Not currently on display at the V&A

The Good Old Days

Cigarette Tin
ca.1910-1930 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Cigarette tin, offset litho printed tinplate, rectangular with rounded corners, the lid hinged along the back, the decoration printed in a pink and gold colourway, the lid decorated with floral and leaf decoration with a banner in the centre beneath a sphinx advertising `MAY BLOSSOM CIGARETTES, with rectangular panels below to the left and right, advertising the producer, `LAMBERT & / BUTLER / LONDON'. The front and back side panels decorated with a succession of medals and the legend: `PRIZE MEDALS AWARDED / LONDON 1851 PARIS 1856 ANTWERP 1885 EDINBURGH 1886 LONDON 1873. The ends have a golden sphinx flanked by the numerals `100' on either side. The interior of the lid has floral decoration and a rolling banners with the legends: `MAY BLOSSOM CIGARETTES' and `TO PRESERVE THE DELICATE / AROMA OF THESE / CHOICE / CIGARETTES / THEY SHOULD BE KEPT IN A COOL / AND DRY PLACE.'


Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleThe Good Old Days (manufacturer's title)
Materials and techniques
Offset litho printed tinplate
Brief description
Cigarette tin, offset litho printed tinplate advertising `May Blossom' cigarettes, made by Lambert and Butler, England, ca.1910-1930.
Physical description
Cigarette tin, offset litho printed tinplate, rectangular with rounded corners, the lid hinged along the back, the decoration printed in a pink and gold colourway, the lid decorated with floral and leaf decoration with a banner in the centre beneath a sphinx advertising `MAY BLOSSOM CIGARETTES, with rectangular panels below to the left and right, advertising the producer, `LAMBERT & / BUTLER / LONDON'. The front and back side panels decorated with a succession of medals and the legend: `PRIZE MEDALS AWARDED / LONDON 1851 PARIS 1856 ANTWERP 1885 EDINBURGH 1886 LONDON 1873. The ends have a golden sphinx flanked by the numerals `100' on either side. The interior of the lid has floral decoration and a rolling banners with the legends: `MAY BLOSSOM CIGARETTES' and `TO PRESERVE THE DELICATE / AROMA OF THESE / CHOICE / CIGARETTES / THEY SHOULD BE KEPT IN A COOL / AND DRY PLACE.'
Dimensions
  • Height: 4cm (Note: Taken from the register.)
  • Width: 7.4cm (Note: Taken from the register.)
  • Depth: 15.2cm (Note: Taken from the register.)
Production typeMass produced
Marks and inscriptions
MAY BLOSSOM CIGARETTES / LAMBERT & / BUTLER / LONDON (Printed on the lid.)
Production
Advertising Ephemera
Subjects depicted
Collection
Accession number
CIRC.191-1970

About this object record

Explore the Collections contains over a million catalogue records, and over half a million images. It is a working database that includes information compiled over the life of the museum. Some of our records may contain offensive and discriminatory language, or reflect outdated ideas, practice and analysis. We are committed to addressing these issues, and to review and update our records accordingly.

You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.

Suggest feedback

Record createdJune 24, 2009
Record URL
Download as: JSON