Maspero Frères Egyptian Cigarette Box
Cigarette Box
Small cigarette box made of stiff cardboard. The affixed label on the top is inscribed: “Maspero Frères Ltd, Cairo – Egypt, Cigarettes Egyptiennes” this is framed by lotus plants and a red and green Art Deco pattern. A broken paper seal inscribed with “22 Emir” and an Arabic inscription is on the side of the box. The inside surface of the box is also inscribed with the Maspero brothers logo and the word “Emir.” On the bottom of the box, inscribed in pencil, is the following: “Jebusite skull pieces (Pole [Pale?] excavated at foot of wall of David). Pottery from [Tell?] Jericho. Glass from Sebastia, E. Fuller 1903.”
From Stone to Screen
Cairo, Egypt
From Stone to Screen
Modern - acquired early 20th century.
James Mark Penney (Research and Content)
David Assaf (Web Design)
Jessica Matteazzi (Photography)
Chelsea Gardner (Collection Curator)
Leslie Field (Scanning/Imaging)
Lisa Tweten (Scanning/Imaging)
UBC CNERS
Books
Cox, Howard. The Global Cigarette: Origins and Evolution of British American Tobacco, 1880-1945. New York: Oxford University Press, 2000.
For Maspero Frères, see pages 113-114, 284, and 285.
For Egypt generally, see pages 283-5, 286-8, and 309.
For exports, see page 47n.
For Egyptian made cigarettes in the UK, see page 47.
Mullen, Chris. Cigarette Pack Art. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1979.
Page 78 discusses Egyptian cigarette boxes, although these are “Egyptian style” boxes for the American and British export market, not for domestic Egyptian consumption. Some colour illustrations, some black & white.
Shechter, Relli. Smoking, Culture and Economy in the Middle East: The Egyptian Tobacco Market 1850-2000. London: I.B. Tauris, 2006.
The most comprehensive and reader-friendly title available on the subject of Egyptian cigarettes. Relevant topics include:
Packaging – Information discussed includes the history of package production in Egypt (pages 39-40); the evolution of cigarette retail from bazaars to dedicated stores (page 49); the creation and content of cigarette cards (page 52); lithography and Egyptian vs. Ottoman production values (page 53); the distinctiveness of Egyptian packaging that began to be copied in the UK and USA (page 53); and the creation of the “idea” of Egypt in the west via cigarettes (pages 54, 62, 80, 83, and 86).
Maspero Frères – Most of the information on Maspero in this book is ultimately drawn from Cox’s book on British American Tobacco.
For some history of Maspero and its acquisition by British American Tobacco (BAT), see page 84.
For information on the state of mechanization in the cigarette industry in the late 19th and early 20th century, see pages 87-88.
For a table showing the number of hand-rollers employed by Maspero from Jan. 1920-June 1921, see page 91.
Journals
Shechter, Relli. "Selling Luxury: The Rise Of The Egyptian Cigarette And The Transformation Of The Egyptian Tobacco Market, 1850–1914." International Journal of Middle East Studies 35, no. 1 (2003): 51-75. Accessed April 11, 2015. http://www.jstor.org.ezproxy.library.ubc.ca/stable/3879927.
This article covers much the same ground as Shechter’s book, but it does include some useful background information on the 1884 end of the Ottoman sales monopoly on tobacco in Egypt that allowed the entrance of Greek merchants into this market.
Primary Sources
"Advertisement for Maspero Frères Cigarettes." Ottawa Citizen, July 14, 1913.
https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2194&dat=19130714&id=alUuAAAAIBAJ&sjid=S9kFAAAAIBAJ&pg=5268,5689408&hl=en.
An advertisement for Maspero Frères Cigarettes in the Ottawa Citizen, July 14th 1913.
"Egyptian Cigarettes." The Lancet 2, no. 3396 (1888): 638–639. http://www.sciencedirect.com.ezproxy.library.ubc.ca/science/article/pii/S0140673602248722#.
A contemporary article from the Lancet about the Egyptian Cigarette industry.
Cardboard box
French, English, Arabic
Cigarette Box
Late 19th/early 20th century Cigarette Box; Art Deco; Egypt.
Medieval Cup
Glazed Cup
Lower part of cylindrical cup with slightly footed base that is likely Medieval in date. The exterior decoration consists of a clear glassy, slightly prismatic glaze, and dark blue vegetable-like pattern, repeated in vertical panels on the body of the piece and the interior of the cup is also covered with a clear, or slightly yellow glaze. The upper half of the cup is missing.
Unknown
Medieval
Medieval "Candlestick"
Glazed Candlestick
Glazed vessel with a central tubular spout that is perforated down through the base, possible candlestick. The interior of the vessel is covered with a green glaze, which also covers the upper exterior carinated walls and rim. The lower half of the vessel and base have been left unglazed, revealing the pink-buff colour of the clay fabric. The vessel is broken in several places, but has been partially repaired.
Unknown
Medieval
Medieval "Teapot"
Glazed Teapot
Green glazed closed vessel shaped like a teapot, with loop handle on one side, now broken off, and spout on the other. The rim is missing and there is a large hole in the base.
Unknown
Medieval
Clay Jar
Large ceramic jar with rounded handles on shoulders, and flaring rim. The jar has comb incising on the shoulder and is wheel formed. A cardboard tag attached to one of the handles of the vessel is inscribed in pencil: Jarre de cimetière a Ancona – (VI/V siécle avant J.C.).”
Italy(?)
Unknown
Roman Red Slip Bowl
Slipped Clay Bowl
Bowl with footed base from North Africa and Roman in date. The interior is coated in red paint up to the flat rim, and the exterior is covered half way down from the rim in a band of red paint. The bottom half is undecorated.
From Stone to Screen
North Africa
From Stone to Screen
Roman
David Assaf (Web Design)
Jessica Matteazzi (Photography)
Chelsea Gardner (Collection Curator)
Mark Penney (Content/Research)
UBC CNERS
Relevant Bibliography
Books
Bonifay, M. (2007). LRCW 2: Late Roman coarse wares, cooking wares and amphorae in the Mediterranean : Archaeology and archaeometry. Oxford: Archaeopress.
Burford, A. (1972). Craftsmen in Greek and Roman society. Ithaca, N.Y.: Cornell University Press.
Charleston, R. (1955). Roman pottery, London: Faber and Faber.
Very fine and extensive selection of photographs – some colour, some B&W.
Esparraguera, J. (2005). LRCW I: Late Roman coarse wares, cooking wares and amphorae in the Mediterranean : Archaeology and archaeometry. Oxford, England: Archaeopress.
Green, K. (1990). The Archaeology of the Roman Economy. Berkeley and Los Angeles: University of California Press.
Greene, K. (1992). Roman pottery. Berkeley: University of California Press.
Full Book is available online:
http://books.google.ca/books?id=NCJ6nruZ4nEC&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_ViewAPI&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q&f=false
Hayes, J. (1997). Handbook of Mediterranean Roman pottery. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press.
Dedicated section on African redslip wares (p. 59-64).
Hayes, J. (1972). Late Roman pottery, London: British School at Rome.
Hayes, J. (1976). Roman pottery in the Royal Ontario Museum: A catalogue. Toronto: Royal Ontario Museum.
McGeough, K. (2004). The Romans: new perspectives. Santa Barbara, Calif.: ABC-CLIO.
Pottery is included in Chapter 9 (p. 229-232).
Good primer on the basics of classifying roman pottery for students.
Menchelli, S. (2010). LRCW3: Late Roman coarse wares, cooking wares and amphorae in the Mediterranean : Archaeology and archaeometry : Comparison between western and eastern Mediterranean. Oxford: Archaeopress.
Peacock, D. (1982). Pottery in the Roman world: An ethnoarchaeological approach. London: Longman.
Broad overview with archaeological and ethnographic details.
Peacock, D. (1977). Pottery and early commerce: Characterization and trade in Roman and later ceramics. London: Academic Press.
Detailed archaeological and scientific information.
Peña, J. (2007). Roman pottery in the archaeological record. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Extensive bibliography useful for researchers looking for more specific information.
Full Book is available online:
http://lib.myilibrary.com.ezproxy.library.ubc.ca/Open.aspx?id=90971
Reynolds, P. (1995). Trade in the Western Mediterranean, AD 400-700--the ceramic evidence. Oxford, England: Tempus Reparatum.
Detailed archaeological information on the late Roman world. Chapter 2 (p. 5-37) fine wares; Chapter 4 (p. 86-105) coarse wares; Chapter 5 (p. 106-141) trade and economic information.
Extensive appendices with detailed archaeological information.
Rice, P. (2005). Pottery analysis: A sourcebook. Chicago, Ill.: University of Chicago Press.
Strong, D., & Brown, D. (1976). Roman crafts. New York: New York Univ. Pr.
Many illustrations, mostly B&W.
Chapter 6 (p. 75-92 for pottery).
Articles
Leitch, V. (2012). Rome Scholarships: Roman African cook-wares in the Mediterranean: Production and distribution. Papers of the British School at Rome, 80, 345-346.
Leitch, V. (2013). Reconstructing history through pottery: The contribution of Roman N African cookwares. Journal of Roman Archaeology, 26, 281-306.
Sherriff, B. (2002). A Mössbauer study of the color of Roman pottery from the Leptiminus archaeological site, Tunisia. Geoarchaeology, 17(8), 863-874.
Sherriff, B., Court, P., Johnston, S., & Stirling, L. (2002). The source of raw materials for Roman pottery from Leptiminus, Tunisia. Geoarchaeology, 17(8), 835-861.
Tomber, Roberta. "Alive and well: the state of Roman pottery studies." Antiquity 80, no. 307 (March 2006): 218-220.
Ceramic
Ceramic Bowl
Roman Red Slip Bowl
Roman North Africa; Ceramics
Late Hellenistic/Roman Unguentaria
Clay Unguentaria
Unguentaria from either Palestine or North Africa that is pinky-red in colour with red-painted bands on the shoulder. The grooves from its wheel-throwing are visible, and it dates to either the Late Hellenistic or Roman period. This vessel almost certainly has the same provenance as Unguentaria, object 11.
Palestine/North Africa
Late Hellenistic/Roman
Late Hellenistic/Roman Unguentaria
Clay Unguentaria
Unguentaria from either Palestine or North Africa that is pinky-red in colour with red-painted bands on the shoulder. The groves from its wheel-throwing are visible, and it dates to either the Late Hellenistic or Roman period.
Palestine/North Africa
Late Hellenistic/Roman
Hellenistic Amphora Stopper
Clay Amphora Stopper
Amphora jar stopper, probably Hellenistic and dated to the 3rd century BC. It is circular baked clay with a string-cut slightly footed base. It is wheel-made and a pale cream-buff, pinky-buff colour.
Unknown
Hellenistic
Roman Vaulting Tube (tubi fittili)
Clay Vaulting Tube
Vaulting tubes (tubi fittili) are hollow terracotta tubes which were employed in Roman architecture to construct the framework of a vault, an arched structure which formed the ceiling of a room. Vaulting tubes were used primarily between the 2nd and 7th centuries C.E., often in the construction of bathhouses and major churches throughout the Roman Empire. They are found predominantly in North Africa, though examples have also been found in Sicily, Italy, Spain and Britain, as well as in shipwrecks throughout the Mediterranean.
The vaulting tube featured here is open at both ends, with one end narrowing to form a nozzle-like projection. This nozzle would be slotted into the open end of an adjacent tube, thus enabling the tube to interlock with its neighbour. The tubes would be mortared together one at a time from each side of a room, set at a slight angle to one another in order to form an arch over the room to be spanned. When the line of vaulting tubes was set into position, the tubes would be connected by a ‘keystone’ tube, open at both ends, at the crown of the arch. Once this arch was completed, the procedure would be repeated with the other vaulting tubes in order to create a vault over the entire room. The vaulting tubes created a framework for the arch of a vault, and were not meant to be visible once construction was completed. A layer of mortared rubble caementa would be poured upon the outside of the vault, and the underside of the tubes would be rendered invisible with the use of plaster. This vaulting tube features a lightly corrugated surface, likely made by a potter’s fingers while the tube was being fashioned upon the wheel. The corrugation may have served to improve the adherence of the vaulting tubes to the mortar which encased them.
The advantage of using vaulting tubes was that they provided a fast and efficient method of building a durable, light-weight vault. Traditional Roman construction methods required substantial wooden centring and scaffolding, but vaulting tubes could be rapidly produced by potters and could be erected with minimal support. As a result, vaulting tubes were an especially appealing method in areas with little timber to spare for construction.
From Stone to Screen
North Africa - probable.
From Stone to Screen
Roman Imperial Period (2nd-7th centuries CE)
Chloe Martin-Cabanne (Research and Content)
David Assaf (Web Design)
Jessica Matteazzi (Photography)
Chelsea Gardner (Collection Curator)
UBC CNERS
Sources
Bound, M. (1987). Tubi fittili (vaulting tubes) from the sea—the Roman wreck at Punta del Fenaio, Island of Giglio. The International Journal of Nautical Archaeology and underwater Exploration. 16. 187-200.
Lancaster, L. (2009). Terracotta vaulting tubes in Roman architecture: a case study of the interrelationship between technologies and trade in the Mediterranean. Construction History. 24. 3-18.
Vann, R. (1993). Vaulting tubes from Caesarea Maritima. Israel Exploration Journal, 43. 29-34.
Whitehouse, D. (1988). Comment on ‘Tubi fittili (vaulting tubes) from the sea—the Roman wreck at Punta del Fenaio, Island of Giglio’. The International Journal of Nautical Archaeology and underwater Exploration. 17. 197-200.
Wilson, R. J. A. (1992). Terracotta vaulting tubes (tubi fittili): on their origin and distribution. Journal of Roman Archaeology 5. 97-129.
Other Useful Sources:
Allen, H. L. (1974). Excavations at Morgantina (Serra Orlando). 1970-1972: Preliminary Report XI. American Journal of Archaeology 78. 361-383.
Kostof, S. (1965). The Orthodox Baptistry of Ravenna. New Haven: Yale University Press.
Lancaster, L. (2005). Concrete vaulted construction in Imperial Rome: Innovations in context. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.
Mason, D. J. P. (1990). The Use of Earthenware Tubes in Roman Vault Construction: An Example from Chester. Britannia 21. 215-222.
Wilson, R. J. A. (1979). Brick and tiles in Roman Sicily. In A. McWhirr (ed.) Roman brick and tile: studies in manufacture, distribution and use in the Western Empire. Oxford, UK: British Archaeological Reports. 11-44.
Wilson, R. J. A. (1983). Piazza Armerina. London, UK: Granada Publishing. See p. 23 and 25.
Zienkiewicz, J. (1986). The Legionary Fortress Baths at Caerleon (Vol. I). Gloucester, UK: Alan Sutton Publishing. See p. 105-6 and 334-36.
Ceramic - Terracotta
Ceramic Technology
Roman Vaulting Tube
Roman Construction Techniques; Roman North Africa; Ceramic Technology