Orient Tobacco Manufacturing Company c1910 coloured lithographs of company cigar products
Dheeraj Khiytani was recently in touch. He writes: I’m a native of Hong Kong, born and bred with an interest in tobacciana. Specifically I have been collecting early US or English cigarette packs for a number of years.
A dealer of mine recently offered me a pristine catalogue of coloured lithographs of cigar products manufactured by the Orient Tobacco Company, Hong Kong. Needless to say I bought this immediately and am awaiting it’s delivery to me in England.
The reason I am contacting you is because I came across your excellent website whilst doing research to find out more about this company. I understand there were a number of contributors to the various articles on The Orient, one being a direct descendant of the original founder.
I thought you might be interested in a few photos sent to me by the seller, which I have found truly wonderful. Date is circa 1910 although I would like to have this verified. However the 20 or so brands mentioned in the ‘Grandasia’ line from the catalogue match precisely those from the price list provided by Mr Schneider dated 1911 so the dating seems pretty accurate.
Dheeraj added in a later email:
I have reached out to a contact of mine who belongs to the UK Cigarette Packet Collectors Club of which I am a member. He is our resident international expert on cigarette packs and I hope he will be able to provide further information on The Orient, or other tobacco manufacturers in Hong Kong. I will certainly let you know if I hear anything.
I am also a member of the US Cigarette Pack Collectors Association and whilst they do focus on US items, some members do collect packs from abroad. I will also reach out to some of the members I know to ask if they know anything. The links to the two club are below should you wish to make contact yourself, we are a friendly group both in the UK and UK.
US Cigarette Pack Collectors Association
Contact Dick Elliott at cigpack@aol.com
Cigarette Packet Collectors Club GB
Contact: John Kitchen at chaserfree@hotmail.co.uk
HF: Thanks very much to Dheeraj. If and when he is able to verify the date(s) of the lithographs or able to provide further information about the Orient Tobacco Manufactory in Hong Kong, or worldwide I shall update this article.
What information we already have on the company can be found in the articles linked below.
This article was first posted on 7th August 2019.
Related Indhhk articles:
- Orient Tobacco Manufactory – many questions, any answers? – initial research
- Carl Ingenohl – owner of the Orient Tobacco Manufactory Company
- The Orient Tobacco Manufactory Company – updated information
- El Oriente – link to the Orient Tobacco Manufactory Company and Carl Ingenohl
- The Orient Tobacco Manufactory Company – location
- The Orient Tobacco Manufactory Company – 1911 price list including factory drawing and map
- Orient Tobacco Manufactory – HK factory location, map and plan of works layout
- Orient Tobacco Manufactory – pricelists and (Central?) shop
- Orient Tobacco Manufactory – photographs inside the factory
- Orient Tobacco Manufactory – Hong Kong cigar packaging
- El Oriente – Cigar Factory and Tobacco Plantations – Manila Management Structure