Hampton Normal and Agricultural Institute Tobacco Silk

Scope and content:

Tobacco silks were typically included by tobacco companies to create a collectible item to further a person's reasons to buy a particular brand of cigarette. Silks become popular items to include, especially depicting baseball players or pleasant scenes. The silks increasingly targeted women in the 1920s, as they were rapidly becoming a large consumer base. Other materials like flannel and leather were also used as promotional tie ins. The workmanship on some of these freebies is astonishing. This particular piece is blue, white, and gold and was made to advertise the Hampton Normal and Agricultural Institute. The bottom of the silk says Egyptienne Luxury, which reveals the brand that produced this silk. Egyptienne Luxury brand cigarettes produced several runs of collectible silks featuring themes like colleges, states, and even secret societies. The other end of the silk reveals that it was produced in New York. This item, along with an example of a tobacco leather can be found in the Manuscripts Artifacts Collection. An image is available at https://www.flickr.com/photos/scrc/5766124480/. Located in Dec Obj S2, SS1, Box 12. Mss 2010.089

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