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Lot 98: Wills's "Old Friend" Shag Tobacco Advertising Showcard

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Start price: £50

Estimated price: £100 - £200

Buyer's Premium: 16%

A Wills’s “Old Friend” Shag tobacco advertising showcard featuring a lithographic-style portrait of a weathered fisherman in a dark sou’wester and thick-knit sweater smoking a pipe. The off-white ground carries the brand name in blue and black block capitals above the product name in black outlined serif lettering. A black rectangular inset panel displays the pre-decimal price of 8 1/2d per oz. The sign is housed in a dark-stained wooden frame with a gilt inner slip and fitted with three brass mounting brackets. The reverse is sealed with brown backing paper.
23.5 inches x 18 inches.


Condition report:

A prominent moisture stain is visible to the upper right corner of the print (photo 1). The background shows general yellowing and scattered foxing throughout (photo 2). The wooden frame has light surface scuffing and a small chip to the bottom front edge (photo 5). The brown backing paper shows age-related wear and minor tearing (photo 6).