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On display

This item is on display at Melbourne Museum

Summary:: The Phar Lap Tobacco Tin was produced by the Myona Cigar Company of Richmond, Victoria during 1931-1932. The company was only in operation for around 18 months, so examples of its tins are very hard to locate, particularly in good condition. Like most of the Phar Lap merchandise produced at this time, it was done so without permission from the horse's owners.
Description:: Rectangular metal tin with a hinged lid. On the lid is lithographed a image of a horse's head, as well as information about the original contents and the manufacturer.
Statement Of Significance:: This Phar Lap tobacco tin, produced in Melbourne by the Myona Cigar Company, is considered Australia's most desirable tobacco tin due to its rarity (the company was only in existence for 18 months) and popular subject matter. It is an early example of the use of the name and image of an Australian celebrity to sell an unrelated product - in the days before licensing was an issue. It's short production run may have had something to do with it's quality - a consumer was later quoted as saying it tasted like `toasted manure'.

Discipline:	History
Dimensions:	2.00 cm (Height), 8.30 cm (Width), 11.00 cm (Length)

Tagged with:	horse racing, advertising, smoking
Themes this item is part of:	Domestic & Community Life Collection, Leisure Collection, Phar Lap Collection
On Display at:	Melbourne Museum
Primary Classification:	SPORT
Secondary Classification:	Horse Racing
Tertiary Classification:	product packaging
Inscriptions:	Printed on lid of tin: MYONA CIGAR COMPANY/ RICHMOND/ PHAR LAP/ FINE CUT/ TOBACCO.
Manufacturer:	Myona Cigar Co., Richmond, Victoria, Australia, 1931-1932
Horse Depicted:	Phar Lap (Racehorse), Australia, 1931-1932