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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.
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WW2 snapshot of Army Doctor with Ciga…
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7' Cigar Store Indian
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Interviews & Articles
An Interview with Cigar Memorabilia and Ephemera Collector Tony Hyman
Tony Hyman has been collecting cigar boxes since he was 12. The National Cigar Museum has been open for 10 to 12 years in va… [more]
An Interview with Vintage Cigarette Lighter Collector Urban Cummings
At the very beginning, my interest in lighters was about the mechanism. I had my first lighter when I was 14. I saved up my nickel… [more]
Guest Column: Collecting Vintage Cigarette Lighters
Cigarette lighter collecting is a hobby that never gets boring. Just by browsing eBay auctions for ten minutes, for example, I rec… [more]
Best of the Web (“Hall of Fame”)
Match World
This ambitious site showcases the 20,000-item Rankei Library matchbook collection, owned by the Japan Match Manufac… [read review or visit site]
Kensitas Silk Flowers
Don Wearmouth and his wife showcase the 230 beautiful silk designs that were distributed free with Kensitas cigaret… [read review or visit site]
Matchbox Labels
Jane McDevitt's huge Flickr photoset of matchbox labels, primarily Eastern European, from the 1950s and 60s. These … [read review or visit site]
Truth in Advertising
This gallery of cigarette magazine advertising from the 1940s and 50s contains no surgeon general's warning, just p… [read review or visit site]
Matchbook Museum
James Lileks' gallery of 400 matchbooks from coffee shops, hotels, motels, bars, banks, restaurants and more. Lilek… [read review or visit site]
Lamarde
This blog, entirely in Spanish, is an amazingly comprehensive and varied tribute to tobacco and cigarette advertisi… [read review or visit site]
Clubs & Associations: Tobacciana
- North American Society of Pipe Collectors
- The Cigarette Pack Collectors' Association
- On The Lighter Side
- The Cigarette Packet Collectors Club of Great Britain
- The Rathkamp Matchcover Society
Other Great Reference Sites: Tobacciana
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