100 Year Old Gold Block Tin - 4oz Seal Intact (Pic Heavy)
- Thread starter ashdigger
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Beautiful tin; I'm sorry it was compromised. Hopefully the rehydration will work!
As for the originator of the blend, the cursive script utilized at this time is deceptive in the extreme. The name really reads "D. Ritchie & Co.". Yes, I know it doesn't look like that, but trust me: that's what it says.
I'm sorry I don't have time for a real write-up, but in brief David Ritchie was born in Ireland in 1852, immigrated to Canada in 1865, and set up shop in Montreal about 1876 under the name Dominion Cut Tobacco works. The business operated out of various addresses before being bought in 1895 by the newly formed American Tobacco of Canada as part of their roll-up of the Canadian cigarette industry. ATC in turn was swallowed up by Imperial Tobacco of Canada in 1908, a by-product, as I recall, of the turbulence surrounding the anti-trust activity then targeted at American Tobacco.
Incidentally, if you track down an image of one of the Ritchie tins the cursive is more obviously a rendition of "D. Ritchie & Co."
As for the originator of the blend, the cursive script utilized at this time is deceptive in the extreme. The name really reads "D. Ritchie & Co.". Yes, I know it doesn't look like that, but trust me: that's what it says.
I'm sorry I don't have time for a real write-up, but in brief David Ritchie was born in Ireland in 1852, immigrated to Canada in 1865, and set up shop in Montreal about 1876 under the name Dominion Cut Tobacco works. The business operated out of various addresses before being bought in 1895 by the newly formed American Tobacco of Canada as part of their roll-up of the Canadian cigarette industry. ATC in turn was swallowed up by Imperial Tobacco of Canada in 1908, a by-product, as I recall, of the turbulence surrounding the anti-trust activity then targeted at American Tobacco.
Incidentally, if you track down an image of one of the Ritchie tins the cursive is more obviously a rendition of "D. Ritchie & Co."
You might be surprised. I just recently rehydrated some mummified Condor Sliced from the 80's that was only wrapped in foil and low and behold it smoked pretty damn good! I then threw a bit of fresh Condor in with it and it came back to life completely! I look forward to hearing about your experience with it.
Okay. Here's the updated photos of the interior of the tin and stuff. This is NOT a cutter top. It is just a twist off lid after the seal is broken. The lid came off freakishly easy. Under the lid is the large paper disc and then under it is the "buy British". The coolest find was a paper packet, that at first I thought was sample cigarettes, because Gold Block was used extensively for cigarette filler, but instead it contained four pipe cleaners.
I managed to get the tobacco out in essentially one large clump, so that should make hydrating it easier as opposed to re-hydrating mummy dust that resembles snuff.
The pictures show the sequence. I'll let you folks know how the hydration project goes.
I managed to get the tobacco out in essentially one large clump, so that should make hydrating it easier as opposed to re-hydrating mummy dust that resembles snuff.
The pictures show the sequence. I'll let you folks know how the hydration project goes.
What a find, always exciting can I ask how much you paid for it, and where you got it from. Please tell us what it smokes like.
Oldmansmoking
Oldmansmoking
Old man, I was gifted the tin from across the pond (your side of the island), so that answers both questions. :
:
Once I get it hydrated I'll let you folks know how it smokes.
:Once I get it hydrated I'll let you folks know how it smokes.
That is a beautiful tin, love the tin art and everything about it. Thats history gold right there. Love it man, thank you for all the pictures!
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