In this richly illustrated survey of cigarette pack art, Mullen examines the relationships between cigarette packs and popular culture over the last century, arranging samples according to historical development and dominant themes

In this richly illustrated survey of cigarette pack art, Mullen examines the relationships between cigarette packs and popular culture over the last century, arranging samples according to historical development and dominant themes

For more than a hundred years, the well-heeled cigarette industry has hired some of the world's cleverest designers to make smoking appeal to as many different types of men and women in as many different cultures as possible. The result is compelling graphic design that employs a startling range of images, from beautiful ladies to skeletons, golden bats to butterflies, boots and blue jeans to top hats. This compendium of more than three hundred of the best international examples is an addictively entertaining resource for designers, typographers, commercial artists, and branding professionals, as well as collectors.

Cigarette packaging from the 1880s to the present display the extraordinary creative effort tobacco companies have exerted to make their cigarettes appear exotic, luxurious, colorful, feminine, masculine, festive, and even medicinal. This book includes color photographs of over 4000 different packs of cigarettes and in-depth listings of merchants, vendors, factory numbers, merchant codes, up-to-date pricing information, and anecdotes of the industry. Advertising designers and tobacco collectors will be amazed.

From humble beginnings in the late 1800s, the popularity of cigarettes grew into the twentieth century, until they became far and away the favorite way to enjoy the pleasures of tobacco. To capitalize on the rising demand, new brands were introduced around the world, and every one had a distinctive, attractive pack. Most were executed in rich colors and with graphics designed to catch the eye and capture the imagination of the potential consumer. Today these miniature works of advertising art have attracted a large, international audience of admirers and collectors. This new book presents hundreds of cigarette packs from every corner of the globe, in full color, with vital information about manufacture and price that will be invaluable to the collector. The images themselves represent a fascinating visual history of more than one hundred years of cigarette manufacture.

Illustrations of antique tobacco artifacts, old photographs and contemporary advertising draw the reader through the growth of the tobacco industry and shown promotional ploys and gimmickry that evolved. This highly acclaimed book combines a well-researched text with photographs and price guide to study a hot topic.

A seagull swoops across a packet of Senior Service, a seaman from HMS Hero poses in a lifebelt cameo on twenty Player's, a laughing cavalier puffs away at a Passing Cloud. And a Jeeves-style butler offers us a Kensitas on a silver tray. Welcome to the vanished world of cigarette pack art. Peter Ashley has delved into his own and other collections of packs to show us what an incredible art gallery of design they once offered, and creates a series of still lifes to show how much a part of daily life they were - Gold Flakes on a picnic, Park Drive on a workbench. He finds the stories to go with them too: the influence of Du Mauriers on a crooked tycoon, the Battle of Britain pilots throwing packets of Weights after free-falling Messerschmitts. And of course the packets dropped into literature: Ian Fleming, Len Deighton, John Betjeman, Will Self - all have contributed to cigarette culture without disapproving shakes of the head. The Cigarette Papers is a joyful, witty and ultimately beautiful recollection of old friends who will probably never be seen again.