Saluki Cards

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Saluki
Tobacco, Tea and Playing Cards

Saluki are blessed with some of the nicest cards and stamps available for any breed.
To check out the Saluki Stamps from Around the World, click here.

This first card is from a set of cards from paintings by the famous artist Arthur Wardle. It was put out by John Player & Sons and was intended to be inserted singly into packets of cigarettes. On the back it says, "The Saluki or Gazelle-Hound has been pedigree bred for many centuries in Persia, Arabia and N. Africa, for typical Salukis figure in Egyptian tomb paintings as early as 3600 B.C. The Bedouins, who depend so largely on wild animals for their food, have a great love for their Salukis, and give them such picturesque names as a flash of light. Salukis, they say, will certainly be allowed in the next world. Dogs average in height from 23-28 in., bitches being considerably smaller. Cream, white, fawn, red; white, blackand tan; and black and tan are the usual colours."
Card 0 -- $7.95

This card is from a set of real photographic cards issued by John Sinclair Ltd. in 1938. The dog pictured on the card was named Tel-El-Kebir. On the back, it describes the show record of the dog.
Card 8 -- $6.95

This card was intended to be issued by John Player & Sons in about 1940, however a paper shortage due to the outbreak of World War II prevented this. Fortunately, a number of the cards were printed and made available to collectors. The cards were intended to be inserted singly into packets of 10 cigarettes. The title of the set is: "Dogs' Heads: A series from Paintings by Peter Biegel". On the back, it says, "The Greyhound group includes many attractive dogs, such as the Greyhound, the Afghan and the Borzoi, but perhaps none is quite as beautifully proportioned as the Saluki. This tall, elegant and exceptionally fast hound has a long sporting history in the Middle East, where it has been bred for about five thousand years. It is still used by the Arabs in the pursuit of gazelle and other quarry, and it is thus sometimes known as the Gazelle Hound. Despite its obvious grace and beauty, it has never achieved much popularity in Britain, and it was not until 1922 that the Saluki was officially recognised by the Kennel Club."
Card 3 -- $9.95

This is yet another card issued by John Player & Sons from a painting by Arthur Wardle. The cards were issued in 1931 and were inserted singly into packets of 10 cigarettes. On the back, it says, "The Saluki, also known as Persian Gazelle Hound or Greyhound, was the first of the varieties of eastern Greyhounds recognized by the Kennel Club; this was in 1923. In the East they are employed in hunting the Gazelle, and the type has undergone but little change during the last 5,000 years. There are two varieties, the rough-coated and the perfectly smooth. Colours: white, cream, fawn, golden, red, grizzle and tan, tri-colour (white, black and tan) and black and tan. Height : 24-26 in., bitches being smaller. Weight : dogs 45-50 lbs."
Card 2 -- $7.95

This is lovely card from John Player & Sons is unique with its displaying of the dogs in their habitat. It was issued in 1925. On the back, it says, "The Saluki is also known by the name of Persian Gazelle Hound or Persian Greyhound, and is a very graceful silky coated variety, similar in type to the English Greyhound, but more slimly built, and wanting the great muscular development of the latter breed. These hounds are employed in hunting the Gazelle, and their ancestry it is said, can be traced back some 5,000 years. The Saluki ranges in colour from white to fawn, grizzle, black and tan, white and black, and red. Weight: 40 to 50 lbs. Height at shoulder 24 to 26 ins."
Card 1 -- $8.95

This card was issued by Amaran Tea in 1965. On the back, it says, "The Saluki or Gazelle Hound is supposed to be one of the oldest breeds in the world. The head is long and narrow, with the skull moderately wide between the ears but not domed. The nose should be black or liver and the ears covered with long silky hair. The general effect is one of grace and symmetry as well as strength. It has a gentle character."
Card 5 -- $4.95

This real photographic card was issued by Carreras Ltd in 1936, and is original in that the series pictures dogs with children. On the back, it says, "The Saluki is a picturesque dog with a picturesque history. It came originally from Arabia and the Arabs were as devoted to these dogs as to their horses, a fact which is remarkable as Eastern people despise dogs. They have the beautiful, large, dark eyes which are so typical of desert-bred animals, and they have immense endurance. They have regular coursing meetings in this country for Salukis, and while not as fast as greyhounds, they are hardier. They are very graceful."
Card 4 -- $6.95

Another real photographic card, this time issued by Senior Service Cigarettes. Unfortunately, I can't seem to find any information about these cards. On the back of the card, it says, "The Saluki is the Persian or Arab gazelle hound. He is shy with strangers but makes a fairly good companion with anyone with facilities to give him exercise."
Card 9 -- $7.95

This adorable card of a Saluki puppy named Sultan was supposed to be issued by W.D. & H.O. Wills in 1940. Unfortunately, the set of cards was never issued and as a result, originals are extremely rare. This is an officially authorized reproduction done by Imperial Publishing in 1990. On the back, it says, "Sultan was a staid and very graceful puppy. He wasn't the sort that you would want to roll about; he seemed to have a certain dignity, even at such a tender age, as though he knew that he belonged to one of the oldest breeds of dogs in the world. But he was, none the less, a puppy - with a puppy's lively ways and love of play. "
Card 7 -- $4.95

This card was intended to be issued by John Player & Sons about 1940, however a paper shortage due to the outbreak of World War II prevented this. Luckily a number of the cards were printed and made available to collectors. The cards were intended to be inserted singly into packets of 20 cigarettes. The back of the card reads, "This breed is probably a direct descendant form the Greyhounds of the Egyptians, and has been skillfully bred and venerated by Arab huntsmen for centuries. The name is thought to derive from a place named Saluk that has long since vanished. They are still used in the East in the hunting of fleet- footed ground game and gazelle. In England they are chiefly regarded as very decorative show specimens, although the Saluki Club, in a determined attempt to preserve the breeds's stamina and utility qualities, annually holds coursing meetings where hares are the quarry. Salukis came to England at about the end of last century and owe their introduction to the Hon. Florence Amherst, who imported her first dogs from an Arabian prince."
Card 6 -- $14.95

Saluki card from
England
This playing card was issued in 1996 by U.S. Games Systems, Inc. It was printed in Belgium and the lovely illustrations were done by Tomas Markevicius as part of the Dogs of the World Card Collection. The lovely smooth Saluki is appropriately the Queen of Spades. To the right is a copy of the back of the cards from this set.
Card 10 -- $4.95

This playing card was issued recently also. It is appropriate that the lovely Saluki gets to have the premier spot of Joker. The side emblems are probably griffins and the set is called "Famous Dogs of the World."
Card 11 -- $4.95

We are fortunate to have a service that will gold leaf and frame your stamps for a very reasonable price.
To see more samples, Click Here.

If you want to buy one, a set or just to comment, please email me at
francie@kristull.com
or call 1-800-658-6699 toll free
(for locally, or out of the US: (512) 280-1867) for current availability.

* We can take visa/mc/amex/disc or a check, but they are first come first served, so let me know if you are interested.

* We do have discounts if you want to buy more than one.

* We have a couple of copies of some of these cards, and since they are much more fun when you have a "set", we would be happy to give a discount for multiple purchases. This can make a set of interesting breed cards quite reasonable. Truly one of the cheapest unique treats for yourself or a friend (great for club trophies as well!)

* It is absolutely true that you will often find some of these stamps at very reasonable prices -- some can be had for under a dollar. On the other hand, if you add in the gas, hours, and hassles that it has taken to find them, you may find it easier to just get them from us while we have them :*) I don't always count on getting more in the near future. I get them when I can find them and the stock is not always constant.

* I do have other breeds available. Let me know and perhaps I can do a page for your breed.

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