Royal Munster Fusiliers Cigarette Card Embroidered Silk by E. & W. Anstie

These attractive silks were issued by the tobacco company E.& W. Anstie in WW1, between 1914 and 1916. There were 86 different designs in the Regimental Badge series, of which this is one. Unlike most other silk issuers of the time Anstie wove rather than printed the silk. All Anstie silks were anonymous with no makers marks but are very disguingishable by the woven patterns. They were intended to be sewn with others on a patriotic cushion-cover or wall-hanging in order to promote support for the nation's fighting men. At approx 32mm wide with variable heights (as they were hand cut), these silks are slightly smaller that regular cigarette cards of the era, and are embroidered with silks of various colours. It has some evidence of ageing, with foxing, but a scarce item in good condition otherwise. Coll