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 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.  

Tobacco memorabilia issued over 100 years ago is a wonderful reminder of alma mater.   These silks are genuine American-made antiques and are highly valued as more than just gifts.