HOOKED ON TOBACCO PRODUCTS
Tobacco companies such as Lorillard soon realized that the shops
were fertile ground for advertising and so supplied tobacco
display cabinets, the better to highlight their wares. That's
what our reader has.
Inlaid letters spelling the brand name "Tin Tag Tobacco,"
indicate that this cabinet dates from 1880 to about 1920 (I'd
place it in the early days), when companies used decorated flat
pieces of tin to wrap plug and twist tobacco. Lorillard is
credited with inventing the tags, which soon became hot product
advertising and are avidly collected to this day.
Even with the painting episode (which unfortunately covered
decorative gold accents on the glass) and restoration, this is a
prize piece of Americana. With smoking out of fashion, tobacco
memorabilia certainly the best is collected. In an
appropriate auction, the cabinet could bring $2,000 or more.
