Up for auction we have a large and beautiful

Antique Collectible Tobacco Felt

depicting the 48 Star American Flag 

This one if from right around the turn of the last century,

circa 1912 - 1920's

It measures 9 1/2 inches wide X 7 3/4 inches high and can easily be reomved from behind the glass in its protective frame that measures 12" wide x 10" high

Tobacco Felts were most popular between 1906 and 1910 when tobacco companies here in America began inserting textile items into their cigarette and tobacco products. Most tobacciana collectors, aficionados and tobacco flannel enthusiasts will say that there was a fad for obtaining these textiles was between 1910 and 1916, and that at the beginning of WWI the practice of inserting textiles into cigarette or other tobacco packaging, here in the United States, was abandoned. The practice was extended into the 1920's and later in European countries, so it is possible to find these Tobacco felts from a later period.

One of the most popular textile inserts was the tobacco flannel. These were made of a cotton flannel fabric like this one here, and printed in many designs. Popular subjects were flags of all the different countries of the world, especially the United States and of athletes participating in different sports. Some subjects targeted women, like butterflies, but the majority of flannel themes were male oriented! These flannels were distributed in cigarette and tobacco products, with the larger flannels (just like this one here) available in the premium catalogs, and sent to consumers in exchange for coupons, (which were also distributed in tobacco packaging.)

Tobacco Flannels are also sometimes referred to as Cigar Felts, but it is not clear how or if these beautiful, decorative textiles are associated with cigars. The popular idea that these flannels actually came in the cigar boxes may stem from the fact that sheets of paper, printed and plain, were sometimes placed in the box of cigars. Perhaps the two were misidentified with each other, and thus the flannels have been thought to come from the cigar boxes.

We don’t exactly know why these are called felts when they are made from flannel. But sometimes a misinterpretation can stick, and while these remain affectionately referred to as Tobacco Felts, they are in fact Tobacco Flannels. 

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Please note that all of the items we sell are either antique, vintage, used or in some cases rare, and will show signs of wear. We try to describe and show each item we list as accurately as possible, and if we’ve missed a detail in the description, it would never be intentional since we aim for our buyer’s complete awareness and satisfaction. Our pride is in offering uniquely wonderful finds for reasonable prices. Please feel free to ask us any questions prior to bidding so that you can bid with confidence! All NY State residents please add 8% sales tax to your payment if you pay before we send your invoice. The service we use to ship nationally and internationally is USPS Priority Mail. The rates listed for shipping this item are predetermined based on size, weight, value and dependability and are not negotiable. Thanks for viewing our auctions. We appreciate your interest. Happy Bidding! We update our inventory every week, so please continue to visit our online eBay store, AntiqueFinderCNY, for other hard to find antiques, rare books, and unusual specialty & collectible items!