B. Morris & Sons Ltd Tobacco Manufacturers were a very old family firm established in 1810 and based at Half Moon Passage, Aldgate, E London. Moved to 21/29, Mansell St, N.London in 1826. This firm surprises me with it's range of Tobacco & Cigarette brands which included "Reina Regenta", "Joysticks", "Forcasta", "Blue Book" etc etc. I can't find a record of this tin on their brands list, but could well have been made for the export market (Egypt-Turkey). This firm also controlled Cabana Cigar Co, Ottoman Cigarette Co, E.Levy & Sons & Alberge & Bromet. From what I can gather, these "Whiffs" are cigarettes wrapped in tobacco leaf rather than paper. I think this is a nice tin even with the scratches and it would be great to see other items from this company.

bacco

Close-up and Gold Leaf Tin. Also, couple of adverts from the Smokers Magazine.

bacco

Hello Bacco

I suppose you know their Silk Cut, but this one with three of your heroes might be rarer

Kjeld

Hi Kjeld,

That is a nice tin and not come across it before. Is it a silk-cut brand?? I also notice on their listings they have a brand called Jabberwock (Army Cut). Have never seen this one but I read it has the meaning of a piece of nonsensicle, but amusing writing, popularised by Lewis Carrols book "Through the Looking Glass".

bacco

Hi Bacco,  nice tin. Most of the Morris items I have have a "foreign" flavor to them so maybe they specialised in that market. I also have a soft spot for the Egyptian style so here are some nice packs:

Nice thread folks

I would agree with Cabs that some of the designs look rather "Foreign" - the "blue Book" seems very continental though it could also be inspired from Sullivan up north.

The "Grandilla" looks very different and much more like Mediterranean or South American cigarillo designs, but this is what Whiffs are, if I get Bacco right? I have seen the tin once before in a Dutch collection.

I didn't quite get the Alice in Wonderland comment Bacco?

The tin with your gene/admirals is not a silk cut, just some kind of memorial tin I guess. The one below is the Silk Cut and it was arround at least in 1896.

Kjeld

Another new one to me Kjeld. Many thanks for taking the effort to post. that goes for everyone else too.

Cheers

Al.

Hi Cabs,

Those packs are very nice and colourful and can make a great collection. Kjeld, I knew I had seen that "Silk Cut" before and have posted my later version of the same. With regard to my Alice in Wonderland comment in relation to the tobacco brand name "Jabberwocky" originated from a poem of nonsense verse written by Lewis Carroll, originally featured as part of his novel "Through The Looking Glass" and What Alice Found There. (1872). It just seemed a peculiar name for a brand of tobacco.

bacco

Bacco

A slightly better condition example.

The illustration appears to be mechanically separated so I always figured this was mid 30's, although the graphics on the inside seem a little older.

I have had this "Grapevine" cigarette tin-sign for quite a while and have just looked up the brand which as far as I can tell was introduced 1905-08. This brand was the first that the firm introduced with a coupon in each packet which could be exchanged for gifts or as in this case for 200 coupons could be exchanged for a cigarette case with an hall marked gold mount. (With the price of gold shooting up, these cases could be a good find if you can get enough of them)!!! I have never come across them. Does anyone have a "Grapevine" tin or packet to show.

bacco