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Own a “Real” Piece of Tobacco Industry History
Beautiful Box with Actual Tobacco Leaves Under Glass Cover
Amazing Reminder of R.J. Reynolds’ Decline
In 1977, R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company introduced thecigarette brand Real. Convinced that smokerswould buy into the `70s craze for all things “natural,” Reynolds did notimplement the extensive test marketing operations it customarily conducted whenbringing out new products.
Real was a rare flop for Reynolds. To this day, it is almost impossible to findany information about Real, even on Google.Although it would be inaccurate to attribute it solely to this brand, soonafter Real’s relatively rapid collapse Reynolds began to lose its longstandingindustry leadership to Philip Morris and its juggernaut Marlboro brand. The erosion of Reynolds’ No. 1 positionculminated in the “Barbarians at the Gate” storming Winston-Salem and takingover RJR Nabisco fewer than 10 years later.
This unique wooden box was created for a promotionalcampaign for the new Real brand. Itfeatures actual tobacco leaves under glass on the cover. It held one carton of Real regular and onecarton of Real menthol. The box has beenextremely well protected and cared for over the years and is in exceptionalcondition.
This item is not only a virtually unique and even functionalconversation piece, but also a genuine historical artifact of one of America’sgreatest industries.
The outside measurements are 11 ¾ inches long x 9 ¼ incheswide x 3 ½ inches high. The glass portionof the cover is 10 ¼ x 7 1/8. The glasscovering the two real tobacco leaves is recessed ¼ inch.
The insidestorage area is divided in two and measures a total of 11 1/8 long x 3 5/8inches wide and is 2 3/8 inchesdeep.
$10 will be added to the final price to cover the costs ofpacking and shipping this valuable item.
