Imperial Tobacco Collection
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  • Imperial Tobacco Company
  • Display Figures (6)
  • Ashtrays (443)
    • A- ABDULLA, AFTON, ADKINS, ALLEN (Richmond Gem), ANSTIE,
    • ARDATH-Ardath-State Express-333, 555, 777
    • BRYANT & MAY, BLUES, SWAN VESTA
    • CARRERAS-Craven A, Dunhill, Kensitas, Picaddilly, Turf
    • OGDEN'S- (Robin, St. Bruno, St. Julien, Guinea Gold)
    • C- CAVENDERS ( Army Club), CHURCHMAN, COPES, JOHN COTTON, CWS
    • DAVIDOFF, DE RESZKE & DOBIES
    • ENGLAND'S GLORY, EDWARDS, RINGER
    • FRANKLYN'S & FAULKNER
    • GALLAHERS- Ariel, B&H, Cadets, du-Maurier, Nelson, Olivier, Park Drive, Senior Service, Silk Cut, Sterling
    • GREYS, HILLS, LAMBERT & BUTLER, MARCELLA, MITCHELLS, MARCOVITCH, MELACHRINO, PARLIMENT,
    • PLAYER'S-(Anchor, Bachelor, Country Life, Clipper, Gold Leaf, JPS, Navy cut, Player's Please, Player's, Vanguard, Weights)
    • ROTHMANS, STUYVESANT, SALMON & GLUCKSTEIN ,TEOFANI, WESTMINSTER, WINTERMANNS
    • WILLS'S-(Star, Capstan, Gold flake, Woodbine, Bristol, Embassy, Castella, Strand, Virginia, etc.)
  • Dominoes-Sets & Singles (37)
  • Cribbage Boards (89)
  • Jugs, Mugs & Tankards (82)
  • Change & Drinks Trays (70)
  • Mirrors (17)
  • Single Playing Cards (591)
    • Player's
    • Wills's
    • Carraras - CravenA, Dunhill, Kensitas, Turf
    • Ardath - State Express
    • All Other Brands
  • Beermats (154)
  • Tins & Boxes (32)
  • Park Drive-Cigarette Case-Football Clubs (27)
  • Fixture Cards (27)
  • Bowls, Club & Whist Cards (70)
  • Matchbooks (48)
  • Paper Weights (7)
  • Matchbox Covers (6)
  • JPS (John Player Special) (25)
  • Toys & Games (124)
  • Paper/Card/Metal Adverts (21)
  • Misc Items (87)
  • WWII Soldiers in India (1)

A Collection of Cigarette & Tobacco Advertising hardware
- Mostly issued  by
​the Imperial Tobacco company (ITC)

(Period 1920-2000)

ITC History

Back in 1933....

21/3/2021

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Thanks to Sue Matthews getting in touch we have a rare glimpse into one of the advertising methods used to attract smokers to their brands.
This one is a free weekly football competition. (see images below)
In Tobacco magazines for 1933 apparently ITC were not the only company to have this competition but also International Tobacco Ltd with their Summit brand of cigarettes, and also Godfrey Phillips Ltd. 
There are pictures of the ITC winners receiving their cheques for £1000, which was a lot of money in those days. We don't know how long these competitions lasted for, but probably only for a few months, as it was costing the tobacco companies more than they anticipated!  
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a rare sight...a flock of robins!

6/6/2020

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A few recent additions....

13/5/2020

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Ogden's Juggler Tobacco tin...circa 1937
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State Express tape measure...just 35mm diameter
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Wills's Gold Flake cigarettes menu holder...made from pressed tin.. 80mm long
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army club cigarettes

13/3/2020

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​Army Club was a brand of cigarette distributed by Cavanders Ltd of London that was established in 1775.

Advertising campaigns for this brand adopted the themes of nostalgia of wartime camaraderie and male culture.

In the 1920s these cigarettes were sold in elaborate tins made of pressed copper.

Cavanders was a cigarette company originally based in Manchester. The brand disappeared in 1961, as the company was taken over by the Godfrey Philips cigarette company, whose main factory is now in Mumbai.
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Above photo, from another collector, showing rare Army Club ashtrays. 
Photos below are from my collection.
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Royal Doulton bust of The Major - stands some 11inch ( 280mm) high
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Empire Ware Water Jug from 1925 - 6 inch (15mm) high
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Clothes Brush -Made in England -6 1/2 inch ( 165mm) long
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Letter Opener - Brass handle both sides - Inch & millimetre scales on blade -10 inch (250mm) long
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Drinks Tray
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Cigarette Box - tin with copper effect finish - 12 inch ( 300mm) long x 5 inch (125mm) wide x 2 1/4 inch (65mm) high
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how times have changed!

10/2/2020

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Such was the power of the tobacco industry a 100 years ago and so accepted was smoking that the Prince of Wales, who reigned as King Edward VIII for a short time, is shown smoking a cigarette while being claimed 'Our Prince of Sports' on this small tray measuring approximately 6 inch by 4 inch by 3/4 inch high.
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Edward VIII ‘Our Prince of Sports’ R W Coan Aluminium Tray with Feet British Empire Exhibition 1924

This later became Wembley Stadium. 

Robert W Coan established his business in the early 1900's in London. Pioneers with the artistic use of Aluminium which was relatively new to England at the time.  Coan exhibited at the British Empire Exhibition of 1924 which was a colonial exhibition which ran at Wembley Park from April 23rd 1924 to October 31st 1925. In 1919 The Prince of Wales, Edward VIII became president of the committee organising the event and also had input into the building of Wembley Stadium there in 1923. A new stadium was built at Wembley Park for the Exhibition

This tray was manufactured to be sold at this exhibition. 

HRH the Prince Of Wales is captured in Military Uniform on the tray. "OUR PRINCE OF SPORTS"
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Just like buses...you wait a long time  for 1 and lots come together!

22/1/2020

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Having not seen any new, to me, old ashtrays for a while... then 5 come along within a couple of weeks that I do not have!
​Here they are.
Craven A -Bakelite/plastic   Circa 1935                                                                           
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Hills SUNRIPE Cigarettes Circa 1920
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Copes GOLDEN CLOUD Circa 1920
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CRAVEN A   c.1935?
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Players Always Please  c.1950?
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Plastiquarian Magazine

10/1/2020

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Had a few of my ashtrays mentioned in an article in the Plastiquarian Magazine, and made the front cover,  below....a bit like making the front cover of Vogue!

Also within a couple of days of getting the magazine found another 'For your throat's sake smoke CRAVEN A ' ashtray. One I had not seen before and much larger in real life than expected by the photo when I bought it. Measures just over 7 inch (185mm) long each side. See photo below front cover.
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may the force be with you!

13/2/2019

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A small collection of advertising material showing members of our Armed Forces used to promote the sale of cigarettes and tobacco in days long gone!
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To restore or not?

3/9/2018

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Here is an example of an item I have restored. Bought it in condition shown and not working...that is no ding when top button pressed. After a few tweaks it works fine and looks pretty? Some would say leave it in its used condition...then why do people make old classic cars look like new? Anyway its done now and good for another 90 years.
As bought
Restored

time for a woodbine

​Woodbine was a brand of cigarette made in England by W.D. & H. O. Wills (now Imperial Tobacco) since 1888.
Noted for its strong unfiltered cigarettes, the brand was popular in the early 20th century, especially with army men during the First and Second World War. In the Great War, the British Army chaplain Geoffrey Studdert Kennedy MC was affectionately nicknamed "Woodbine Willie" by troops on the Western Front to whom he handed out cigarettes along with bibles and spiritual comfort.
In common parlance, the unfiltered high-tar Woodbine was one of the brands collectively known as "gaspers" until about 1950, because new smokers found their strong smoke difficult to inhale. A filtered version was launched in the United Kingdom in 1948, but was discontinued in 1988.
All sorts of advertising material carried the 'Woodbine' brand and green seemed to be the basic branding colour.
Woodbine is also another name for the honeysuckle, a widespread common climbing plant with its green foliage and potent scent on warm summers evenings.
Was the use of the word 'woodbine' for cigarettes a deliberate ploy to associate smoking with the sweeter smelling things of life? Who knows!
Here follows some typical 'Woodbine' images from my collection. 
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It must be summertime........

25/7/2017

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Never to miss an opportunity the tobacco industry had ways of keeping smoking in front of  the public in all seasons. 
Here are examples of a few adverts and products to make us feel good,during the summer months, while enjoying a smoke.
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    Last update

    26 June 2022 Added cribbage board, Embassy dominoes and Dobie photos.
    ​13 Jan 2022 - added Wills change tray and several single playing cards
    6 Dec 2021 - added Players Please Bridge card
    ​6 Nov 2021 - added L&B ashtray, Park drive whist card.
    ​27 Oct 2021 - added Richmond Gem glass ashtray
    19 Sept 2021 - SS Club card added.
    ​13 August 2021 - RED BELL ashtray added.
    ​11 August 2021 - Players Please change tray, CONDOR crib board, 2 fixtures cards and Nelson Whist card added.
    21 July 2021 - Shrewsbury Park Drive case & Wooden Capstan dominoes added.
    21 April 2021 - 3 club cards added.
    ​13 March 2021 -Ogdens GoldBlock change tray and Wills's bridge card added.
    18 Feb 2021 - Melachrino ashtray added.
    ​3 Feb 2021 - England's Glory crib board added -Green.
    ​

    Author

    Mike
    ​Owner of a box room filled with all the things my wife will throw away when I am gone...including me!
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