Cigarette silks?

[Josie Rosy Posy]

I don't collect these, but I came across some for sale while browsing Ebay the other day and was fascinated. Not only had I, my boss, nor the food editor ever heard of such things, but I have never seen one or known anyone who has collected them.
For anyone who has also never heard of them: Around the turn of the century, cigar companies began using pieces of silk to tie their cigars together to make them more desirable to customers (apparently before cigar boxes). When cigarette smoking became more popular, especially among women, cigarette companies began putting small pieces of silk in with the pack also as a marketing ploy. These tiny pieces of silk came in varying grades, depending on how "good" the brand was, always with a picture painted on them. Some brands put out series of pictures so that customers would be compelled to collect them, which they did. The scheme was mainly directed at women, who would often use them in sewing. There are even collectible crazy quilts from the time with these little "silkies" sewn into them.
Who knew? It's just a wonder to me that I have never heard of them because they were going on Ebay pretty cheap, so I assume that means they are not hard to come by so far despite the fact that they stopped making them in the 1930's.
Does anyone out there collect these? I would love to see some pictures.

[Good Buddy]

My mother has a framed set of those. I'll get my parents to take a picture and send it to me. I'll post it.

[Other People s Junk]

Nope, don't collect them, but had heard about them as I am a big fan of old crazy quilts.  (Not that I collect those, either- the really neat ones are too much $$!)  I saw a picture (in a book? can't remember) of a quilt made entirely of cigarette silks, and it was a beauty! 

[Magpie18]

I saw an episode of the Antiques Roadshow that had a particularily fine example of a cigar silk quilt.  I think it was all shades of yellow, orange & gold.

Never seen any in the local antique mall stalls though...

[ChrisMiss]

I had never heard of such silks before.  I went on eBay and looked but they only had one quilt so I did a search online and found some good information and lots of great pictures.  Here's one site http://www.womenfolk.com/quilting_history/tobacco.htm  and here's another http://www.fabrics.net/LauretteTobaccoQuilts.asp

Now I want to see and touch one.  I'll have to keep my eyes open for one of these.  Thanks for the post.