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In the early years of the twentieth century children’s collectors stamp could be found associated with many products, including Tobler and Nestle chocolates. Noswyl’s Chocolates, less well known and with good cause, issued many sets on Welsh themes, including these featuring the Plants of the Welsh Moorlands. Uniquely this set contained an extra 13th stamp. Each set lasted about 3 months so you didn’t have too much time to collect the set, but there was an official swap trade service offered to fill the gaps. You could find one stamp in all the firm’s favourite brands; Minty Crispy, Surf and Turf, O’Natural, Fruity Creme and Nutty Frutty. And look at the back of the stamps - there is an underprint with a description of the stamp’s subject. Each issue also had a collector’s album for you to stick the stamps in. Here its says “The stamps available FREE with each bar of Noswyl Chocolate for Spring 1921 feature the fascinating and beautiful plants that can be found up on the moors of our beloved country. Many people look at the hills and assume all that grows up there is coarse grass, bracken and heather, but look closely and you will find rare and beautiful plants that only grow in one habitat, plants that actually catch and digest animals, and many that are essential for our traditional remedies. When old Mrs Jones, leaning on her stick, asks if you have seen any Bishop’s Nose you will be able to direct to the very spot on top of the mountain where it grows. You could even start your own herbal medicine business, selling from a table in front of your house.” This issue was especially chosen for Oddity collectors as they specifically get a mention in one of Huw Puw Caru’s short stories, The Apple Tree. I hope this Oddity has inspired collectors to seek out all the other 64 Noswyl’s collector’s stamp sets. If anybody comes across the Archive proof sheet with all 13 stamps and 2 unique labels please let me know. And as a PS, collectors received the 2013 Bo Peep Sheep Sanctuary ‘Light up a Sheep for Xmas’ fund-raising stamp on their envelopes.
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