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Tobacco became popular in Europe in the 1600's, after traders brought back tobacco plants from the Americas. Pipes, borrowed from the Native Americans, were the first popular method of smoking, and were made of wood, bone, clay, and even metal. Some of the most valuable antique pipes are those made of meerschaum, a rare white stone.

Cigars, which have long been popular in Central and South America, have a whole set of col...

Next came the cigarette, popularized during the Crimean war when soldiers would roll their pipe tobacco in newsprint. Related collectibles include tobacco tins, tobacco cards, ashtrays, matchbooks, and vintage advertising and signs. Over the years, tobacco companies created iconic logos like Zig-Zag's Zouave and The Camel (later Joe Camel), and put their slogans on everything from clothing to posters to statuettes.

Cigarette lighters are a category all their own, with major brands including Zippo, Ronson, and Dunhill. There's a wide variety of lighters to collect in every material imaginable. Although lighters haven't changed much from their original designs in the early 1900s, the older the lighter, the more decorated they tend to be. And don't forget the lighter's precursor, the lowly but often highly ornamented match holder (aka match safe).

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Sixten Ivarsson "an Ivarsson Product" Pipe Craggy Sandblast Rare Jess Chonowitsch Denmark Pipe Master Mason Tobacco Tin ~ It's Worth Thinking About ~ Rock City Tobacco Co.Unique Rare Dunhill 'aquarium' Gold Plated Antique Vintage Petrol Table Lighter!rare! 1911 "round Up Cigar" 28x41 Manz Wood-engraved Tobacco Sign, Incredible!Beautiful Jess Chonowitsch Straight Grain Ring Blast W/ Boxwood Estate PipeA Great Poul Ilsted Pipe EstateRare First Class Silver Enamelled Train Ticket Vesta Case By S. Mordan & Co 1892Sampson Mordan Erotic Enamelled Silver Vesta 1889Unsmoked Cornelius Manz (maenz) Pipe New 2012Box Of 32 Rare Opus X Cigar Bands 1992 Petite LanceroOriginal T206 Baseball Sweet Caporal Tobacco 57 Card Lot Lqqk== No Reserve!!!!!Maigurs Knets **** Usa Pipe Unsmoked Box Of 32 Rare Opus X Cigar Bands 1992 Petite LanceroButera Royal Classic Straight Grain Bent Apple Pipe * Mint! * Coopersark N/r!!!Unsmoked Dunhill Root Briar Jumbo 612 Mini - Magnum 1976 Pipe Very RareVintage 9ct Gold Dunhill For Asprey Unique Petrol Lighter 1927 50.7g Not ScrapOld Vintage 14k Yellow Gold Dunhill Cigarette Lighter 2 1/2" 89.9g Not Scrap NrStunning Georgian Scottish Silver Snuff Mull By W Jamieson Of Aberdeen New Unsmoked! Paul Perri Large Bent Pocket Magnum Freehand American Estate PipePrometheus Platinum Series Cigar Humidor - Ebony MacassarUnsmoked 1988 Ashton Xxx Brindle Panel Dublin Pipe * Coopersark No Reserve!!!Vintage 1st Model Zippo Barcroft 1939-40 - Fine ConditionS.t. Dupont Silver Plated Lighter *brand New*Award Winning 1954 Dunhill 13" Long Shell Bamboo Churchwarden--rare & Pristine !1930-40's R.g. Sullivan's 7-20-4 Cigars Large Porcelain Sign Nr!S. Bang Pipe Grade B Estate Gold Solid 9 Ct. Petrol Lighter, ' Everest ' Model 1927-35 Series, Working O.k.Unsmoked Dunhill Bruyere 252 Billiard Pipe 1968 New Old StockS. Bang Straight Grain Bent Brandy Pipe * Mint! * Coopersark No Reserve!1971 Dunhill Bruyere Oda 836 Panel Billiard Pipe * Unsmoked! * Coopersark N/r!!!2009 Dunhill Ruby Bark 4110 Liverpool Pipe * New In The Box! * Coopersark N/r!Zippo 1940s Barcroft Table Lighter With Engraved Hand Painted "setter" ! Rare!!!Hiro Tokutomi "erotic" Snail Pipe Larry Roush 684 6 2003 Pipe Michael Lindner Aa Pipe Dense Grain BlowfishRare Barling Silver Mounted Lidded Wind-guard Pipe Rd No 458002 London 1908Barling's Make 458 Exexel Oom Paul Pipe Rare Pre-transitionDunhill Collector Cumberland Large Dublin Style PipeFuente Fuente Opus X Ltd Edition Cigar Ashtray Only 1000 Made Worldwide -e BxxDunhill Paris-vintage Lighter Silver&goldFormer Nielsen Freehand Straight Grain Mint-----no Reserve--- Estate PipeDanish Estate Pipe: S. Bang B Grade UnsmokedS. Bang Kobenhavn "grade 9" Handcut Brandy 9mm Pipe ** Mint **Ultra Rare Sasieni One Dot Straight Grain Patent Banker Shape--museum Quality!!!Japanese Estate Pipe: H. Tokutomi One Snail 20111925-1934 Dunhill's Shell 351/21 Bulldog Pipe - Pat. No. 1130806/15 & 1341418/20Antique Vintage German Boxwood Wood Silver Ulmer Ulm Wooden Pipe C1810 Jt Cooke 30 Ring Blast PipeVintage "juicy Kid" Tobacco TagEnglish Estate Pipe: Sasieni Eight Dot Patent "amesbury"Brian Ruthenberg 08 Usa Pipe Silver Unsmoked Vintage Antique Cigarette Case With Matching Lighter Sterling Silver Japanese1 Cent Coin Operated Match Dispenser ( Rare )5 Ft Tall Carved Wooden Cigar Store Indian Chief StainedTom Eltang Bamboo Pipe Poker Pipe Butera Primavera Tan Blast Bent Freehand Dublin Pipe * Coopersark No Reserve!!!Karl Heinz-joura Grade A Straight Grain Pipe - PipestudAntique Vintage Meerschaum Amber Rbc Figural Cheroot Holder Pipe Nude WomanPristine New Mickey Mouse Disney Zippo Lighter Mint In The Box
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Recent News: Tobacciana

Source: Google News

New Orleans man who bought gun for convicted felon will spend year in prison
NOLA.com, May 25th

The case was investigated by the Kenner Police Department and the US Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and was prosecuted by Assistant US Attorney Edward J. Rivera of the Violent Crime Unit. Look at all of the press releases and...Read more

The glamorous cigarette adverts that show a world that's now disappeared in a ...
Daily Mail, May 25th

In 1971 the first health warnings appeared on cigarette packets and by 1986 you could no longer show a person smoking on a tobacco advert. A general advertising ban came into force in 2003. Now a few vintage posters - like these ones from America - are...Read more

Bourgeois Values
New York Times, May 25th

Less extroverted than some, with characteristic Médoc flavors like cedar and tobacco. About €25. Château Petit Bocq, Saint-Estèphe. Intense black currant and liquorice flavors. Quite a bit of oak, too, but classy, not clumsy. About €23...Read more

Broken Arrow man guilty in 2006 health-club arson
Tulsa World, May 25th

Gallant on Thursday credited the US Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Tulsa Fire Department for their work on the case. Prosecutors said Perryman had an ownership role at Vintage Health Quest. The grand jury alleged that...Read more

Find Father's Day gifts at flea markets
Ct Post, May 24th

Itís shaped like a guillotine and works like one when cutting a cigar. It auctioned in November 2011 for $1464 at Neal Auction Co. in New Orleans. Itís too dangerous to be near children. Photo: Contributed Photo / CT Father's Day is coming in June,...Read more

NHS Cumbria campaigners hope to take the 'cool' out of cigs
NW Evening Mail, May 23rd

At the moment tobacco companies can design their cigarettes and boxes however they want. Examples include brightly-coloured cigarettes with gold-foil tips which come in a compact-style case. Slimline cigarettes are embellished with vintage-style...Read more

Conference Catchup: Despite losing stars, ACC still has dangerous teams
CBSSports.com, May 21st

By Jeff Borzello | College Basketball Blogger For much of last season, it didn't look it was going to be a vintage campaign for the ACC. However, once Florida State started playing well and North Carolina State made a late run, the league ended up with...Read more

BABIES, PUPPIES AND SANTA: These Vintage Cigarette Spokespeople Are Grotesque
Business Insider, May 13th

For the first half of the 20th century, tobacco advertising was virtually unregulated. In that environment, companies used cigarette spokespeople that are laughable to modern audiences. Even doctors and babies sold cigarettes...Read more