Three "Old Naval Prints" and a "Dandy"
Last weekend's visit to Culzean reminded me of something I've been meaning to post since this time last year! As well as the beautiful castle and grounds, Culzean also has a rather good second hand bookshop. While we were there last summer I picked up three volumes of the 1909 edition of W.H. Fitchett's How England Saved Europe, which is basically a history of the Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars. The title is rather off-putting and the author is spectacularly rude about Pellew in places but they're still useful books to have for reference. Sadly the first volume, which is the one that would have interested me most, is missing but as I only paid £3 for the other three I can hardly complain, especially when I have seen full sets selling for £150!
Anyway, what really made me squee about these books is that when I got them home I discovered four Player's cigarette cards tucked inside. Three are from a 1936 set called Old Naval Prints and one is from a 1932 set called Dandies. They're not worth anything, but they're very cute and the text accompanying the Dragoon officer is very funny :)
Incidentally the Leander was one of the ships that Basil Hall served on as a midshipman though the engagement shown above is before his time
Anyway, what really made me squee about these books is that when I got them home I discovered four Player's cigarette cards tucked inside. Three are from a 1936 set called Old Naval Prints and one is from a 1932 set called Dandies. They're not worth anything, but they're very cute and the text accompanying the Dragoon officer is very funny :)
Incidentally the Leander was one of the ships that Basil Hall served on as a midshipman though the engagement shown above is before his time