Premium Havana and Cuba Cigars manufactured by Messers. Lord, Wood & Co. of Elyria, O. being the same which took the premium at the last Ohio State Fair. Finest Varieties and Qualities of Cuba Tobacco. Advertised in The Summit County Beacon of Akron, Ohio. February 9, 1860.

“Havana Cigars, Bornio & Brother. Established in 1845–the oldest Importing House in the South. Direct importers of Havana Cigars, Leaf Tobacco and Cigarettes. A large assortment of Havana and Domestic Cigars always on hand.” From The Galveston Daily News of Galveston, Texas. December 12, 1869. Notice: “Direct importers of Havana Cigars, Leaf Tobacco and Cigarettes.” Yes, “Cigarettes”, even though the production, sales, and use of cigarettes remained a small minority of all tobacco products.

“Money packed in every package. –I have just received an invoice of Killickinick Smoking Tobacco, put up in two ounce packs. Every pack contains money. Try it. JOHN C. HERMAN, Sole Agent, Harrisburg, Pa.” Victorian-American Tobacco Advertisements in Harrisburg Telegraph of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. April 25, 1870.

“Simmons & Staiger, Manufacturers of Cigars. Wholesale and retail dealers in Plug and Leaf Tobaccos, Tobacco Boxes, Meerschaum Pipes, &c. (No. 405 Delaware street, one door west of the Opera House,) Leavenworth, Kansas. P.O. Box 148.” From The Daily Commonwealth of Topeka, Kansas. August 23, 1871.

Elliott’s Billiard Saloon has been removed to Drennan’s Building on Pacific Avenue–None but the best quality of wines, liquors and cigars kept on hand. “The proprietor returns his thanks to old friends and customers for past favors and respectfully solicits a share of their patronage in the future.” Advertised in Santa Cruz Weekly Sentinel of Santa Cruz, California. March 30, 1872.

J.W. Dodge sells tobacco and cigars, Merrschaum Pipes, snuff, etc., including Brown’s Bronchial Troches. From Santa Cruz Weekly Sentinel of Santa Cruz, California. March 30, 1872.

C.P. Hoag Cigar and Tobacco Store advertises cigarette papers and cigarettes. Published in The Vermont Gazette of Bennington, Vermont. November 17, 1872.

“Jackson’s Best Sweet Navy Chewing Tobacco! was awarded the highest prize at Centennial Exposition for the fine chewing qualities, the excellence and lasting character of its sweetening and flavoring. If you want the best tobacco ever made ask your grocers for this, and see that each plug bears our blue strip trade mark with the words Jackson’s Best on it. Sold wholesale by all jobbers. Send for sample to C.A. Jackson & Co., Manufacturers, Petersburg, Va.” Note the second and separate (and somewhat hard to read) Durham’s Smoking Tobacco beneath Jackson’s Best. A Victorian-American Tobacco Advertisement from Green Bay Advocate of Green Bay, Wisconsin. December 22, 1877.

John B. Sweeny, manufacturer of choice cigars and dealer in fine smoking and chewing tobaccos. Advertisement in The Herald and Torch of Hagerstown, Maryland. December 26, 1877.

E.R. Frost sells “Indian Queen” cigars, the “Jewel” Brand (Clear Havana Filled), and The “Monogram” Cigar. Advertised in The Boston Globe of Boston, Massachusetts. May 25, 1878.

“Chew Good Morning or Old Honesty Plug Tobacco”. Illustrated Ad from The Leavenworth Times of Leavenworth, Kansas. July 25, 1882.

“SMOKE the C.M.R. Cigar. Guarantee no opium or valerian. Chas. M. Raschig, 21 E. Wash. St.” From The Indianapolis News of Indianapolis, Indiana on October 10, 1882.

Three Cigar and Tobacco Factories named and advertised in The Oakland Tribune of Oakland, California. June 19, 1883. Notice the statement of “white labor only.”

Peter “Peter Gretto, is the Leading Wholesale House for cigars, Pipes, and Smokers Articles, In the West. My Monogram, Sunflower, Dollies, Brunette, Ventrance and Our Bob are the best five cent cigars ever offered to the trade. Send your order for any price Cigar you want, if you are not acquainted with my brands. I will will ship and allow you to examine the goods; if not satisfactory they can be returned at my expense. Soliciting the patronage of the trade, I am, Very Truly, Peter Getto, Wichita, Kansas.” From The Wichita Daily Eagle of Wichita, Kansas. January 1, 1886.

Climax Plug Tobacco advertised, illustrated, in The Wyandott Herald of Kansas City, Kansas. February 4, 1886.

“Smoke Golden Belt Cigarettes. Save the empty wrappers, and you can get 2c for each empty wrapper of a 10c package, and 1c for each empty wrapper of a 5c package, in any quantity, if presented (with stamps destroyed) before Dec. 31 at the office of Blackwell’s Durham Tobacco Co., 416 N. Second st., St. Louis, Mo.; or you can get a handsome cabinet photograph, without advertising on it, for five empty 10c or ten empty 5c wrappers.” Advertised in St. Louis Post-Dispatch of St. Louis, Missouri. September 22, 1886.

Smoke S.W. Henry’s Panhandle Cigar 5 cents. Sold from Denver to the Gulf. From Fort Worth Daily Gazette of Fort Worth, Texas. February 24, 1889.

Jolly Tar Plug Chewing Tobacco— It’s good and cheap. John Finzer and Bro’s. Louisville, Ky. Advertised in Fort Scott Daily Monitor of Fort Scott, Kansas. April 27, 1889.

Smoke Durham; best tobacco sold. Try it, 2 oz. for 5 cts. Advertised in The Salt Lake City Herald of Salt Lake City, Utah Territory. December 20, 1890.

Vanity Fair Cigarettes, advertised in The Salt Lake Herald of Salt Lake City, Utah. January 1, 1895.

Sweet Caporal Cigarette, “More sold than all other brands combined.” Advertised in The Daily Deadwood Pioneer of Deadwood, South Dakota. January 1, 1895.

“It’s Out of Sight– Climax Plug. Put a little of it out of sight yourself, and see how good it is. Lorillard’s.” Note the illustration with a “plug-in-cheek.” From Marshall County News of Marysville, Kansas. February 15, 1895.

Duke Cigarettes, “Duke of Durham“, high grade tobacco and absolutely pure. Advertised in The Guthrie Daily Leader of Guthrie, Oklahoma on June 4, 1895. Same advertisement in Vicksburg Evening Post of Vicksburg, Mississippi on August 6, 1896.

“Chew Climax. The favorite Plug Tobacco. It’s Lorillard’s the name of the maker is enough.” (or is it Clorillard’s?) From The Nebraska State Journal of Lincoln, Nebraska. June 11, 1895.

Battle Ax Plug Tobacco, illustrated ad from Fort Scott Daily Monitor. Fort Scott, Kansas, February 19, 1896.

Blackwell’s Durham Tobacco Company promotes White Star Soap; one bar of soap free with each pound of tobacco sold. From The Leavenworth Weekly Times of Leavenworth, Kansas. April 16, 1896.

Illustrated Ad: Battle Ax Plug Tobacco. From The Leavenworth Times of Leavenworth, Kansas. October 3, 1896.

George Reiter, Manufacturers of Fine cigars and retail dealer in Chewing and Smoking Tobaccos. Fort Wayne, Indiana. From Fort Wayne Illustrated, published 1897. Factory was started in 1866.

The Exposition sells choice wines, liquors, key west, imported and domestic cigars, Fort Wayne, Indiana. Advertised in Fort Wayne, Illustrated, published 1897.

Header of Cigars Section, Part 1, of the Sears Catalog, 1898. See reference to “the war in Cuba.”

Part 2 of Cigar Section Header of the Sears Catalog, 1898.

Stogies and Cheroots offered for sale in the 1898 Sears Catalogue.

Cigars advertised in the Sears Catalog, 1898, section containing Fine Domestic and Havana Filler Cigars, Red Cross Havanas, and fine 5-cent cigars.

Cigars, continued, advertised in Sears Catalog, 1898.

More Cigars, continued advertisements in Sears Catalog, 1898. Bargain cigars, well-flavored, boxes of 50, 100, or 1000.

Key West and Domestic Clear Havana Cigars advertisements continue from Sears Catalog, 1898.

Imported Havana tobacco is rare, but these advertised brands (Sears Catalog, 1898) claim to be the real deal.

Plug Tobacco advertised in Sears Catalog, 1898. Battle Ax Plug, Pontoon, Kylo Plug, out of Sight, Even Change, J.T. or Big Chunk, Boot Jack Plug, Bright, Spear Head, Newsboy Plug, Piper Heidsieck, and more.

Advertisements for additional Plug Tobacco brands and offerings, including: Five Bros., Old Honesty, Jolly Tar, Wheat Cakes, Climax, X.T.C., Mechanics Delight, Dark Navy, Horseshoe, and more. “Complete line of tobacco pouches, match safes, cigar holders, etc. in the notion department.” (Sears Catalog, 1898)

Finecut Chewing Tobacco sold in Pails, 10 lbs. each with “our own brands” listed in Sears Catalog, 1898, including: S.R. & Co., Seneca, Sereamer, light or dark, AA Dark, No 10 Dark, X Ray, Stampede, Tornado, Crown of Delight, Plum, Oriental (all light or dark, as desired)

“Smoking Tobacco” for sale by Sears Catalog, 1898, includes many different options sold by weight in tins, boxes, pails, foil cartons, etc. Most are for pipes and many offer a free pipe with several pounds purchased.

Smoking Tobacco options continue in 1898 Sears Catalogue. Genuine Bull Durham, Seal of North Carolina, Mail Pouch, Sweet Tip Top, Old Tip Top, Navy Clippings, Badger and many more brands. Sold in cartons, foils, amber jars, cloths, wood, papers, and cases.

Conclusion of Smoking Tobacco section of Sears Catalog, 1898. See Notion Department for all kinds of pipes. This ad for Handsome Fancy French Briar Pipe, small bull-dog pattern. Length, 4 1/4 inches. Ornamental silvered trimmings on bowl and stem. Fine Vienna amber mouth-piece. Weight, 2 oz. Price, per doz. $4.00. Each, 35 cents. Also, The New Egg-Shaped Bowl French Briar Pipe, Chinese amber mouthpiece. 1 3/4 inches long. A very neat pipe. Weight, 2 ounces. Price, each, $0.35. Per doz, $4.00.”

Cigarettes section, from Sears Catalog, 1898. Brands include Cycle, Sweet Caporal, Richmond Straight Cut, Duke’s Cameo, Between the Acts, Consols, Mexican Yellow Cigarette Paper (to roll your own), and Cigarette Paper (Riz-La) books at 3 cents each.

“Hoffmanettes Cigar, 5c. The Hilson Co., Makers, N.Y. Mau, Saddler & Co., Distributors, San Francisco.” From The San Francisco Call of San Francisco, California. December 22, 1900.

Cremo, the best 5 cent cigar. Advertised in The Topeka Daily Capital of Topeka, Kansas. Friday May 30, 1902.

Deseret Tobacco, advertised as “every puff a comfort. For your business smoke. For your after-dinner smoke. The highest grade of tobacco and Utah’s best skilled labor.” A. Bernstein, Maker. Advertised in Salt Lake Telegram of Salt Lake City, Utah. February 27, 1904.

(Tobacco Myths and Truths)

Vintage headache relief products, advertised in 19th century American newspapers.