Smoking accessories

Smoking Accessories

Smoking accessories

have become highly collectable, perhaps because of the decline in popularity of smoking itself. It is not difficult to find beautifully designed, imaginative,

 

Many desirable smoking accessories such as cigar, cigarette, and match cases, as well as lighters and cigarette dispensers, can be found at collectors' fairs, antiques shops, general auctions, and even car-boot sales. Finer or rarer pieces are available from specialist dealers or auctions.

Smoking accessories

From tin to tortoiseshell

Made for storing matches, vesta cases \(named after a type of match and also known as 'matchsafes') have a rough or ribbed strip at the base for striking the match.


 They were made from a variety of materials including tin, brass, ivory, wood, and tortoiseshell. Silver and gold vesta cases - ranging from simple pieces with a scrolled engraving to a novelty shape such as a crown - are the most sought after.

Smoking accessories

 These can be found for as little as £20-40 for a plain silver or plated example, but generally cost around £30-150. High-quality cases were often decorated with coloured enamels: these can sell for around £100 or more, depending on the complexity and quality of the enamelling.





 

Cedar fresh

Rather than leaving cigars in the wooden boxes in which they were shipped, smokers stored them in elaborate boxes made of wood, silver, and hardstone. These were lined with cedar to prevent the cigars from drying out, and some - known as humidors - featured a water container to keep the cigars fresh. 

Smoking accessories

Values usually depend on type of material used, maker, decoration, and size. Ornate boxes in fine materials, by noted makers such as Dunhill and Mappin & Webb, or by a good Victorian or such as Finnigans or Leuchars, can sell for around £200-800 or more.

A night on the town

Cigar cases were often moulded in cigar shapes. Cases designed to hold three or four cigars were produced from the mid-19th century onwards in materials such as leather, wood, papier mache, silver, and gold. 

Smoking accessories

From time to time, single cigar cases are found, sometimes with an extinguisher, so a half-smoked butt could be saved. 



As these cases are still usable today, prices can be high, even for leather examples. A mock-crocodile-skin holder can cost £80-200 or more, while silver and gold cases can cost upwards of £50-250, depending on condition, maker, and decoration.

Cutting edge

Smoking accessories

In the late 19th century, novelty cigar cutters were made in such shapes as animals, people, and liquor bottles. Popular because they are still usable, silver table-mounted novelty cigar cutters can sell for £100-800 or more. There are also many pocket versions made from brass in shapes such as shoes and champagne bottles, which are available for around £30-200.

Slim cases

Cigarette cases were mainly of gold, silver, or were silver- or chrome- plated. The flat surface was perfect for decoration, including enamelled or engraved designs. A simple silver- plated early 20th-century case can cost you £60.