Agreed! To be honest, there’s some really things stuff in some these ads to begin with. Maybe weird is the wrong word.......?
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In 1995 I was in Harrod's cigar humidor where I picked out a selection of Hoyo de Monterey Cubans. I paid the keeper of the humidor and as I waited for my wife the gentlemen keeper asked me what was wrong with Americans? I asked if he could be more specific. He said he had heard that in the States you couldn't smoke a cigar anywhere you liked. I told him that was very true, to which he replied, "What's the matter with you people?" I said it was complex, but asked him if he knew who the Pilgrim Fathers that came to America were. He said he did. I told him one definition of a Pilgrim is a group of people concerned with other people having a good time. A light went off in his head and he said he understood. I then asked if I could ask him a question? He said, "By all means, Sir." I said I wondered what was wrong with the British? He said, "How so Sir?" I said it was my understanding you couldn't carry a gun anywhere you wanted to. His eyes got big and a smile crossed his mouth and with a wink he said, "Touche, Sir. Touche!"For Christmas I bought my mum and dad a copy of the Harrods catalogue from 1895. Harrods is an exclusive department store in London, I don't know what the American equivalent would be? Macy's?
Anyway, it is a massive book with loads of different departments and of course a brilliant tobacco/pipes section. I tried to photograph the pages but didn't have much luck. There is however a digital version online that you can view and I've provided a link at the bottom. The tobacco section is 'Number. 3 department."
Here's a few pictures:
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And here's the link to the catalogue History: Victorian shopping : Harrod's catalogue 1895: Contents - https://digicoll.library.wisc.edu/cgi-bin/History/History-idx?type=header&id=History.VictorianShopping&isize=M&pview=hide
That doesn't surprise me as over the last couple of decades all forms of smoking have been in decline whether it be cigarettes, pipes or cigars. I think it's a combination of constant tax hikes and continuously more draconian anti tobacco legislation. The ban on smoking in pubs was one thing but now they are talking about banning it in places like parks?.In 1995 I was in Harrod's cigar humidor where I picked out a selection of Hoyo de Monterey Cubans. I paid the keeper of the humidor and as I waited for my wife the gentlemen keeper asked me what was wrong with Americans? I asked if he could be more specific. He said he had heard that in the States you couldn't smoke a cigar anywhere you liked. I told him that was very true, to which he replied, "What's the matter with you people?" I said it was complex, but asked him if he knew who the Pilgrim Fathers that came to America were. He said he did. I told him one definition of a Pilgrim is a group of people concerned with other people having a good time. A light went off in his head and he said he understood. I then asked if I could ask him a question? He said, "By all means, Sir." I said I wondered what was wrong with the British? He said, "How so Sir?" I said it was my understanding you couldn't carry a gun anywhere you wanted to. His eyes got big and a smile crossed his mouth and with a wink he said, "Touche, Sir. Touche!"
By the way its a beautiful store but with a much smaller tobacco department as of 2016, my last visit there.
Late to this thread, but what an awesome find! Wish I had a better handle on the old fractional currency to better figure out the pricesFor Christmas I bought my mum and dad a copy of the Harrods catalogue from 1895. Harrods is an exclusive department store in London, I don't know what the American equivalent would be? Macy's?
Anyway, it is a massive book with loads of different departments and of course a brilliant tobacco/pipes section. I tried to photograph the pages but didn't have much luck. There is however a digital version online that you can view and I've provided a link at the bottom. The tobacco section is 'Number. 3 department."
Here's a few pictures:
View attachment 62795
View attachment 62796
View attachment 62797
View attachment 62798
View attachment 62799
And here's the link to the catalogue History: Victorian shopping : Harrod's catalogue 1895: Contents - https://digicoll.library.wisc.edu/cgi-bin/History/History-idx?type=header&id=History.VictorianShopping&isize=M&pview=hide
Old English Pounds were divided into Pounds, Shillings and Pennies. There were 20 Shillings in a Pound and 10 Pennies in a Shilling, so an old English Pound contained 240 Pennies.Late to this thread, but what an awesome find! Wish I had a better handle on the old fractional currency to better figure out the prices
While scouring the Web, I found the famous Prince Albert advertisements. Someone had collaged together and in put in chronological order.
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How much is that in real money? — — —Bad old joke asked by an ignorant Yankee...Old English Pounds were divided into Pounds, Shillings and Pennies. There were 20 Shillings in a Pound and 10 Pennies in a Shilling, so an old English Pound contained 240 Pennies.
An example from the catalogue would be the Wills Capstan Full which was 5/6 per lb. This means it was 5 Shillings and 6 Pence so 66 Pence.
66 Pence for a pound of tobacco, the equivalent price today would be about £144 ?.
That's taxes for you?. A lb of Capstan 125 years ago was just 66p, today you'd pay about £144 for the same amount?.How much is that in real money? — — —Bad old joke asked by an ignorant Yankee...
But in a serious vein, how was the equivalency calculated? That's some multiplier! An increase of 340 times!