vintage tobacciana?

[KittyT]

Maybe there's another thread on this sort of thing that I just can't find....

I'm looking for information about vintage cigarette boxes - you know, the kind people might have had on their coffee table for offering a cigarette to a visitor.

In Mad Men, Don Draper has a metal one on his office coffee table. When you pull the top up, there is a tray attached that lifts the cigarettes up for easy access.

Is there a name for these other than "cigarette boxes"? That term just doesn't seem to be specific enough to help me find what I'm looking for.

 

[Miss Neecerie]

One of my favorite makers of Smoking accessories and table lighters etc....is Evans...if you ebay search that and then limit it to tobacciana.....you should see at least -some-.....

Evans makes beautiful enamel sets.....

 

[Warbaby]

Maybe there's another thread on this sort of thing that I just can't find....

I'm looking for information about vintage cigarette boxes - you know, the kind people might have had on their coffee table for offering a cigarette to a visitor.

In Mad Men, Don Draper has a metal one on his office coffee table. When you pull the top up, there is a tray attached that lifts the cigarettes up for easy access.

Is there a name for these other than "cigarette boxes"? That term just doesn't seem to be specific enough to help me find what I'm looking for.

Cigarette boxes is the correct terminology. The problem with searching for them on eBay is that a lot of sellers don't know the difference between a cigarette box and a cigarette case (which you carry in your pocket) so you'll have to wade through a lot of stuff that isn't, as well as a bunch of new junk. I'm pretty good at searching and I haven't found an effective way to narrow the search. Just be patient - there are a lot of good cigarette boxes to be found and the selling prices are often quite under value due to the increasing lack of serious smokers in the U.S.

I smoke. I use cigarette boxes and carry a cigarette case on a daily basis. If you're gonna smoke, I say do it with style. And a cigarette holder.

Oh - and 'cigarette holder' is another search term that sometimes turns up cigarette boxes and cases in the hands of people who really haven't a clue.

 

[Tomasso]

"Meteor” Cigarette Box

18-karat gold box, designed by Schlumberger for Tiffany & Co. in 1971

 

[RedPop4]

I get in trouble searching tobacciana on eBay, almost as much as if I searched hats every day.

 

[Dexter'sDame]

Referred to in ads as...

It's not very common, but occasionally I stumble upon 1930's magazine ads that call a cigarette box a "Cigarette Server".

Probably not commonly used with today's Ebay sellers either, but you may get lucky and find a gem.

Edit: spelling/typo. Get only has 1 T.

 

[HarpPlayerGene]

I've got one.

I believe the specific answer you seek is "Park Sherman". Try that manuf. name in an Ebay search in conjunction with "cigarette box" or "case", or "desktop" or "brass"...

I actually keep it stocked for guests as I smoke non-filters.

I've seen several of 'em come & go on EB.

G'luck!

 

[HarpPlayerGene]

P.S. Kitty,

I tried to PM you to direct you to my pics and info but you need to delete mail from your box, it's full.

 

[KittyT]

Gene, sorry about that. I'll go take care of my inbox!

Your "cigarette server" is truly lovely! I've actually had some luck searching for "cigarette dispenser" on Ebay and while some I've found are very expensive, others are not.

I picked this one up for my boyfriend (the roulette wheel top IS functional), but the lid doesn't seem to close tightly. Also, the tray and stem inside have rust and I'd like to clean it off, but I can't figure out how to get the mechanism out!

 

[Subvet642]

I have a red dyed stone (marble or quartzite?) matching cigarette box and lighter that I found on the 'Bay. At home, I use it exclusively. It looks much better than cigarette packs laying around.

 

[Ethan Bentley]

I like the roulette box, never seen anything like that before. I've seen some nice Bakelite cigarette boxes. The closest thing I have is a little wooden box which is a cigarette dispenser. But I've put cigarillos in it.

 

[KittyT]

I like the roulette box, never seen anything like that before. I've seen some nice Bakelite cigarette boxes. The closest thing I have is a little wooden box which is a cigarette dispenser. But I've put cigarillos in it.

It's cool, right? Too bad the dude I gifted it to is an ass. Should've kept it for myself.

 

[Ethan Bentley]

Sounds familiar to me, I've had the same problem before, but that was a while back now.

I remember I saw a dispenser one in a charity shop once. You opened the lid and a couple of trays concertina out. It was a big and I had my other one so it stayed in the window.

One thing I have noticed with a lot of dispensers is that modern cigarettes, with their filters, are too long to fit in them.

 

[Ethan Bentley]

I was in an antique shop today and they had a wooden cigarrette dispenser; where you pulled a leaver and a little bird picked up a cigarette with his beak that had just been dropped out of a box.

 

[CigarMan]

Wow Gene, that is one great looking server. My dad has smoked Pall Mall non-filters for ever and has never had any lung problems and he's 78. This server is fantastic the way it "serves" the cigarettes.

 

[swinggal]

I collect cigarette cases and have 11, mainly art deco era ones, but I have a few boxes and one dispenser that I keep on my coffee table.

The dispenser is very cool. It is made of bakelite and was made in the 30s. You pop your cigarettes in the holder box and when you want one, you tilt the Kookaburra's head down and the cigarette rolls out and he picks it up for you in his beak.

I love it and bought it for $20AUD about 5 years ago at flea market knowing full well they are worth around $250 in antique stores. Unlike this one, mine is all brown bakelite which I prefer and is actually rarer.

 

[Ethan Bentley]

A lovely buy, you certianly have an eye for a bargain.
This is similar, the mechanism at least, to the wooden one (see above post) However, this one, or I can imagine your brown variant, is much better. The workmanship on the one I saw wasn't great but it's a good concept.

I took some pictures of the little box I use and will post them shortly.

 

[swinggal]

Yes, it's cute and quite a talking point. People forget that at one point almost everyone smoked and that there was a plethora of interesting objects made to accommodate this. Cases, dispensers, ashtrays, little side tables with ashtrays...it's cool to find them

 

[Ethan Bentley]

I agree, I have an old cocktail book and they stress the need to provide cigarettes and matches at cocktail parties.

Here are a couple of my own items.

Cigarette dispenser, lift up the tope, drop it down again and...

Up pops a cigarette! (well cigarillo in my case).

Plymouth Gin Ashtray with vesta and striker.

 

[swinggal]

Very cool. I shall have to post my cases sometime. My fav is a Ronson lighter/case combo from the 1930s which has an awesome green and black design.

I also love this. This is a pic from the net but I have one. It was my Pops. It's so streamlined and lovely.