War time cigarettes

[everforward]

Anyone have a pack of these or know anything about them…? Saw them over the weekend….

 

 

[Mac.military]

Picked this up in Louisville this past week.  I have collected WW2 Cigarettes for a number of years, but have never seen anything like this.  I wanted to toss this out to people who are more knowledgeable about this than me.

 

These cigarettes were bundled together with a box of matches.  The cellophane wrapper is shown in the first photograph.  Has anyone seen anything like this before?  

 

1.  The cigarettes look like they are 1942 or 1943 vintage.  No LS/MFT on the bottom (1944 and on).  Plus brown paper on top, not silver foil.

2.  I did not open the cellophane, one of the previous owners did.  I would not have done that!  However, it is probably a blessing, as the cigarettes have a depression in the pack and damage to the cellophane where the matches were placed.  I carefully removed the contents without any further damage.  I will store all contents shown in a small hard plastic container.

3.  Research on the matches show a 1942 or 1943 vintage as well.

4.  Cigarettes have military stamp on the pack.  Vintage WW2 type.

 

As anyone seen this before, because I have not?  Could these have been from an early K ration pack, something handed out by the Red Cross, and Invasion handout?  Your thoughts please!

[majkejevrosime]

On 2/26/2024 at 2:13 PM, Mac.military said:

Picked this up in Louisville this past week.  I have collected WW2 Cigarettes for a number of years, but have never seen anything like this.  I wanted to toss this out to people who are more knowledgeable about this than me.

 

These cigarettes were bundled together with a box of matches.  The cellophane wrapper is shown in the first photograph.  Has anyone seen anything like this before?  

 

1.  The cigarettes look like they are 1942 or 1943 vintage.  No LS/MFT on the bottom (1944 and on).  Plus brown paper on top, not silver foil.

2.  I did not open the cellophane, one of the previous owners did.  I would not have done that!  However, it is probably a blessing, as the cigarettes have a depression in the pack and damage to the cellophane where the matches were placed.  I carefully removed the contents without any further damage.  I will store all contents shown in a small hard plastic container.

3.  Research on the matches show a 1942 or 1943 vintage as well.

4.  Cigarettes have military stamp on the pack.  Vintage WW2 type.

 

As anyone seen this before, because I have not?  Could these have been from an early K ration pack, something handed out by the Red Cross, and Invasion handout?  Your thoughts please!

Very interesting packaging!

 

I would love to see a picture of the sides of the Lucky packet to read the exact wording. Possible please?

[manayunkman]

On 1/13/2020 at 10:53 AM, Dogsbody said:

Great display and very nice tobacco tins.

 

Rene

Rene you are missed.

[General Apathy]

On 10/5/2024 at 2:42 AM, manayunkman said:

Rene you are missed.

.

Hi Peter,

 

thank you, yes we both certainly miss Rene ( forum name Dogsbody ) who started this cigarette thread and participated in many others,  I thought I would attach the post from the Taps forum in case other members reading this thread were unaware  of his passing.

 

[Mr_Flibble]

On 3/2/2021 at 3:16 PM, General Apathy said:

.

From the Shoebox . . . . . . . . 

 

just re-found this ' Overseas Package - Flameless lighter ' whilst looking for something else, well smokers would need something to light their cigarettes with.

 

I have no idea how this works as there doesn't appear to be a flint or such, no striker wheel, no batteries just the fuel to be added. 

 

.

 

 

cheers lewis.

 

.

Little late to the party,
But these run on methylated alcohol and it reacts with a catalyst coated to the wire mesh in the red tip. .
You put the cigarette to the mesh and take a drag from it. The alcohol vapours are drawn up through the mesh and reacts with the catalyst to glow red hot.

I can imagine sucking up methylated alcohol and partially reacted side products can't be particularly healthy.

I don't have a lot of historical tobacciana, except for a pack of "Amateur" cigarettes that were popular in The Netherlands during the war.

[General Apathy]

35 minutes ago, Mr_Flibble said:

Little late to the party,
But these run on methylated alcohol and it reacts with a catalyst coated to the wire mesh in the red tip. .
You put the cigarette to the mesh and take a drag from it. The alcohol vapours are drawn up through the mesh and reacts with the catalyst to glow red hot.

I can imagine sucking up methylated alcohol and partially reacted side products can't be particularly healthy.

I don't have a lot of historical tobacciana, except for a pack of "Amateur" cigarettes that were popular in The Netherlands during the war.

.

Hi Flibble

 

Thanks for the explanation, never found the explanation anywhere else. 

 

regards lewis

[mikie]

On 10/6/2024 at 11:52 PM, General Apathy said:

.

Hi Peter,

 

thank you, yes we both certainly miss Rene ( forum name Dogsbody ) who started this cigarette thread and participated in many others,  I thought I would attach the post from the Taps forum in case other members reading this thread were unaware  of his passing.

 

😢

[Growlrr]

Hi everyone.  I'm new to the group here, but wanted to share some pics of part of my collection.  I've been collecting WWII militaria for better than 30 years (mostly "bunk junk") and of course cigarettes are a big part of the soldiers personal gear.  Everything is 100% authentic and some of them have been with me for more than 25 years.  The MacArthur cigarette pack and matches (and even the gum), are among my favorites.  

[everforward]

Nice, and welcome to the USMF…great first post..!

 

You’ve accumulated some great stuff….Love the cartons of Camels and Chesterfields.

 

As far as your other items, my favorite is the Ex-Lax matchbook, LOL….

[danimal03]

hello,

As most know, in WWII the American public in general, and especially servicemembers, smoked. You see the ubiquitous cigarette in period photos of GIs in most photos.

 

When collecting, I prefer to capture a slice of period history, all aspects.

 

I have a small display of WWII 'morale' match books, cocktail napkins, cigarettes, barware, etc.

 

I just picked up these four EMPTY cigarette packs from a dealer for CHEAP. Two of these brands I have never heard of. Raleigh was common enough and I have seen a few Domino packs, but never the Winfield and Wallstreet brands.

 

I thought these were neat and worth sharing.  Thank you.  Cheers!

[danimal03]

hello,

I picked up a few more WWII era packs.  Three are empty.  The Chesterfields is full.  Pictured with a wartime crackle finish Zippo.  I have never seen the Convoy brand before.  I thought it was neat that there are ships around the compass. Cheers!

[Vinclenormand]

Some of mine stuff.

 

[General Apathy]

.

Hi Dogsbody  / Rene  ( deceased )

 

Hello Rene,  well as a fitting tribute to you starting this cigarette thread, it's still rolling along 

 

I should have added my favourite cigarette packet find but I was distracted with other chores.  I have owned Jeeps for years and was amazed in 2023 to see this reproduction packet with the Jeep brand.  It is a well produced packet with a block of wood filling the space.   The packets are easy to recognise as all the horizontal stripes are printed black lines, also there is NO blue tax stamp sealing the top.  As I had never seen one before and never imagined I would find a real packet so I bought it to display in my toy Jeep display case.

 

Move forward to March 2025 and I attended a local militaria fair about three miles from my house, I had drifted around looking at all the tables and was intent on not buying anything and getting ready to leave, when on my last circle of the stands I spotted this Jeep packet, asking to look at it I realised it was the real deal BUT empty, however there were the remains of tobacco pieces visible.  It also has the blue tax stamp and also importantly the top line is red and it's the rip off strip to open the cellophane. It cost 5 euros,

I never imagined finding one and then to find one three miles from home unimaginable and its proudly sits in my Jeep glass display case.

 

 

.....................................................................................................................................................................................

 

 

 

 

 

regards lewis.

 

...

[everforward]

Very cool Ken, dunno if I’ve ever seen a pack of those. The pack is in great shape indeed…!

[General Apathy]

1 hour ago, everforward said:

Very cool Ken, dunno if I’ve ever seen a pack of those. The pack is in great shape indeed…!

.

Hi everforward,

 

As you know I am a bit of a Jeep freak and so it was quite a find for me,  wish I had found more.  I bought several of the Jeep reproduction ones and gave them to Jeeping friends for their display cabinets.  

 

Fingers crossed for a dry morning tomorrow for going Jeeping for a coffee,  or LIGHT rain if it is raining !!!!!!

 

cheers lewis

 

...

[General Apathy]

15 hours ago, everforward said:

Very cool Ken, dunno if I’ve ever seen a pack of those. The pack is in great shape indeed…!

.

hi everforward,

 

In my initial post I tried to highlight the differences between the reproduction and real packets.  I have no problem posting a photograph below of a dealer selling a pack clearly described as ' Reproduction ' and asking 12 euros,  However searching on-line last night a US seller on an international auction site had a Reproduction packet advertised at over 300 dollars. Buyer Beware.

 

The real packets have a red tear-open strip on the outer cellophane as all cellophane wrapped packets,  on the reproduction ones its a black print stripe on the inner package.

 

 

 

cheers lewis.

 

..

 

[jerry_k]

Hey. 

 

I a little bit lost my mind right now. Got this pack many many years ago as WW2 exmple... it is true? 

For sure, post-1943, with bottom markings: L.S./M.F.T., but cellophane outside and silver wrapping? Tax-free banderole.

THX, Jerry

 

 

[General Apathy]

.

Hi Jerry K.

 

Sorry I can't positively confirm a date for your Lucky Strike pack, I would like to think it is WWII however It doesn't help that it doesn't have the standard government tax stamp with a series number which would have positively identified it.   Also the tax-free band it does have on hasn't been attached flatly and has fold hiding lettering of the words, I don't have any similar packs in my collection, I always went for packs with series numbers on them.  I tried to enlarge your pack to see if it was easier to read. 

 

 

regards lewis 

 

[everforward]

FWIW,

If it was stretched so that there was no fold, I believe it would say 'Sea Stores'......so one possibility is USN, on-board ship purchases.

[General Apathy]

5 hours ago, everforward said:

FWIW,

If it was stretched so that there was no fold, I believe it would say 'Sea Stores'......so one possibility is USN, on-board ship purchases.

.

Hi Everforward,

 

Well done, thank you, I had been mentally running through the alphabet,  but ' Sea Stores ' never came to mind  that would help explain ' Fraudulent landing or sale in the U.S. 

 

regards lewis.

 

...

[jerry_k]

Hi, thanks for the insights. 

Yes, there is a SEA Stores, here is a similar "tag" for a full can of Chesterfields from a California USMC collector - courtesy FB page USMC SLOPE-CHUTE

 

Based on opinions which I got from my internet search and this thread, I guess they are post-war in this kind of package - inner packing and cellophane outer packing. 

Right, Ken, the government tax stamp with the series is the best option, or a typical "free of tax" stamp with Alaska and Hawaii mentioned in text - [...]  for military or naval forces in Alaska and Hawaii or for outside the jurisdiction of the internal revenue laws of the United States [...]

This site is very helpful - https://www.questmasters.us/Crates_Page_3.html

 

I found in the meantime a few replacements and accessories for my future display projects...

 

 

 

Cigarette tobacco 113 series

 

Paper inner packing, no cellophane, typical late war example from 115 series. 

 

Pipe tobacco with "free of tax" stamp. 

 

Cheers,

Jerry

 

[CR.Militaria]

Just found this thread and this will be my first post! Got addicted to collecting war time cigarettes probably around Aug/Sept of 2025, so I think I've done pretty well collecting in the last few months! 

[everforward]

Welcome...! You've done well in a short time, you have some beauties in there.

[Collector .45]

A couple of full packs I have in my collection. 

- Henry