Henry series 1

Kensitas cigarettes were one of the top brands for many years, helped, no doubt, in the sixties and seventies by the gift coupons in every packet. But back in the 1930s they were noted for a different and innovative style of promotion. Their silk flags and Kensitas silk embroidered flowers were highly popular with collectors – and still are. In 1935 they began issuing another classic with great appeal, cards featuring the antics of a mischievous boy called Henry, the invention of well-known American strip cartoonist Carl Anderson, each colour picture being a complete episode in Henry’s life as he gets himself embroiled in some hilarious situations. Over an eighteen month period, Wix produced five different series of fifty Henry cards, our set for January being the last or 5th Series from 1936. The backs bear some outrageous claims, including “Kensitas – your throat protection against irritation against cough” whilst on the front is “copyright reserved” – an interesting difference from the Henry cards issued by the American Tobacco Company with Tareyton Cigarettes in the USA which showed “Copyright King Features”