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"I wouldn't smoke anything else".....Building an "Accidental" Collection of China Marine Cigarette Cases


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So says the Chesterfield smoker pictured in an advertisement on the back page of a Marine's Walla Walla magazine. Kinda stumbled into collecting these Chinese-made cigarette cases associated with the China Marines when they popped up on eBay or in groupings that have come my way. I hope you enjoy these small items that fall on the periphery of militaria collecting.

 

As pointed out in a number of threads on this forum, up until the 1960's almost everyone smoked...given the number of advertisements in the magazines produced for the China Marines, the Marines were no exception. Since both Shanghai and Peiping had an active social scene, liberty plentiful, and a good exchange rate, the Marines could afford to hit the clubs wearing locally custom tailored civilian clothes and carrying silver cigarette cases, just like their civilian counterparts.

 

The cases shown here date between 1920 and the late 1930's. Each one is linked to the China Marines.

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This first case is decorated with dragons and listed every port the Marine visited during his cruise from Parris Island through the ports of China. By the time the Marine obtained this silver case he was serving on the gunboat USS Helena. The Helena was one of the larger gunboats that could sail along the coast of China or far up some of her larger rivers. What is interesting about this case is the inscription on the inside "The Royal Exalted Order of Asiatic Nut and Joss men." So who could join this order and what's the story I still don't know.....but I will post these images on my website and most likely in time some family member will come forward and fill in the mystery- is there a spoof medal and certificate out there waiting to be discovered? The case is probably sterling silver with only a makers mark inside. The workmanship is good, if unremarkable and but the case has some weight to it.

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These next two cases are attributed to the same Marine and have moved around ebay and the collecting community for several years before landing here. This Marine served his time in Shanghai and he left the city as a PFC. Apparently, he received the silver case from a woman as a Christmas gift shortly before he left China. The workmanship is good and there is a makers mark inside, but as of yet is unreadable. The other case, a gift from the 4th Marine NCO club, is made of a different metal but it is finely inlaid with a mountain and pagoda with gold and silver features.

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This next case is by the Chinese jeweler Teh Ling. Ling was a Peiping based jeweler located inside the Legation quarter. There seems to always have been a Chinese jeweler favored by the residents of the Legation quarter. In the mid to late 30's that jeweler was Teh Ling. A silver set of his was seen on the Antique Roadshow earlier this year. The quality of the piece is very good. The exterior design of the case is almost exactly similar to another case in a fellow Forum members collection.....only the Marines initials are done in a different style. Inside the case this Marine added a twist- finely engraved with the years he served in China, and all the women he was associated with-Russian, Asian, and a Western.

 

After World War 2 silver cigarette cases were again popular souvenirs for returning Marines, but IMHO the workmanship is not nearly as good as what Teh Ling produced. What I do like about the postwar period, is cases i have seen have some interesting engraving on them mainly dealing with the owner, EGAs and Unit ID. I don't own any yet but, I am sure if I come across an interesting one I will add it to this "accidental" collection. BTW feel free to post your examples I am always looking for new or unknown styles and makers.

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Really nice grouping.

 

I have several CBI theater cigarette cases (Taj Mahal was a popular motif) and several trench art examples-- none match the quality of these.

 

Thanks for sharing the cases and stories.

 

Scott

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Nice little collection of cases there, Dirk. I have always been a fan of these early metal cases, my mother and step father used them regularly when I was growing up and I always thought them interesting. Don't have any China ones in my collection as of yet, but am always keeping an eye out of interesting USMC cases

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Thanks Tim but you do have one very special case :) I think these are kinda cool looking at what the Marines chose to have engraved on them.

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Hi Dirk, those are exquisite! The level of engraving is a true work of art.

 

Thank you for sharing such fine pieces.

 

RC

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Dirk, I love the cigarette cases. They usually have great engraving. I have a few I will post.

Here is a cigarette case that was intended to be a birthday present for an original “Flying Tiger.” In 1941 John E. Petach joined the American Volunteer Group or AVG to fly for China. He flew P40-E fighters and shot down three Japanese bombers on January 23, 1942. On July 4, 1942, the AVG passed out of existence when the Army Air Force took over the job with its 23rd fighter group. Almost all of the original flying Tigers returned home but some were needed to stay behind to help train the newly formed 23rd. Petach was asked to stay. He was going to return home with the girl he recently married, one of the two AVG nurses, Emma Jane “Red” Foster Petach. On July 10, 1942 he went on a mission and on a dive bombing run, he was hit by ground fire, his ship went down and he was killed. Emma Jane Foster from Bellefonte, Pennsylvania, a Penn State graduate, was the only RN to serve in China with the AVG. On February 16, 1942, she and Pete Petach were married by AVG Chaplain Paul Frillman, with the blessing of Claire Chennault, in Kunming, China. . After his death, his wife, Emma Jane Petach, returned to her hometown of Bellefonte, Pennsylvania. Bellefonte was where these items were bought at an estate sale in the 1980’s. The silver cigarette case was made by Marathon and was a birthday present that “Jane” could never give to “Pete” since he died five days before his birthday. The monogram on the front is a “P” and the inscription reads:

Pete,

Happy Birthday

Love, Jane

July 15, 1942

All of the AVG items were found in the Cigarette case.

Dick

 

 

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Brig, you said it best in your 2014 comment:

 

This is art

 

 

Dick,

 

Such an amazingly tragic story; a testament that love doesn't die. 5 days before his birthday; very unfair.

 

Dirk, I love the cigarette cases. They usually have great engraving. I have a few I will post.

Here is a cigarette case that was intended to be a birthday present for an original “Flying Tiger.” In 1941 John E. Petach joined the American Volunteer Group or AVG to fly for China. He flew P40-E fighters and shot down three Japanese bombers on January 23, 1942. On July 4, 1942, the AVG passed out of existence when the Army Air Force took over the job with its 23rd fighter group. Almost all of the original flying Tigers returned home but some were needed to stay behind to help train the newly formed 23rd. Petach was asked to stay. He was going to return home with the girl he recently married, one of the two AVG nurses, Emma Jane “Red” Foster Petach. On July 10, 1942 he went on a mission and on a dive bombing run, he was hit by ground fire, his ship went down and he was killed. Emma Jane Foster from Bellefonte, Pennsylvania, a Penn State graduate, was the only RN to serve in China with the AVG. On February 16, 1942, she and Pete Petach were married by AVG Chaplain Paul Frillman, with the blessing of Claire Chennault, in Kunming, China. . After his death, his wife, Emma Jane Petach, returned to her hometown of Bellefonte, Pennsylvania. Bellefonte was where these items were bought at an estate sale in the 1980’s. The silver cigarette case was made by Marathon and was a birthday present that “Jane” could never give to “Pete” since he died five days before his birthday. The monogram on the front is a “P” and the inscription reads:

Pete,

Happy Birthday

Love, Jane

July 15, 1942

All of the AVG items were found in the Cigarette case.

Dick

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  • 2 months later...
  • 5 weeks later...

Thought I would add a recent addition to the collection. A post War example to a 1st Mar Div Marine. Not as fine of work as the pre-war examples but still much nicer than I expected. Like the wavy engraving patterns on the reverse inscription.

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  • 2 months later...

This Cigarette Case is named to Michael Tschetter and is marked April 15, 1936, Peking, North China. The Cigarette case is Cloisonné enamel over silver. It is 3 3/8” X 4 1/8.” Michael Tschetter Jr. was born in Greencastle, Indiana on October 9, 1900. He enlisted in the United Stated Marine Corps at Spokane, Washington on June 22, 1922. After training at the Marine Barracks, Navy Yard, Mare Island, California he was assigned to Guard Company Number One, Marine Barracks, Navy Yard, Puget Sound, Washington. In January of 1924 he was assigned to the Marine Detachment of the U.S.S Pennsylvania. Tschetter served on the Pennsylvania until April of 1925 when he served at 25th Company, 4th Regiment, Marine Corps Base, San Diego, California. He embarked aboard the U.S.S. Chaumont at San Diego, California on September 6, 1929 to serve with the 39th Company, Marine Detachment, American Legation, Peiping, China. He served in Peiping until June 1932 when he sailed as part of the Marine Casual Detail on board the USS Chaumont to Shanghai, China. Tschetter served with Company M, 3rd Battalion, 4th Marines, Marine Corps Expeditionary Force, Shanghai, China. The battalion supported the American sector of Shanghai after fighting nearby had broken out between Chinese and Japanese forces. The battalion's presence deterred a Japanese takeover of the settlement after they had driven Chinese forces from the surrounding area. Tschetter served in Shanghai until May of 1933 when he was re-assigned to Company A, Marine Detachment, American Legation, Peiping, China. In May of 1935 Tschetter was assigned to Battery ''D'' (75mm Pack Howitzer), Second Battalion, Tenth Marines, Fleet Marine Force, San Diego, California. In June of 1939 Tschetter was again sent to China where served with Company "F", Second Battalion, Fourth Marines, in Shanghai, China where the 4th Marines were expected to oppose Japanese ambitions He served in Shanghai until September of 1941 when he was transferred to with Battery H, Tenth Marines, Second Marine Division, Fleet Marine Force, Camp Elliott, San Diego, California. During World War Two Tschetter served with Battery B, Twelfth Marines, Third Marine Division, and with the Second Battalion, Fifteenth Marines, Sixth Marine Division. Tschetter took part in Bougainville, Guam and also took part in the landing force in the Battle for Iwo Jima. The Second Marine Division fought on Iwo Jima until the end of organized resistance on 16 March 1945. First Sergeant Michael Tschetter Jr. retired from the United Stated Marine Corps on August 1, 1952. Michael Tschetter Jr. died in Greencastle, Indiana on June 4, 1956.

Dick

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