10 Vintage Tobacco Tins — Prince Albert, Velvet, State Express, Craven A

A mixed lot of ten lithographed tobacco tins spanning American and British brands, dating primarily from the 1930s through 1960s. American examples include a Prince Albert Crimp Cut pocket tin by R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co., Winston-Salem, NC, and a Velvet Pipe & Cigarette Tobacco upright pocket tin (net weight 1½ oz). British flat tins include two State Express 333 examples, a State Express 555 with the 210 Piccadilly London address, a Craven "A" Virginia Cigarettes flat tin (cork tipped), an Ensign Navy Cut in dark teal, a Country Life Smoking Mixture Medium by John Player & Sons, and a Three Castles Cigarettes flat tin by W.D. & H.O. Wills of Bristol & London. The Panter Senoritas tin rounds out the lot with a bold lithographed jaguar on an orange ground. A Union of South Africa 3d duty stamp is affixed to the base of the State Express 555 tin, adding provenance interest for international collectors.

This lot includes:

• Prince Albert Crimp Cut pocket tin — R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co., Winston-Salem, NC (partial original contents)
• Velvet Pipe & Cigarette Tobacco pocket tin — 1½ oz (full original contents, sealed)
• Craven "A" Virginia Cigarettes flat tin — cork tipped
• State Express 555 flat tin — 210 Piccadilly, London W.1; Union of South Africa 3d duty stamp on base
• State Express 333 flat tin — red colorway
• State Express 333 flat tin — cream with red stripe
• Panter Senoritas flat tin — lithographed jaguar on orange ground
• Ensign Navy Cut flat tin — dark teal
• Country Life Smoking Mixture Medium flat tin — John Player & Sons
• Three Castles Cigarettes miniature flat tin — W.D. & H.O. Wills, Bristol & London

CONDITION

Good overall for a mixed-age group, with individual pieces ranging from Very Good to Fair. The State Express 555 flat tin shows heavy paint loss and oxidation along the rim edges. Most remaining flat tins carry light surface scratching and minor corner wear consistent with decades of storage.

DIMENSIONS / SPECIFICATIONS

• Lot Quantity: 10 tins
• (4) Large flat tins: 4.25" × 6" × .75"
• (1) Medium flat tin: 4" × 5" × 1"
• (2) Small flat tins: 3.25" × 4.5" × 1"
• (2) Upright pocket tins: 4.25" × 3" × 1"
• (1) Miniature flat tin: 2.75" × 3.25" × .25"
• Velvet tin: full original contents
• Prince Albert tin: partial original contents
• Notable marking: Union of South Africa 3d surtax stamp on State Express 555 tin