Tobacco Leather

Scope and content:

This example of tobacco memorabilia is a tobacco leather, a small piece of leather with a printed side given out for free with the purchase of a pack of cigarettes. This particular leather includes a picture of the Rotunda and Lawn of the University of Virginia. The leather is orange and the image in silver with only minimal wear and tear. There is no indication on the front or back of the leather which Tobacco company produced it. It can be surmised that this leather was part of a series produced on colleges to entice students of those schools to buy a particular brand of tobacco. In addition to leather, flannel and silk were also used to target different demographics (Silk to women, leather to students, flannels would take on a fake Indian motif). This Tobacco leather can be found alongside other pieces of Tobacco memorabilia in the Manuscripts Artifacts Collection. Located in Dec Obj S2, SS1, Box 12. Mss 2010.088

Access and use

Location of collection:
College of William and Mary
Special Collections Research Center
Earl Gregg Swem Library
College of William and Mary
400 Landrum Drive
PO 8795
Williamsburg, VA 23187-8795
Contact for questions and access:
Phone: (757) 221-3090
Fax: (757) 221-5440
Parent restrictions:
Collection is open to all researchers. Manuscript collections and archival records may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information that is protected under federal or state right to privacy laws and regulations, such as the Virginia Public Records Act (Code of Virginia. § 42.1-76-91); and the Virginia Freedom of Information Act (Code of Virginia § 2.2-3705.5). Confidential material may include, but is not limited to, educational, medical, and personnel records. If sensitive material is found in this collection, please contact a staff member immediately. The disclosure of personally identifiable information pertaining to a living individual may have legal consequences for which the College of William and Mary assumes no responsibility.
Parent terms of access:
Before reproducing or quoting from any materials, in whole or in part, permission must be obtained from the Special Collections Research Center, and the holder of the copyright, if not Swem Library.