1880s/1890s
Football Cards
J. Baines
20,000+ cards
J. Baines was not the first to sell football and cricket cards in the North of England in the late 1880's but he was the most prolific and the business survived into the 1920's. I've always been interested in the various issuers and the businesses that took advantage of craze of collecting football and cricket cards. I thought I would delve into my database and shows some of these interesting cards from a bygone age.
William Toole from Oldham, described himself as the largest Football Card Dealer in the World and was probably producing football cards before John Baines. Pemberton is now part of Wigan and is situated about 14 miles from Oldham.
J. Baines - Football Cards - Wm. Toole
Play Up - Pemberton
hey, hope you dont you mind this and hopin yr feeling better --saw your latest note-- Wanted to tell you 1° this is not Baines, it is by Sharpe. 2° Baines were at it earlier than before < the late 1880's > as is written on this page. Some Baines cards have backs which are dated That date was the end date of an annual competition. That means 1885. If they are 1885, which they are 100% , being such fancy cards with fully tooled rears, then when were the first Baines? Must be early 1880s. But this is a Sharpe card not Baines and Sharpe sold thru Toole. I have some similar. Get better soon Alan, Harry
ReplyDeleteHi Harry,
DeleteThanks for your kind thoughts and comments. I list all these cards under Baines only because that's what just about everyone refers to them as, even though Baines wasn't the first his name seems to be synonymous with these sorts of cards. Using his name is an easy way to keep all the different businesses that used the cards to publicise their services and the different companies that printed similar cards, in one place in my Index.