Abadie-Papier-Gesellschaft

 The Austrian company Abadie traces its origins back to the Hungarian industrialist Emil M. Farchy, who established a cigarette paper factory in Vienna and began production there in 1907. In 1910, the French "Abadie-Papier-Gesellschaft" took over the operation of this factory. In 1938, the business underwent "Aryanization." The war and post-war periods saw several subsequent name changes and other developments, until the company was finally acquired by Austria Tabakwerke in 1972. Shortly thereafter, production was discontinued.

The Austrian firm Abadie utilized extensive promotional material, including many items aimed at children. There were countless different series of trading cards designed to be pasted into albums, as well as paper animals for crafting and cutout sheets—featuring, for instance, traditional folk costumes.

Here, I would like to document the five series known to me that can be classified under the collecting theme of "paper soldiers." The figures depicting soldiers exclusively most likely all date back to the period prior to the Aryanization. The series featuring Wild West figures, however, is very difficult to date. To date, I have not found any corroborating evidence for it anywhere; consequently, these figures could potentially originate from the early post-war era.

Since the company produced not only cigarette paper but also other paper products—and possessed its own printing presses as well as a poster-printing department—it must be assumed that the paper-based advertising products bearing the Abadie name were also manufactured in-house.

Series on the Abyssinian War (15 sheets, presumably published starting in 1935)

Small sheets, approximately DIN A5 size, inscribed "Soldaten Bilderbogen Nr." numbered consecutively from 1 to 15.

Nr.1 - Abessinier (Haile Selassie mit Stab, Fahnenträger, Häuptling usw. - 6 Figures)

Nr.2 - Abessinier (Geschütz, MG, Scharfschützen - 5 Figures)

Nr.3 - Abessinier (Häuptling, Stammestruppen - 8 Figures)

Nr.4 - Abessinier (Reguläre Infanterie - 8 Figures)

Nr.5 - Abessinier (Häuptling, Stammestruppen, Scharfschützen, Kavallerie - 9 Figures)

Nr.6 - Abessinier (Kavallerie, Infanterie - 6 Figures)

Nr.7 - Abessinier (Stammestruppen, Infanterie - 10 Figures)

Nr.8 - Italiener (Kavallerie, Askari - 5 Figures)

Nr.9 - Italiener (Infanterie - 8 Figures)

Nr.10 - Italiener ( Artillerie, Handgranatenwerfer - 5 Figures)

Nr.11 - Italiener (Caproni-Flugzeug, Askaris - 5 Figures)

Nr.12 - Italiener (Infanterie, Askaris - 8 Figures)

Nr.13 - Italiener (Tank, Handgranatenwerfer - 6 Figures)

Nr.14 - Italiener (Tank, Infanterie - 6 Figures)

Nr.15 - Italiener (Stab, MG, Infanterie - 5 Figures)

Soldaten Bilderbogen Series (30 sheets)

Small sheets, approximately 20.5 x 15.5 cm in size, inscribed "Soldaten-Bilderbogen" (Soldiers' Picture Sheets), unnumbered. I am not familiar with all the motifs. Almost all of the known sheets depict the Austrian Federal Army in its uniforms between 1933 and 1938. I added the numbers to make them easier to distinguish.

1 - 2.5D Modell, 2 Kleinpanzer

2 - 2.5D Modell, Feldkanone und Haubitze

3 - 2,5D Modell, LKW mit Besatzung

4 - 2.5D Modell, Dragoner - General, Offizier, Trompeter (3 Figures)

5 - 2.5D Modell, Dragoner (3 Figures)

6 - 30cm Mörser, Minenwerfer, M.G.Abteilung (3 Figures)

7 - Langkanone, General, Generalstäbler, Alpenjäger im Angriff (5 Figures)

8 - Feldkanone im Gefecht, Maschinengewehr feuernd, Jäger im Angriff (4 Figures)

9 - Tank, Alpenjäger im Angriff (4 Figures)

10 - Österr. Kavallerie im Angriff (4 Figures)

11 - Infanterie (10 Figures) - including Officer, Drummer, Enlisted ranks

12 - Infanterie (10 Figures) - including Officer, Trumpeter, Enlisted ranks

13 - Infanterie (10 Figures) - including Officer, Standard-bearer, Enlisted ranks

14 - Infanterie (10 Figures) - including Enlisted ranks

15 - Musikkapelle Parade (12 Figures)

16 - General, Alpenjäger im Angriff (9 Figures)

17 - Alpenjäger im Angriff (10 Figures)

18 - Englische Kolonialarmee, Schotten, Garde (11 Figures)

19 - Italienische Infanterie (8 Figures)

20 - Italiener, Infanterie, Askari (8 Figures)

21 - 30?

(Neue) Soldaten Bilderbogen Series (13 sheets)

Small sheets, approximately 22 x 16 cm in size, inscribed "Soldaten-Bilderbogen" (Soldiers' Picture Sheets), numbered with roman nummerals (I - XIII). All of the known sheets depict the Austrian Federal Army in its uniforms between 1933 and 1938. 

I - Infanterie Parade (14 Figures)

II - Tank, Haubitze, Jäger (3 Figures)

III - 30cm Mörser, Minenwerfer, M.G.Abteilung (3 Figures)

IV - Bespannung für Feldkanonen und Haubitzen, M.G.Abteilung (10 Figures) Double-size printed sheet

V - Flieger, Alpenjäger im Angriff (6 Figures)

VI - Haubitzen Kraftwagen, Minenwerfer (2 Figures)

VII -

VIII -

IX - Feldkanone im Gefecht, Maschinengewehr feuernd, Jäger im Angriff (4 Figures)

X - Dragoner (4 Figures)

X A - Dragoner, Offizier (4 Figures)

XI - Jäger im Angriff, Alpenjäger im Angriff (11 Figures)

XII -

XIII -

-number unknown (cut-off) - Musikkapelle Parade (probably 12 Figures)

Abadie Bilderbogen Series (number of sheets unknown)

Small sheets, measuring approx. 22 x 16 cm, bearing the inscription "Abadie-Bilderbogen" and numbered with Roman numerals. All known sheets depict scenes from the American Wild West. Based on the known numbers, it is possibly also a continuation of the "Soldaten-Bilderbogen" (Soldiers' Picture Sheet) series.

XIV - Indianer (7 Figures)

XV - Mustangs, Cowboys, Indianer, Büffel (5 Figures)

XVI - Cowboys (6 Figures)

Abadie series of individual cards (number unknown)

Small, double-sided printed cards in various formats. The front displays the name of the country and the specific design; "Abadie" is printed on the back. Different figures are known for some designations. I will add the designations known to me here, but for the time being, you can find images of the figures in the posts under "Abadie-Einzelfiguren".

Deutschland

Infanterie, Handgranatenwerfer, Kavallerie, Schwere Feldhaubitze, Tankschütze, Kraftrad

England

Lancashire Füsilier, Welch Regiment (Paradeuniform), Marine-Infanterie, Seaforth Hochländer, Offizier, Kamelreiter, Leichte Feldkanone, Motorrad

Frankreich

Linien-Infanterie, Linien-Infanterie (Felduniform), Kolonialtruppe, Alpenjäger, Maschinengewehr, Kavallerie (Feldausrüstung), Haubitze, Flugzeugabwehrgeschütz, Motorrad, Tank

Italien

Linien-Infanterie, Bersaglieri, Kavallerie, Artillerie, Motorradschützen mit Maschinengewehr