The 1936 Stephen Mitchell & Son “A Gallery of 1935″ set is a classic pre-war tobacco card series issued by the British cigarette manufacturer Stephen Mitchell & Son (a branch of the Imperial Tobacco Company) and distributed in cigarette packets primarily in the UK market. Released in 1936 but titled to review notable figures and events from the previous year, this 50-card non-sport collection highlights prominent personalities who made headlines during that period, presented in black-and-white photographic format with each card featuring a portrait or scene on the front along with the subject’s name and a brief caption, while the reverse includes advertising for Stephen Mitchell & Son cigarettes plus short descriptive text about their achievements or significance in 1935. The cards measure approximately 38 mm × 67 mm (equivalent to the standard small tobacco size of about 1-1/2″ × 2-5/8”). The set spans a wide variety of fields with a British and international emphasis, including royalty, entertainment, sports, and more, capturing a snapshot of 1935’s global newsmakers amid the interwar years. Highlights include cards of King George V and Queen Mary (#1), Princess Margaret Rose (#3), Shirley Temple (#26), Walt Disney (#17), Joe Louis (the rising boxer, a key high-value card), Helen Wills Moody (tennis), Fred Perry (tennis), and various heads of state or cultural icons.
Regarding auto racing, there is a single card related to the category: #41 featuring Sir Malcolm Campbell (the legendary British land speed record holder who achieved major feats in the Blue Bird in 1935). This limited representation of motorsport, combined with the photographic quality and historical snapshot of 1935, adds to the set’s appeal for collectors interested in vintage non-sports issues, celebrity retrospectives, or early 20th-century figures, with complete sets or high-grade examples (especially of stars like Joe Louis or Shirley Temple) remaining desirable and valuable in today’s hobby.
“A Gallery of 1935”
Sir Malcolm Campbell Card #41
“A Gallery of 1935”
Sir Malcolm Campbell Card #41