Dübreq Limited
Dübreq (http://www.dubreq.com/index_6.htm) was originally formed by Brian Jarvis, Burt Coleman and Ted Coleman in 1967. The company started out life as a dubbing and recording studio (hence the name, dub/rec) but soon developed into a manufacturing company specialising in professional audio/visual equipment. It was the Stylophone™ that turned Dübreq into a major manufacturer and in its heyday the company had over 100 employees at its Cricklewood offices/manufacturing plant. Building on the success of the Stylophone™, Dübreq continued in the toy market bringing out such classics as the ‘Top Trumps’ card trading game and continuing to work with Rolf Harris on other music and art products. Dübreq eventually closed its doors in 1980 when the directors chose to “pursue different career paths”.
Yes, you read it correctly, Top Trumps card sets were produced from the late 70s onwards by the company that gave you the Stylophone! Although the company still exists today their Top Trumps line of business was taken over by Waddingtons in 1982. Dübreq today markets itself as ‘a toy/gift design company specialising in the development of electronic musical instruments, toys, games and play systems’.
1978/79
Top Trumps – British Soccer Stars
Top Trumps is a concept card game. Each card has a set of facts, normally printed alongside a picture. Players choose to challenge other player’s cards on a particular fact.
A Quizmaster card issued with this set states ‘Information correct as at May 1978’. This card also states ‘Dubreq Limited are solely responsible for the selection of Soccer Stars photographs of and information as to whom appears on these playing cards which selections have been made without any reference to any of the footballers concerned of their clubs none of whom has sponsored, arranged for or is in any way associated with the use of the cards or any of the photographs and information’. Surely only a lawyer could write an English sentence of this length.
Number in set: 32
Gallery: Set gallery
Checklists: Set checklist or Team checklist
Top Trumps – British Strikers
Dübreq produced Top Trumps sets for a number of themes, including cars, cricket, spacecraft etc. Each set of 32 cards came in a plastic box with cover cards and rules. In 1978/79 they produced a range of different football card sets.
Number in set: 32
Gallery: Set gallery
Checklists: Set checklist or Team checklist
Top Trumps – World Cup ’78
A set of 32 cards in a plastic box with cover cards and rules.
Number in set: 32
Gallery: Set gallery
Checklists: Set checklist or Team checklist
Top Trumps – British Stars, Set 1
A set of 32 cards in a plastic box with cover cards and rules.
You could collect special point gift cards with these sets and send them away to:
Top Trumps
120-132 Cricklewood Lane,
London NW2 2DP
Number in set: 32
Gallery: Set gallery
Checklists: Set checklist or Team checklist
Top Trumps – British Stars, Set 2
A set of 32 cards in a plastic box with cover cards and rules.
The set card (pictured) states ‘I nformation correct at start of 1978/79 season’.
Number in set: 32
Gallery: N/A
Checklists: Set checklist or Team checklist
Top Trumps – Arsenal
Top Trumps players could augment their Top Trumps collections by adding specialist team player cards. There were between 13 and 16 players per team. These cards were initially issued in late 1978.
Number in set: 14
Galleries: Set gallery
Checklists: Set checklist
Top Trumps – Chelsea
Top Trumps players could augment their Top Trumps collections by adding specialist team player cards. There were between 13 and 16 players per team. These cards were initially issued in late 1978.
Galleries: N/A
Checklists: N/A
Top Trumps – Liverpool
Top Trumps players could augment their Top Trumps collections by adding specialist team player cards. There were between 13 and 16 players per team. These cards were initially issued in late 1978.
The team sets I’m aware of are Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester United and Nottingham Forest.
Galleries: N/A
Checklists: N/A
Top Trumps – Manchester United
Top Trumps players could augment their Top Trumps collections by adding specialist team player cards. There were between 13 and 16 players per team. These cards were initially issued in late 1978.
The team sets I’m aware of are Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester United and Nottingham Forest.
Galleries: Set Gallery
Checklists: Set checklist
Top Trumps – Nottingham Forest
Top Trumps players could augment their Top Trumps collections by adding specialist team player cards. There were between 13 and 16 players per team. These cards were initially issued in late 1978.
The team sets I’m aware of are Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester United and Nottingham Forest.
Galleries: Set gallery
Checklist: Set checklist
1979/80
Top Trumps – Aston Villa
A new team for 1979/80.
Number of cards in set: 13
Galleries: Set gallery
Checklists: Set checklist
Top Trumps – Leeds United
A new team for 1979/80.
Galleries: N/A
Checklists: N/A
1980 data and club changes – Arsenal
Mostly the same players as 1978/79, but updated stats and an’Exclusive club badge”.
Galleries: N/A
Checklists: N/A
1980 data and club changes – Liverpool
Mostly the same players as 1978/79, but updated stats and an’Exclusive club badge”.
Galleries: N/A
Checklists: N/A
1980 data and club changes – Manchester United
Mostly the same players as 1978/79, but updated stats and an’Exclusive club badge”.
Galleries: N/A
Checklists: N/A
1980 data and club changes – Nottingham Forest
Mostly the same players as 1978/79, but updated stats and an’Exclusive club badge”.
Galleries: N/A
Checklists: N/A
1980/81
1981 data and club changes – British Stars, Set 1
Top Trumps issued updated data cards for the British Stars, sets 1 and 2. These sets are quite easy to tell apart from the others as the cards are noticably smoother and the club names are written in a smaller typeface.
Galleries: n/a
1981 data and club changes – British Stars, Set 2
Top Trumps issued updated data cards for the British Stars, sets 1 and 2. These sets are quite easy to tell apart from the others as the cards are noticably smoother and the club names are written in a smaller typeface.
Galleries: n/a
1981/82
1982 data and club changes – British Stars, Set 1
Top Trumps issued updated data cards for the British Stars, set 1 only. This set was actually issued after Dubreq had been taken over by Waddingtons, and the cards are easy to distinguish from the others as the card backs are black rather than blue.
Galleries: n/a