We have selected three of the best pictures from our large collection of 19th and early 20th century educational trade cards.
The first picture shows a French patrol among the barbed wire, World War I.

French patrol among the barbed wire, World War I

The second picture shows the young Mozart presented to the Emperor Joseph II.

The young Mozart is presented to the Emperor Joseph II

The third picture shows Baldwin IX, Count of Flanders, declared Emperor of Constantinople, 1204.

Baldwin IX, Count of Flanders, declared Emperor of Constantinople, 1204

High-resolution scans of all educational cards can be found in the Look and Learn picture library.

This intensely moving picture of Edith Cavell shows the famous nurse on ward duty, looking at her patients with a facial expression of compassionate concern and genuine empathy. It is all the more affecting and powerful an image given the fate of this great humanitarian, who was murdered by the Germans on 12 October, 1915.

Edith Cavell

Many more pictures of the First World War can be found at the Look and Learn picture library.

The best pictures of Krupp’s huge guns are striking images of the firm’s trademark gargantuan field guns.
The first picture shows the Great Gun.

Krupp's Great Gun, presented to the King of Prussia by the Manufacturer, M Krupp, of Essen

The second picture shows a Big Gun in transit.

To get the big Krupp's to the front, one of the special Essen railway wagons for artillery

The third picture shows the Krupp exhibits at the World’s Fair, Chicago.

The Krupp Gun Exhibit, Chicago 1893

Many more pictures of guns can be found at the Look and Learn picture library.

The best pictures of the Krupp Works of Essen are striking images of this titanic German industrial base which has made steel and weapons for Prussia, and later Germany, for over two centuries.
The first picture shows the Krupp Works.

Krupp's Factory at Essen

The second picture shows Krupp’s the munitions factory in October 1914.

Where Germany's great coal-box siege-guns are made, one of the chief gun-finishing shops at Krupp's

The third picture shows an aerial view of the works.

Krupp's Works, at Essen, Prussia

Many more pictures of industry can be found at the Look and Learn picture library.

The best pictures of Kaiser Wilhelm II are striking images of the German Emperor who lead Germany in the First World War.
The first picture shows the Kaiser.

The Kaiser – Wilhelm II, German Emperor by Neville Dear

The second picture shows a propagandised depiction of Kaiser as evil apparition.

The Allies were encouraged to regard Germany's Kaiser as the devil himself during the First World War. As a piece of propaganda, the idea did the British and French more harm than good, by Gerry Embleton

The third picture shows the Kaiser in exile.

Kaiser Wilhelm II, the German emperor, fled to exile in Holland after the war, where he was often photographed chopping down trees

Many more pictures of World War 1 can be found at the Look and Learn picture library.

The best pictures of humorous British propaganda made during World War 1 are cartoon images made by postcard artists more used to seaside jokes.
The first picture shows the German dachshund.

Wounded German dachshund on crutches – WW1 cartoon propaganda postcard

The second picture shows a fierce attack on Conscientious Objectors.

WW1 cartoon propaganda postcard: This little pig stayed at home

The third picture shows a British bulldog guarding Windsor.

WW1 cartoon propaganda postcard: What's doing?.

Many more pictures of World War 1 can be found at the Look and Learn picture library.

The best pictures of Edith Cavell are striking images of the peerless heroine of World War One who famously said “Patriotism is not enough”.
The first picture shows Edith Cavell nursing.

Edith Cavell nursing the wounded

The second picture shows her arrest.

Edith Cavell being arrested by Neville Dear

The third picture shows her nursing as she is about to be arrested.

Edith Cavell by James E McConnell

Many more pictures of the World War I can be found at the Look and Learn picture library.

The best pictures of soldiers smoking are vivid images of men taking perhaps the only pleasure available to them during conflict.
The first picture shows soldiers in the Boer War.

Tinder boxes being used in the Boer War by Pat Nicolle

The second picture shows officers after battle.

After the Fall of Omdurman, enjoying the Delights of Freedom by John Charlton

The third picture shows soldiers in the trenches.

Wounded but not too ill for a smoke, World War I

Many more pictures of smoking can be found at the Look and Learn picture library.

The best pictures of football in wartime are striking images of soldiers playing games between offensives on military campaigns.
The first picture shows the famous Christmas Day game during World War One.

British and German soldiers play football during the Christmas Day truce in 1914, by Angus McBride

The second picture shows a game played during the Afghan Expedition.

The Afghan War, Football Match by the Fifty-Ninth Regiment at Khelat-i-Gilzai by Walter C Horsley

The third picture shows Gordon Highlanders playing football during the Second Boer War.

Football under Strange Conditions, a Game interrupted on the Gordon's Ground at Ladysmith by Frank Craig

Many more pictures of sport can be found at the Look and Learn picture library.

The best pictures of ships owned by the Royal Mail Steam Packet Company show some impressive vessels under contract to carry the Royal Mail to all corners of the British Empire, and caught up in conflict.
The first picture shows RMS Asturias, a famous ship of the RMSPC’s A-liner series, which brought an invalided J R R Tolkien back to England late in 1916.

RMS Asturias

The second picture shows RMS Alcantara, another A-liner, in action during the First World War.

HMS Alcantara was sunk in 1916 after a battle with Germany’s SMS Greif in World War I

The third picture shows the RMSP Company vessels requisitioned at the outbreak of the war.

Some of the RMSP Company A-liners in convoy during World War I

Many more pictures of passenger ships can be found at the Look and Learn picture library.