An antique German cigarette card album from around 1914-1918. Dimensions: 10" H x 13.5" W.

German cigarette and trading card collecting dates back to the mid-1800s, beginning with chocolate manufacturers like Stollwerk printing images on their packaging, and evolving into a widespread collecting phenomenon by the turn of the century. Cigarette cards specifically did not become popular until World War I, as smoking was considered a luxury before. However, the war normalized cigarette use and sparked a boom in collecting throughout the 1920s and 30s. The Hamburg company Reemtsma became the leading force in the industry, creating a coupon-based system and ornate picture albums that made collecting accessible and popular across Germany. The rise of the Nazi party in 1933 introduced politically themed card sets, though WWII ultimately halted production, and the hobby never fully recovered afterward as cigarette cards were banned in West Germany in 1955 and discontinued in East Germany by 1957.


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Good, visible wear consistent with average use. Note a few minor marks in the cover's edge, as well as a few cards loose from their page. See photos for more condition details.