August 8, 2008
The Best of Antiques
and Collecting
What are you looking for?
The practice of using carved wooden Indian figures in advertising originated in the 1600's in Europe, where American Indians were strongly associated with tobacco. Over the years the practice spread to the U.S., and by the 1800's carved Indians and other figures had become commonplace as a way to advertise not just cigar stores, but many types of stores and brands. Authentic life-sized cigar store Indians (chiefs and squaws), which fell out of fashion around 1900, are actually quite rare today.
Tobacciana covers a wide range of collectibles related to smoking, tobacco, cigars, cigarettes and pipes. The category includes high-craftsmanship items such as match holders (aka safes) and cigar store Indians, as well as mass-produced items like tobacco tins, matchbooks, ashtrays and lighters (cigar, cigarette, Zippo).
This ambitious site showcases the 20,000-item Rankei Library matchbook collection, owned by the Japan Match Manufac… [more]
Don Wearmouth and his wife showcase the 230 beautiful silk designs that were distributed free with Kensitas cigaret… [more]
This classy looking British site features hundreds of high resolution photos of antique porcelain pre-war (enamel) … [more]
Jane McDevitt's huge Flickr photoset of matchbox labels, primarily Eastern European, from the 1950s and 60s. These … [more]
This gallery of cigarette magazine advertising from the 1940s and 50s contains no surgeon general's warning, just p… [more]
James Lileks' gallery of 250 matchbooks from coffee shops, hotels, motels, bars, banks, restaurants and more. Lilek… [more]
Puff on this... over 1,000 cigar bands from the 1890s through 1920s, organized into themed galleries such as Portra… [more]
Got a site to suggest? Let us know.
1950's Aurora Apache Indian Warrior Store Display Rare$222.50 Ends Friday 2 bids
Large 40" Hand Carved Wooden Cigar Store Indian Statue$59.95 Ends Sunday 1 bid
Antique Orcico Brand Cigar Tin. American Indian Image!$46.00 Ends Sunday 6 bids
Lenox 8" Ashtray Cigar Store Indian Bayuk Cigars Rare$26.00 Ends Sunday 6 bids
Lenox Footed Bowl Cigar Store Indian Bayuk Cigars Rare$26.00 Ends Sunday 3 bids
Dutch Masters Indian Cigar Advertising Resin Statue 19"$19.99 Ends Tuesday 1 bid
Rath Indian Inflatable Hot Dog Store Display$15.00 Ends Saturday 6 bids
Lot Of 20 -indian Tabac Cameroon Legend - Cigar Boxes$14.99 Ends in 19 hours 1 bid
Very Nice Live Indian Brand Wooden Cigar Box 2 / 5 Cnts$10.99 Ends Tuesday 2 bids
Antique Match Safe Cigar Cutter Combination Indian $9.99 Ends Saturday 1 bid
Lenox Salt & Pepper Mills Cigar Store Indian Rare $9.99 Ends Sunday 1 bid
Tomahawk Cigar Wood Box Indian Tabac Cigar Co$9.99 Ends Monday 1 bid
Lot Of 5 Old Motorcycle Snapshots - Indian Sales Store $9.98 Ends Wednesday 1 bid
Victorian Antique Shop Cigar Indian Signed Art Souders $9.95 Ends Sunday 1 bid
Vintage Red Wing Pepper Grocery Store Indian Tin Box$6.49 Ends Tuesday 2 bids
Coreah Indian Cigar Box Coin Collection W/box Included$1.25 Ends in 6 hours 2 bids
1953 Washington Dc Cigar Store Indian Postcard$0.99 Ends Sunday 1 bid
Cigar=vintage=box=advertisment=picture=new Indian$0.99 Ends Wednesday 1 bid
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