c. 1930s Cigarette Card "The Sud Express"

c. 1930s Cigarette Card "The Sud 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: B

An evocative testament to the dawn of high-speed electric rail travel, this W.D. & H.O. Wills cigarette card captures the imposing mechanical presence of the "Sud Express." Issued within the celebrated "Speed" series, the artifact documents a transformative era in European transport, celebrating a journey from Paris to Madrid that captured the imagination of the interwar public.

Quick Read

Issuer: W.D. & H.O. Wills (Imperial Tobacco Co. of Great Britain & Ireland, Ltd.). Series: Card No. 39 from the 50-card "Speed" series, highlighting interwar technological velocity. Subject: The "Sud Express," detailing its electrified route between Paris and Madrid via the Midi Railway of France. Historical Milestone: Documents a formidable 89-minute run between Bordeaux and Dax, achieving an ave

Summary

An evocative testament to the dawn of high-speed electric rail travel, this W.D. & H.O. Wills cigarette card captures the imposing mechanical presence of the "Sud Express." Issued within the celebrated "Speed" series, the artifact documents a transformative era in European transport, celebrating a journey from Paris to Madrid that captured the imagination of the interwar public.

Front and back views of a vintage W.D. & H.O. Wills cigarette card. The front features a color halftone print of a dark green electric locomotive with raised pantographs pulling blue and cream carriages along a grassy embankment, titled "THE SUD EXPRESS". The reverse displays the series title "SPEED," card number 39, and typographical text detailing the train's route between Paris and Madrid, noting average speeds up to 62 m.p.h. on the Midi Railway of France. Issued by the Imperial Tobacco Co.