Drum Cigarette Pack Discovery - T206 / T205 related

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Posted By: Jon Canfield

Well - after 10+ years of searching, I am happy to be able to confirm what I believe to be the first reported image of a Drum cigarette box. This pack hails from the private collection of one of the nicest gentlemen I have ever spoken to... an 85 year old man who began collecting packs 50 years before I was born.



As you will note, this pack actually pre-dates the American Tobacco Company's acquisition of the Drum brand. Although no tax stamp is present, I would guess this pack dates to the late 1890s or early 1900s. Regardless, the graphics are probably nearly identical to those that would have been used on the T206 era Drum boxes. However, what remains unclear is whether Drum made a 10-count product or if the cards would have been distributed in this type of packaging.

Regardless, this is a great discovery for cigarette pack collectors. I will hopefully update the website, www.baseballandtobacco.com, to contain the image for reference.

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Posted By: Brian

Wow! Thanks so much for sharing, and thank the owner as well.

Brian

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Posted By: Jodi Birkholm

Jon,

Are you only interested in tobacciana that have T or N-type affiliations?

I used to collect tobacco tins. That hobby seemed to be running at its strongest during the early 1990's, when I was collecting. There were so many beautiful tins issued. I had a personal affinity for the "pockets", as did many collectors.

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Posted By: barry arnold

Wow!
I've been wanting to see one of these for quite a while!!!!
many thanks and kudos to Jon C and Joe H

all the best,

barry

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Posted By: Jon Canfield

Jodi - to answer your question; yes... I pretty much focus on cigarette/tobacco items that specifically relate to the N and T card issues. I do agree with you, however, that there are many gorgeous cigarette packs and tobacco tins out there that, while having no relation to card distribution, are amazing graphically.

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Posted By: Frank Wakefield

Thanks for posting.


Wish the letters weren't across there screwing up an otherwise good image.

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Posted By: Dave Hornish

St. Louis on the pack, Virginia on the back of T206-interesting. Guess the brand got relocated after ATC bought Drummond.

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Posted By: peter ullman

that's awesome...I never knew Drum was short for Drummond!?!? What you talking bout Willis?

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Posted By: Jon Canfield

Dave- yes interesting point. I have never heard of the Drummond company before but sent an email to some cigarette historians I know to find out a little more about the company (specifically, when the ATC acquired them). It does make sense, however, that production would have been shifted to an ATC facility after purchase.

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Posted By: Keith O'Leary

Heres a related piece dated 1887. Its a song book advertising their Horse Shoe Tobacco. It has a picture of the St Louis plant on the back and is lithographed by Compton & Sons Co St Louis.

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Posted By: J Hull

Nice find, Jon. And thanks for sharing the image.

Drum brand cigarettes were sold in slide-and-shell packages of 10 or 20. Here's an image of a page of an ATC price list for July 1909 confirming that.

Jamie

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Posted By: Scott B.

That's interesting, based on that domestic cigar receipt, it looks like Carolina Bright and BroadLeaf were packaged in 500 carton boxes which means those T206s were packaged in 500 carton boxes??

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Posted By: JimB

Wow! Great find. Thanks for sharing this with us.
JimB

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Posted By: Jon Canfield

Scott - the cartons cotnained 500 cigs but the cards would have been packaged in individual slide and shell boxes of 10 cigs. You can see them here:

www.baseballandtobacco.com/t206.htm

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Posted By: Dave Hornish

Found this when I googled Drummond Tobacco:

http://homepage.mac.com/landmf/PhotoAlbum28.html

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Posted By: Richard Dwyer

Jon: Congrats on that find. I always knew you would be the one to find it first.

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Posted By: Jon Canfield

Thanks Richard but I'm sure there is a correct one out there somewhere. At least we have an idea what to look for now (graphically). FYI, interesting story behind this Drum pack... Joe told me about 30 years ago, he wrote a few articles on cigarette packs that were published in a paper (I believe) and someone brought this to him because they found it in there attic and told him to keep it for his collection.

Dave - very interesting items.

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Posted By: Jon Canfield

Another interesting article... It appears in 1898, Drummond "denied it had been sold to the trust"!!!

http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?_r=1&res=9F0DE5DE1738E433A25750C1A9629C94699ED7CF&oref=slogin