They are rectangles of felt, printed with colour images - the ones in our
collection are flags of the world.  So each felt block has a different image
of a flag.  My understanding is that they came as premiums with tobacco
products, kind of like the toy in the Cracker Jack box.  In our collection,
we have a number of loose felt blocks, plus we have a quilt/comforter that
has been made out of a complete set of flags.  My vague recollection is that
these date from the early 20th century through 1930, but I could be wrong on
that without checking the catalogue.


   At 10:29 AM 8/8/97 -0400, you wrote:
>Could you (briefly) explain what these things are?  Are
>the flannel and silk worn by the smokers, or used to gently
>wrap up the products, or does this refer to designs printed
>on flannel or silk...or...?  Those of us who keep our cigarettes
>in cardboard and our cigars in cellophane must be WAY out of it.
>
>Mary Day Kent
>University of Pennsylvania Museum
>
>
>
>>Hi,
>>
>>A dear friend and quilt historian (non-digital) has been
>>asked to appraise some cigar flannel pieced textiles for
>>insurance purposes.  Between the two of us, we have only
>>found a very few scant information resources on this type
>>of textile.  Cigarette silks, a related sort of item, are
>>abundant in the research and display sources.
>>
>>If anyone knows of a collection or an item of cigar
>>flannel(s), could you please let me know off-list?  I'd
>>like to help her out if I can.
>>
>>Thank you much!
>>
>>Zoe
>>
>>
>
>
Thomas A. Reitz
Manager/Curator
Doon Heritage Crossroads
R.R. #2
Kitchener, Ontario, Canada N2G 3W5

Telephone:  519-748-1439 ext. 227
Fax:        519-748-0009
e-mail:     [log in to unmask]
http://www.region.waterloo.on.ca/doon/