COLLEGIATE MEMORABILIA

During the early 20th century from around 1910 to 1914, American tobacco companies produced a wealth of Tobacco Premiums that were included free with tobacco products. Around 1910 there was about a four year “window” when the focus of the material was on American Colleges and Universities.    No woman's colleges were represented.  Some schools have different names today or are defunct.    

The Egyptienne Company issued an exquisitely woven silk series that included the school seal and name.  There are 150 schools represented in this series.  Each silk unframed is 3.0" x 1.75".  See #1 below.

The Richmond Straight Tobacco Company in Richmond, Virginia, (now Philip Morris) produced a series of 50 known printed silks in a series that contained the banner, seal, mascot (or appropriate symbol), yell and song.  See # 2 below and sample to the right. 

Twelfth Night Cigarettes produced another series of woven in silk that quality of which has been compared to Stephen Graphs, the 19th century English sporting silks.  See #3 below.

In addition colleges and universities were included in several series of tobacco felts. See #4 below.  

The Murad Company issued a series of cards and another series printed on silk that showed various sports played at these universities. The large cards included a series of 25 colleges and universities that were listed on the reverse side and as indicated were available in 1911. The company also produced a series of 150 small cards. Seals of the schools were embossed and printed on leather, which are referred to as tobacco leathers.


Mogul Tobacco also printed seals of schools which were embossed on leather, which are referred to as tobacco leathers.  Mogul was bought by P. Lorillard.  See #5 below.  

Tobacco memorabilia issued a 100 years ago is a wonderful reminder of alma mater.   

These silks are genuine American antiques and are highly valued as more than just gifts.

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