium collectable to foodstuffs, so they persevered a little longer. In the 90's Topps Trading cards experienced a renaissance and the market exploded again, but only as dedicated packs and sets. Some cereals included cards in the box and the odd toy, but nothing like the sixties. Star Wars opened the way for more marketing opportunities and fast food premiums abounded. Presumably due to the oversaturated market and the change in audience, tea and cigarette cards disappeared altogether in the 80's. A shame, as it was a nice little surprise. Collectable card games seem to still be high flyers, like Pokemon and Magic the Gathering, but again, its a direct market thing and not a free premium. Bill
ReplyDeleteIn the first episode of The Good Life, the hero is a designer working on plastic toys for cereals. He makes reference to "choke a child week", so it must've been a concern even in the early 70's.
ReplyDeleteI recently looked over the breakfast cereal aisle in a supermarket. Booooooring!
ReplyDeleteThe illustrations on this book are priceless, thanks for preserving it!
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