The Encylopedia of British Football

Ardath Football Cigarette Cards

Ardath Tobacco Company was established in 1896 by Sir Albert Levy. The company did not issue cards until just before the First World War. The first sets were photogravure reproductions of famous paintings by Rembrandt (1914), Rubens (1915), Raphael (1915) and Valasquez (1915).

Ardath did not produce its first set of football cards until 1934. These were painted portraits of football stars. These looked so realistic that they appeared to be painted photographs. Its set Famous Footballers included portraits of Raich Carter, Jimmy McGrory, Ray Westwood, Hughie Gallacher, Jimmy Hampson, Robert Kelly, Eric Brook, Sammy Crooks, Stanley Matthews, Cliff Bastin, Eddie Hapgood, Sam Cowan, Billy Barraclough, James Allen, Jack Bruton, Alex James, Gordon Hodgson and Reg Hollingsworth.

Jimmy McGrory
Jimmy McGrory
Stanley Matthews
Stanley Matthews
Raich Carter
Raich Carter
Reg Hollingsworth
Reg Hollingsworth
Sam Cowan
Sam Cowan
Gordon Hodgson
Gordon Hodgson
Robert Kelly
Robert Kelly
Alex James
Alex James
James Allen
James Allen
Cliff Britton
Cliff Britton
Ray Westwood
Ray Westwood
Eddie Hapgood
Eddie Hapgood
Cliff Bastin
Cliff Bastin
Sammy Crooks
Sammy Crooks
Eric Brook
Eric Brook
Famous Footballers, Ardath (1934)

In 1936 Ardath began issuing photocards of football clubs. Series A featured 110 clubs in the North West. This was followed by the North East (110), Yorkshire (110), Scotland (165), Midlands (110) and London and Southern Counties (110).

After this date Ardath ignored the subject of football and concentrated on producing cards on Film, Stage and Radio Stars.