The Speed Marvels of 1936 (HZ-17) postcard set is a scarce British promotional issue from the inter-war period, cataloged in the British trade card handbook as HZ-17. Unlike traditional cigarette insert cards, these eight cards were produced in full postcard format, with a divided back for address and stamp and no manufacturer advertising text. The 126mm x 82mm cards focused on modern “speed” achievements of the day — high-performance boats, aircraft, racing machines and other cutting-edge transport — reflecting the 1930s fascination with technological progress and record-breaking velocity.
The cards were distributed with an accompanying folder/album and are widely believed to have been issued as a magazine giveaway, most commonly associated with British boys’ weeklies such as The Skipper and The Modern Boy. Their postcard backs and lack of branding support the idea that they were promotional premiums rather than tobacco inserts. Complete sets are seldom encountered today, and surviving examples — particularly with the original folder — are considered desirable among collectors of pre-war transportation and aviation memorabilia.
Only the third card in the album has an auto racing theme. That card features Capt. G.E.T. Eyston in Speed of the Wind. Speed of the Wind was built in 1934 as a highly streamlined, multi-engine machine designed specifically for record attempts. The car was powered by two Rolls-Royce R aero engines, the same basic type used in aircraft, and produced well over 4,000 horsepower. Its sleek aluminum bodywork reflected the era’s fascination with aerodynamics and mechanical modernity. Eyston used Speed of the Wind at the famous Bonneville Salt Flats. In 1935, Eyston drove “Speed of the Wind” to over 300 mph, becoming one of the first men to surpass that barrier. The car helped him establish several Class A world records.
