c. 1930 Cigarette Card "Ulster T.T. Race, 1929"

c. 1930 Cigarette Card "Ulster T.T. Race, 1929" is a vintage Cigarette Cards artifact by W.D. & H.O. Wills (Imperial Tobacco Co. of Great Britain & Ireland, Ltd.) from 1929, 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: 1929

Rarity Class: C

Last updated: October 2, 2026

Issued during the zenith of British interwar motorsport, this W.D. & H.O. Wills cigarette card immortalizes the giant-slaying performance of the "baby" Austin Seven at the 1929 Ulster Tourist Trophy. It stands as a pocket-sized testament to underdog tenacity, capturing a 20-year-old S.V. Holbrook as he relentlessly challenged mighty supercharged continental rivals on a grueling 410-mile circuit.

Quick Read

Subject: A W.D. & H.O. Wills cigarette card illustrating S.V. Holbrook's remarkable drive in an Austin Seven at the 1929 Ulster Tourist Trophy (T.T.). Mechanical Specifications: Explicitly details the vehicle's diminutive 747 c.c., 4-cylinder engine, noting it was "smaller than the engines of some motor-cycles." Historical Milestone: Records a 20-year-old Holbrook setting a class record with a 63.62 m.p.h. lap and averaging 59.49 m.p.h. over the gruelling 410-mile distance. The Narrative: The text explicitly frames a "David vs. Goliath" battle, noting the tiny Austin challenged the "thundering German Mercedes" for over five hours. Format: A mass-produced, multi-color halftone lithographic tobacco premium designed as an educational collectible c. 1930.

Summary

Issued during the zenith of British interwar motorsport, this W.D. & H.O. Wills cigarette card immortalizes the giant-slaying performance of the "baby" Austin Seven at the 1929 Ulster Tourist Trophy. It stands as a pocket-sized testament to underdog tenacity, capturing a 20-year-old S.V. Holbrook as he relentlessly challenged mighty supercharged continental rivals on a grueling 410-mile circuit.

A vintage, landscape-oriented cigarette card featuring a color halftone lithograph of a bright orange Austin Seven racing car, bearing the number 2, speeding along a country road. A driver and riding mechanic, both wearing brown leather helmets and goggles, sit exposed in the small cockpit. The text "WILLS'S CIGARETTES." appears at the top right, and "ULSTER T.T. RACE, (HOLBROOK) 1929." at the bottom left. The reverse side, oriented in portrait style, features crisp black typography on aged cream cardstock, titled "SPEED" and cataloged as number 30, detailing S.V. Holbrook's heroic 1929 drive in the 747 c.c. machine against heavier German competition. Distinct dark foxing spots are visible near the top edge of the reverse.