Early 1920’s – Godfrey Phillips Ltd. issued ‘Pinnace’ cards in 3 different sizes; ‘Miniature’ (4.5cm x 3.5cm), ‘Large’ (8.5cm x 6cm), and ‘Cabinet’ (15cm x 10cm), the idea being that collectors could upgrade to the larger sizes by redeeming a number of smaller sized cards. Some of the Rangers Miniature cards were issued with 4 different backs between 1920-21 and the Large cards were issued with 1 type of back. All Cabinet sized cards had plain backs.
A goldmine of information relating to Pinnace cards can be found at the excellent Pinnace Collection website: https://pinnacecards.wordpress.com/history-of-the-cards/
For ease of displaying the Rangers Pinnace cards, I have just listed them by order of their issue number and where there are different backs for the same player, I have listed in order of when such backs were issued. Like other issuers of early 20th century cards, many mistakes were made. Mistakes relating to Rangers cards are commented on as you go.
A. Cunningham – 3 x Miniature and a Cabinet size. Note the wrong first name initial on the first two cards.
A. Morton – 3 x Miniature size – image of him wearing the strip of his previous club Queens Park.
R. Manderson – 4 x Miniature and a Cabinet size.
J. Bowie – 2 x Miniature size – image of him wearing the strip of his previous club Queens Park.
W. Gould – Miniature size.
R. McDermiad – Miniature size – image of him wearing the strip of his previous club Dumbarton.
T. Cairns – 3 x Miniature and a Cabinet size.
J. Walls – 2 x Miniature size and a Cabinet size.
W. Robb – Miniature size.
D. Meiklejohn – Miniature size.
T. Muirhead – Miniature and Cabinet size.
A. Archibald – Miniature size.
G. Henderson – Miniature size – image of him wearing the strip of his previous club Dundee.
C. Hansen – Miniature size.
J.R. Smith – Large size and Cabinet size.
There is some debate as to which team J.R. Smith was playing for when his cards were issued. A Miniature card (with the same number) states he is a Kilmarnock player while the Cabinet card has him as a Bolton Wanderers player. Just to add further uncertainty, between playing for Kilmarnock and Bolton, Smith played for Cowdenbeath in the 1921-22 season before signing for Rangers in August 1922. He was then transferred to Bolton in November 1922. The consecutive run of issue numbering suggests he was with Rangers when the cards were issued. Image shows him wearing the strip of his previous club Cowdenbeath.
A. Dixon – Miniature size – image of him wearing the strip of his previous club St. Mirren.
W. McCandless – Miniature size.
17th September 1921 – D.C. Thomson & Co. Ltd. (Adventure) – Famous British Footballers (Scottish issue).
29th October 1921 – D.C. Thomson & Co. Ltd. (Adventure) – Famous British Footballers (Scottish issue).
11th February 1922 – Sports Pictures (22cm x 30cm).
11th February 1922 – D.C. Thomson & Co. Ltd. (Adventure) – Signed Real Photos of Famous Footballers – Scottish series.
4th March 1922 – D.C. Thomson & Co. Ltd. (The Rover) – Cricketers & Footballers – Scottish issue.
25th March 1922 – D.C. Thomson & Co. Ltd. (The Rover) – Cricketers & Footballers – Scottish issue.
29th April 1922 – Sport and Adventure Magazine – Famous Scottish Footballers.
10th June 1922 – Amalgamated Press Ltd. (The Nelson Lee Library) – Footballers.
17th June 1922 – D.C. Thomson & Co. Ltd. (The Rover) – Cricketers & Footballers – English issue.
1st July 1922 – Amalgamated Press Ltd. (The Magnet Library) – Real Photos of Famous Footballers.
22nd July 1922 – Amalgamated Press Ltd. (The Nelson Lee Library) – Footballers.
29th July 1922 – Amalgamated Press Ltd. (The Magnet Library) – Real Photos of Famous Footballers.
12th August 1922 – Amalgamated Press Ltd. (The Nelson Lee Library) – Footballers.
19th August 1922 – E. Hulton & Co. Ltd. (Boys Magazine) – Art Photos of Famous Footballers – plain-backed.
25th September 1922 – E. Hulton & Co. Ltd. (Boys Magazine) – Art Photos of Famous Footballers – plain-backed.
28th October 1922 – Amalgamated Press Ltd. (Football Favourite) – Our Football Boys.
28th October 1922 – D.C. Thomson & Co. Ltd. (The Rover) – Cricketers & Footballers – Scottish issue.
28th October 1922 – D.C. Thomson & Co. Ltd. (The Rover) – Cricketers & Footballers – English issue.
18th November 1922 – D.C. Thomson & Co. Ltd. (The Rover) – Cricketers & Footballers – Scottish issue.
25th November 1922 – Amalgamated Press Ltd. (Gem Library) – Footballers – Autographed Real Action Photo series.
25th November 1922 – D.C. Thomson & Co. Ltd. (The Wizard) – British Team Of Footballers.
2nd December 1922 – Amalgamated Press Ltd. (Pluck Magazine) – Famous Football Teams.
9th December 1922 – D.C. Thomson & Co. Ltd. (The Rover) – Cricketers & Footballers – Scottish issue.
16th December 1922 – D.C. Thomson & Co. Ltd. (The Wizard) – Footballers (with the Editor’s compliments).
1922 – H. Poppleton & Sons (Confectionary) – plain backed.
1922 – Pals Magazine – Football series.
1922 – Pals Magazine – Famous Footballers series.
1922 – F. & J. Smith – Football Club Records.
1922 – Sports Fun – Sportsmen series – plain-backed.
1922 – Sport Pictures – (30cm x 24.5cm) Glasgow Rangers FC 1922-23”.
3rd February 1923 – Amalgamated Press Ltd. (The Champion) – Famous Football Captains.
10th February 1923 – D.C. Thomson & Co. Ltd. (The Rover) – Stand Up Football Figures (All Star Team) – Alan L. Morton, Rangers.
10th March 1923 – Amalgamated Press Ltd. (The Boys Friend) – Footballers.
17th March 1923 – D.C. Thomson & Co. Ltd. (Adventure) – Famous Club Colours and Players – plain-backed.
17th March 1923 – E. Hulton & Co. Ltd (Boys Magazine) – Famous Footballers & Miscellaneous series – plain-backed.
24th March 1923 – E. Hulton & Co. Ltd (Boys Magazine) – Footballers & Miscellaneous series – plain-backed, uncut card.
8th December 1923 – D.C. Thomson & Co. Ltd. – (Vanguard) – Vanguard Photo Gallery – Double card with 2 players each side.
1923 – J.C. Battock – Football cards
1923 – Pals Magazine – Glasgow Rangers F.C. 1922-23.
1st November 1924 – Cassell & Company (Chums) – Real Colour Photos (Footballers).
1924 – Barratt & Co. Ltd. – Sherbet Novelties Cards – plain-backed.
1924 – British American Tobacco Co. Ltd. – Famous Footballers (2nd series).
1924 – D.C. Thomson & Co. Ltd. (Adventure) – Adventure Album (Part 1) – The 50 Star Players of 1924.
1924 – John Filshill Ltd. (Confectionary) – Lotus Toffees – Footballers.
1924 – Sports Picture Photo Album – 200 Famous Footballers – (23cm x 30cm).
1924 – Sports Picture Photo Album – 200 Famous Footballers – Honoured By Scotland (23cm x 30cm).
14th November 1925- D.C. Thomson & Co. Ltd. (Adventure and Vanguard) – Football Photos.
1925 – Amalgamated Press Ltd. (Triumph) – Scottish League Photo Album – plain-backed.
1925 – British American Tobacco Co. Ltd. – Famous Footballers (3rd series).
1925 – D.C. Thomson & Co. Ltd. (Adventure) – Adventure Album (Part 1) – The Cup Fighters of 1925.
1925 – Gallaher, Ltd. – Famous Footballers.
2nd October 1926 – Amalgamated Press Ltd. (Triumph) – Famous Footer Internationals.
13th November 1926 – Amalgamated Press Ltd. (Champion) – Famous Footer Internationals.
1926 – Barratt & Co. Ltd. – Cricketers, Footballers & Football Teams – Tarrab Brand on rear.
1926 – Barratt & Co. Ltd. – Cricketers, Footballers & Football Teams.
31st March 1928 – E. Hulton & Co. Ltd (Boys Magazine) – Football Teams (20cm x 15cm).
1928 – Gallaher, Ltd. – Footballers.
6th April 1929 – E. Hulton & Co. Ltd (Boys Magazine) – Football Teams.
28th December 1929 – E. Hulton & Co. Ltd (Boys Magazine) – Famous Footballers series.
1929 – Unknown publisher – Rangers F.C. 1929-30.
1929 – John Begg – Royal Lochnagar Whisky – Featuring Davie Meiklejohn on the front and list of Glasgow Cup Finals to date on the rear.
The Rangers Collection 