Set_List

Set_Name

Brand_Name

Set_Year

Rarity

Number_Issued

Example

Comment

cgojc001

Celebrities

Old Judge Cigarettes

1890

10

11 footballers

display

 

This series consisted of many different Australian celebrities including the footballers listed below. It is the first known series containing Australian Rules Footballers. The portraits on the card were real photos and due to their age it is extremely difficult to find cards from this series that are not faded substantially. Two different styles of card were issued - Style A - had the Old Judge advertisement on the back but not on the front. Style B - had the Old Judge advertisement at the base of the front of the card with a blank back.

cfacc001

Pure Caramels

American Candy Co's

1891

10

2 known

display

 

Very rare cards with only two subjects known to exist. The American Candy Company may have been a fore runner to MacRobertson's.

cgatc001

Celebrities

American Tobacco Company

1895 cc

10

2 known

display

 

This set of twenty eight cards contains many early Australian celebrities including Actors, Politicians, Cricketers and two known footballers.

cgstn001

Australian Footballers - (Series A)

Standard Cigarettes (Sniders & Abrahams)

1904

6

73

display

 

The first of the famous Standard Cigarette series, these cards show full length portraits of players. 23 cards appear with blue framelines around the player picture, 50 do not.

cgstn003

Australian Footballers - (Series B) - Victorian Assoc

Standard Cigarettes (Sniders & Abrahams)

1905

6

20

display

 

These cards show 3/4 length portraits of VFA players.

cgstn004

Australian Footballers - (Series B) - Victorian League

Standard Cigarettes (Sniders & Abrahams)

1905

6

56

display

 

These cards show 3/4 length portraits of VFL players.

cgwil002

Past & Present Champions

W.D. & H.O. Wills

1905

6

50

display

 

This series shows half length portraits of past and current players of the time in both the VFL and VFA.

pcval002

Team Colour Post Cards

Valentine Series Post Cards

1905 cc

10

33 assumed

display

 

This series of postcards show a hand drawn caricature of a player in the uniform of each of the teams in the VFL, VFA, SANFL and WAFL of the time. The list below shows teams that were competing in this era but it is not known whether a card exists for each.

cgbob001

Warnambool Footballers

Bob Baillie

1906

10

6 known

display

 

An early series depicting footballers from the Warrnambool district. Very few of these cards are known to exist.

cgstn005

Australian Footballers - (Series C) - Victorian Country

Standard Cigarettes (Sniders & Abrahams)

1906

6

20

display

 

These cards show 3/4 length portraits of Victorian Country players.

cgstn006

Australian Footballers - (Series C) - Victorian League

Standard Cigarettes (Sniders & Abrahams)

1906

6

56

display

 

These cards show 3/4 length portraits of players. Many of the portraits are the same as those used in the similar 1906 series but the back is a different design.

cgswn001

South Australian Footballers

Sweet Nell Cigarettes

1906

10

49 known

display

 

One of the rarest sets available showing half length photos of Sth. Australian footballers. This is believed to be the complete list but it is not certain due to the rarity of the cards.

pcmfb001

Advertising Card

Morrisons Patent

1906 cc

2

1

display

 

This single post card shows an advertisement for Morrisons Patent Football boots, with the revolutionary rubber heels. The card shows Collingwood player Richard Condon marking in front of a Carlton opponent.

pcham001

Victorian Football Postcards - Sketches of Leading Teams

Hamilton, WR

1907

9

7

display

 

These postcards show sketches by W R Hamilton of action from games of the time. The sketches were black and white but the team uniforms were colourised. Six cards are known to exist and an envelope they were issued in.

cgstn007

Australian Footballers - (Series D) - Victorian League

Standard Cigarettes (Sniders & Abrahams)

1907

5

56

display

 

These cards show 1/2 length portraits of players. Some cards are also known to show a second back style (horizontal lines above and below the rows of circles) but these cards are very rare.

cgstn012

West Australian Footballers

Standard Cigarettes (Sniders & Abrahams)

1907

7

56

display

These cards show 3/4 length portraits of WAFL and Gold Fields league players.

pcval001

Football Cartoons

Valentine Series Post Cards

1907

8

5 known

display

 

A series of cartoon football scenes issued by Valentines post cards. Each cartoon has a caption at the top of the card and the team names at the bottom.

pccof001

Magpie Series Post Cards

Collingwood Football Club

1907cc

9

6 known

display

 

Rare postcards showing training action shots of leading Collingwood players in an oval frame. Due to the rarity of the cards it is unknown whether this list is complete or not.

tcgrh001

Victorian Footballers

Greathead's Tonic Medicine

1908

10

12 known

display

 

This series shows posed portrait photos of footballers in street clothes taken by the Swiss Studio. Again, due the rarity of these cards it is not known if this listing represents a complete set of the cards.

plojc001

OT Football Competition

O.T. Beverage

1908

10

2

display

 

Two labels were issued with the OT product showing black and white team captain photos in circular fames, with the previous years premiership captain in a square frame in the middle. One label showed VFL captains and the other showed VFA. The back of the label showed the OT Chille symbol and was titled 1908 Football Competition.

cgstn008

Australian Footballers - (Series D) - Victorian Assoc

Standard Cigarettes (Sniders & Abrahams)

1908

6

20

display

 

These cards show 1/2 length portraits of VFA players. The back of the cards show O&A as the manufacturer instead of O&Co which the VFL series shows. Two Richmond cards were issued with this set. The player photos are identical to those in the VFL set, but the back showed one less year played for each player.

cgstn009

Australian Footballers - (Series D) - Victorian League

Standard Cigarettes (Sniders & Abrahams)

1908

5

60

display

 

These cards show 1/2 length portraits of players. Many of the portraits are identical to those used in the similar 1908 series.

cgstn010

Australian Footballers - (Series D) - WA League

Standard Cigarettes (Sniders & Abrahams)

1908

8

60

display

 

These cards show 1/2 length portraits of WAFL and Gold Fields league players.

cgstn002

Incidents in Play

Standard Cigarettes (Sniders & Abrahams)

1908

6

16 + error card

display

 

This set shows pictures of game action. The presence of a card showing the Richmond team suggests that these cards may have been issued over several years the latest being 1908. An error card exists in this set. Originally printed with the caption Carlton & Geelong, it has been overwritten as Geelong & Melbourne.

otwil001

Football Flags Shaped with Pin

W.D. & H.O. Wills

1908

8

27

display

 

This is a series of small paper flags issued showing team colours of all VFL, VFA and Victorian Country team of the era. The flags had a pin through one end which was of a blue metallic colour with a blue plastic like knob on the top. The flags with the Havelock back a more difficult to find.

cgwil003

Club Flag Cards

W.D. & H.O. Wills

1908

5

29

display

 

This series shows club colour flags. Teams shown include VFL, VFA and Victorian country. Note - Cards with white panels on the flag were also issued with these panels showing a cream colour. Two distinct series were issued, one with the words Capstan Cigarettes on the front of the card and one with the words Havelock Cigarettes on the front of the card. The series with Capstan on the front had backs advertising Capstan and Vice Regal cigarettes and also no advertisement but a Rule wording from the era. The series with Havelock on the front showed either Havelock advertisements on the back or a Rule wording.

 

Year of issue has been changed to 1908 due to the presence of the red sash on the North Melbourne card which was worn for one year only in 1908.

acnug001

Williamstown Football Club

Nugget Polish

1908 cc

10

2 known

display

 

Extremely rare cards showing portraits of Williamstown (VFA) footballers in their 'Sunday best' clothes. It is not known whether there are more cards in this set.

cfzzz001

Sth. Australian Footballers

(Unknown)

1909

10

39 known

display

 

Very little is known about this set. The fact that some of the subjects are the same as the Sweet Nell 1906 series may suggest that these cards were also produced by that company but this is yet to be substantiated. All known cards are roughly cut which may also may mean that they were issued on a box or wrapper of some sort. Due to the rarity of these cards it is not known whether this list is complete.

pcbar001

Team Photo Post Cards

Barnes, J.E. Photography

1909

9

10

display

The photos were taken by J.E Barnes and appear to be just before game time as crowds can be seen in the background of some photos. This is one of a very few series to show players from the University club. The back of the cards show advertisements for the different companies that issued the card.

otchb001

Bendigo District Colours

 

Cohn’s Brewery

1909

10

7 Known

display

 

A set of die cut cards issued with Cohn’s Beer products in the Bendigo region. The cards show two beer bottles on a rounded back with a club colour panel and initial across the front. A tab at the bottom of the card shows the team name. Teams from the Bendigo district are included in this set.

 

otper001

Team Colours

Perfection Tobacco

1909

9

5 printed on both sides (assumed)

display

A small card series showing club colours of VFL teams in varying types of stripes. The cards were issued across the top of a League and Association fixture and could be cut off. The words Perfection Tobacco or Happy Thoughts Tobacco appeared in the centre of the card with the team name at the bottom. Both the back and front of the card showed a team colour.

cgstn011

Australian Footballers - Head in Oval (Series E)

Standard Cigarettes (Sniders & Abrahams)