South African Class 25 4-8-4 Locomotive (SIGNED) (Original)

Artist: Richard Ward
Medium: Watercolour on Card
Size: 5" x 2" (125mm x 60mm)
Date: c. 1930
Signature:
Code: WardSAR25484

This is the Signed unique original Watercolour painting by Richard Ward.

This very rare, signed, original cigarette card artwork by Richard Ward features a South African Class 25 4-8-4 steam engine and was produced for Wills Cigarettes circa. 1930.

So few of the original illustrations for cigarette cards exist that this is a must have for train and cigarette card enthusiasts alike.

The South African Railways Class 25 4-8-4 of 1953 was a condensing steam locomotive. Between 1953 and 1955, the South African Railways placed ninety Class 25 condensing steam locomotives with a 4-8-4 Northern type wheel arrangement in service. The Class 25NC which was placed in service at the same time was a non-condensing version of the Class 25 condenser.

Produced by Ward with Mardon, Son & Hall of Bristol, who were famous for dealing with the art and printing of the cigarette trade. The business flourished after being set up in the Victorian era and was able to employ the best artists available.

The detail and quality of their work is incredible. A team of artists would work for several months producing up to fifty hand painted pieces centred around a certain theme and then present it to the client, often Wills Tobacco company who would then authorise the reproduction.

Richard Ward mostly painted in watercolour, his subjects included windmills, kachina dolls, wildlife and transport. He was self taught and produced artwork for the Brooke Bond tea picture card series, aircraft illustrations for 'Profiles' series of magazines and cards for Noel Tatt to name a few.