1800's Tobacco Available Today?

[Nhassey48]

Wow! Thank you so much for all the inputs! I wouldn’t need something so authentic that it was unenjoyable or not practical. I was looking more for something that I could just sit back and think about a simpler time with a side thought of moving to the west. I agree that it probably wasn’t English, which is too bad because I do enjoy some English made blends. Maybe I’ll just go with something American, readily available and affordable. I’m sure I can force my mind to fill in the “un authentic” gaps.

 

[Nhassey48]

I can understand the nostalgic experience you would like to enjoy. Like the days of old. I believe the practice of twist tobacco goes back to the Native Americans and would have been present in the time frame that's depicted on Little House. However, getting your hands on some may be tricky. You can still get plugs (again very old practice) that would get you the experience of the olden days.

Yes! Exactly. Not necessarily super authentic but something close. Just to sit and wonder why life was like back then.

 

[FurCoat]

I would say unflavored plugs and twists.

 

[danish]

St. Bruno (I am smoking it right now) came on the market around 1890 in UK.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

What we do now with briar and these modern tobacco blends is really nothing even remotely close to what the Early Americans were doing. Besides putting some of these small shop twists into a clay... you're not going to find much of anything like the strong tobaccos men smoked in the day. There area few in the C&D line that they market as being Early American, but they are composed of Virginias, which couldn't have been a thing. But, I say, let the magic of marketing transpose you back to an imaginative make-believe time long long ago, with something like Yorktown. It's not even close to what they smoked, but just allow yourself the illusion of marketing. It's a pretty good blend, despite...

 

[warren]

simpler time

Simpler time? Really? It was so simple I doubt the majority of today's population could go back and survive the stress of simple survival. Hell, we don't even have to work. Food gets delivered from ... well, somewhere, who cares where? If you couldn't grow it you probably didn't eat. Families had children ti ease the work load. No control of disease (Well, that's fairly similar to the present.) People had to depend on each other for survival when times were tough. Life seems simple to us, today, but, it was a damned tough way to live when compared to life today.

I suppose one could see life as simpler back then when maintaining "life" was the predominant concern. There were no hospitals in the rural areas, a serious wound might be attended by a doctor. More than likely healing was dependent on time and the concern of a family member. Travel time was measured in days at the speed of a train at best and on foot normally. Rural labor needs handled with oxen, mules, etc or simple one family member in harness, another steering the plow.

Today we take life as pretty much a given. Now days we can devote time to worrying about all of the things we have no control. We have all sorts of time to philosophize, watch TV, take vacations, be self-centered, etc. We have the simpler life today. Each succeeding generation seems to have a simpler life.

Imagine a life with no ... peanut butter.

 

[chilllucky]

If you're curious about the history of tobacco in America, I can recommend "Making Tobacco Bright" by Barbara Hahn.

It's a little over my head, as far as the academic, economic points it's driving towards, but it is exhaustive in describing when, where, and how tobacco functioned in the colonies, the early republic, civil war era, and into industrialization.

 

[Sloopjohnbee]

Simpler time? Really? It was so simple I doubt the majority of today's population could go back and survive the stress of simple survival. Hell, we don't even have to work. Food gets delivered from ... well, somewhere, who cares where? If you couldn't grow it you probably didn't eat. Families had children ti ease the work load. No control of disease (Well, that's fairly similar to the present.) People had to depend on each other for survival when times were tough. Life seems simple to us, today, but, it was a damned tough way to live when compared to life today.

I suppose one could see life as simpler back then when maintaining "life" was the predominant concern. There were no hospitals in the rural areas, a serious wound might be attended by a doctor. More than likely healing was dependent on time and the concern of a family member. Travel time was measured in days at the speed of a train at best and on foot normally. Rural labor needs handled with oxen, mules, etc or simple one family member in harness, another steering the plow.

Today we take life as pretty much a given. Now days we can devote time to worrying about all of the things we have no control. We have all sorts of time to philosophize, watch TV, take vacations, be self-centered, etc. We have the simpler life today. Each succeeding generation seems to have a simpler life.

Imagine a life with no ... peanut butter.

So True!

 

[Recon Paul]

Do a Google Search for Cotton Boll Twist. This is a locally produced twist, and it is like what people would have smoked. You'll get a better idea of why pipe bowls were so small in those old clay pipes, and you'll see what pussies pipesmokers are now with our commercially produced low nicotine offerings. Back in the day, men were men. We wanted strong tobaccos and strong ciders and liquors. None of this watery beer and weak martinis.

While he had long given up both booze and smoke, my father often criticized the popularity of light beer and filtered cigarettes. To that end he described beer as "elephant piss" and considered it a vice fit for women and boys. He was born in 1930 and drank Sanka, black. I guess his goal was to disgust himself awake each morning.

 

[Recon Paul]

If you're curious about the history of tobacco in America, I can recommend "Making Tobacco Bright" by Barbara Hahn.

It's a little over my head, as far as the academic, economic points it's driving towards, but it is exhaustive in describing when, where, and how tobacco functioned in the colonies, the early republic, civil war era, and into industrialization.

Thank you. I eat up that type of exhaustive literature.

 

[chilllucky]

...I guess his goal was to disgust himself awake each morning.

Back when humors were scientific medicine, 'bile' was a powerful one.

 

[workman]

I would say unflavored plugs and twists.

Actually I think many of their blends were scented. Not exactly cherry and mango, but whiskey, rum, various herbs and aromatic oils à la Lakeland wouldn't have been uncommon, even back then.

 

[J.GANDY]

I'm in Nashville and heading up to Mammoth Cave with the family in a couple weeks. Any unsweetened, unflavored twists out there I should keep an eye out for?

One of everything please.

 

[jpberg]

Simpler time? Really? It was so simple I doubt the majority of today's population could go back and survive the stress of simple survival. Hell, we don't even have to work. Food gets delivered from ... well, somewhere, who cares where? If you couldn't grow it you probably didn't eat. Families had children ti ease the work load. No control of disease (Well, that's fairly similar to the present.) People had to depend on each other for survival when times were tough. Life seems simple to us, today, but, it was a damned tough way to live when compared to life today.

I suppose one could see life as simpler back then when maintaining "life" was the predominant concern. There were no hospitals in the rural areas, a serious wound might be attended by a doctor. More than likely healing was dependent on time and the concern of a family member. Travel time was measured in days at the speed of a train at best and on foot normally. Rural labor needs handled with oxen, mules, etc or simple one family member in harness, another steering the plow.

Today we take life as pretty much a given. Now days we can devote time to worrying about all of the things we have no control. We have all sorts of time to philosophize, watch TV, take vacations, be self-centered, etc. We have the simpler life today. Each succeeding generation seems to have a simpler life.

Imagine a life with no ... peanut butter.

Warren, you win the most grizzled member of the day award.
Please contact Admin to get your possum carcass shipped out

 

[J.GANDY]

Yes! Exactly. Not necessarily super authentic but something close. Just to sit and wonder why life was like back then.

I can relate to that. Spending an evening sitting around a fire enjoying a pipe! I recently asked on here about plugs, ropes and twist because some of them are definitely non-existent or hard to find. I got a number of suggestions from members regarding plugs easier to come by. I'm excited to place my next order. Peruse a few of the site sponsors Smoking pipes, p&c, ect. and see what fits the bill for you now that you have a better idea what to look for.

 

[haparnold]

I'm in Nashville and heading up to Mammoth Cave with the family in a couple weeks. Any unsweetened, unflavored twists out there I should keep an eye out for?

Mammoth Cave, Cotton Boll, and Wild Duck are all good and in the same vein. Chewing some was the only time I've ever thrown up from Nicotine, so not for the faint of heart. Your best bet for finding some is to look at Mom-and-Pop grocery stores (CB Grocery stores should carry some), or maybe truck stop-type places in small towns. Good huntin'!

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Warren is one of my favorite posters and (what I consider) a great friend. He has a way with his posts to kindly answer your questions (sometimes), address unconsidered problems, and growl like a bear awaken from slumber too early, all at the same time. And, always entertaining. What one needs to understand is that he is both an artist and pioneer out there in Alaska. I am always pleased when he graces posts with his wisdom.

 

[FurCoat]

Actually I think many of their blends were scented. Not exactly cherry and mango, but whiskey, rum, various herbs and aromatic oils à la Lakeland wouldn't have been uncommon, even back then.

True. Sailors would store tobacco in rum barrels.

 

[warren]

I stand a respectful distance, hat in hand, fumbling with the brim, toe scuffing the dirt, head humbly bowed, I knuckle my forhead reverently and mumble, "Thanks Coz ."

 

[condorlover1]

The good old days when you would sit around the camp fire drinking corn whiskey and admiring each others syphilis scars whilst wondering which one of your teeth would fall out next!