c. 1930 Cigarette Card "The Nord Express"

c. 1930 Cigarette Card "The Nord Express" is a vintage Cigarette Cards artifact by W.D. & H.O. Wills (Imperial Tobacco Co. of Great Britain & Ireland, Ltd.) from 1930, preserved in The Record Institute Ephemera Archive.

Category: Cigarette Cards

Brand: W.D. & H.O. Wills (Imperial Tobacco Co. of Great Britain & Ireland, Ltd.)

Year: 1930

Rarity Class: C

Last updated: August 16, 2026

Issued as part of W.D. & H.O. Wills’ celebrated "Speed" series, this evocative cigarette card captures the mechanical majesty of the Nord Express. Combining a vivid lithographic portrayal of the Northern Railway of France's steam powerhouse with precisely recorded performance metrics on the reverse, the artifact stands as a pocket-sized testament to the early 20th century's deep fascination with rapid transit and industrial momentum.

Quick Read

Issuer: W.D. & H.O. Wills, a branch of the Imperial Tobacco Co. Series: Card number 38 from the 50-card "SPEED" series, categorized under "(d) Railways." Subject: The Nord Express, operated by the Northern Railway of France. Historical Feat: Documents a run from Paris to St. Quentin (95 miles) in 87 minutes, averaging 65.5 mph to "recover lost time." Physical Artifact: Features a distinct pinhole

Summary

Issued as part of W.D. & H.O. Wills’ celebrated "Speed" series, this evocative cigarette card captures the mechanical majesty of the Nord Express. Combining a vivid lithographic portrayal of the Northern Railway of France's steam powerhouse with precisely recorded performance metrics on the reverse, the artifact stands as a pocket-sized testament to the early 20th century's deep fascination with r

Front and reverse views of a vintage, landscape-oriented cigarette card. The front features a color lithographic illustration of a dark steam locomotive with a bright red front buffer beam, pulling passenger carriages along a curved track. Text on the front reads "WILLS'S CIGARETTES." at the top and "THE NORD EXPRESS." at the bottom. A small puncture hole is visible in the top right quadrant. The reverse side, oriented vertically, features black text on an off-white background. A dark header band contains the word "SPEED" in bold, block letters, below the script "Wills for Quality". The text identifies the card as number 38 from "A SERIES OF 50", subcategorized as "(d) Railways." A descriptive paragraph details the speed records of The Nord Express operated by the Northern Railway of France. The bottom imprint reads "W.D. & H.O. WILLS / ISSUED BY THE IMPERIAL TOBACCO CO. (OF GREAT BRITAIN & IRELAND), LTD."