Mark Twain Cigarette Box

Is that lettering below the standing chap's feet?

 

YES!! If only I could make it out! All I can see is the word “ENJOYING”.

Increasingly likely that it’s a book illustration IMO, but I can’t place the scene

 

There is a Wilkes pipe tobacco and of course Wills. If the picture is contemporary it would have to be a super-early tobacco tin. It has a 1910-20-ish "vibe" to me.

 

Tweaked it a bit.
'Wily (something) enjoying another (something)?' Could be reading that all wrong though.
And it looks like there is the word tobacco in the line below that.

 

Clever you all for spotting lettering.

Debora

 

Hey I need to look more closely - After Mar Twain the note has a ?.
Therefore I agree with the Dickension path. I must find the characters.

 

Those figures are not wearing clothing from the Victorian / Dickensian era.

Debora

 

OP - is there some reason that you can't let us know the size of the tin, or perhaps try for a better image of the lettering?

~Cheryl

 

Haven't much beyond basics on fashion dating, so can't defend my 'Dickensian' comment other than to say that the image reminds me of illustrations used in period Dickens publications (not that I necessarily think it is actually from Dickens, or the box from the period). Was initially reminded of Uriah Heep in my favorite 'David Copperfield', but while they did have an adult encounter with coffee, coming in the door doesn't fit the scene - 'Little Dorrit' was another thought, with Chivery bringing food to Clennam in prison, but not really right either. Suspect it might be helpful if more of the lettering could be made out (the first word looks like 'WHAT' to me, but my eyes are especially weak today)...


Some 'Little Dorrit' images here:

http://www.victorianweb.org/art/illustration/phiz/197.html



This illustration by H.K. Browne (Phiz) is from 1850, when 'David Copperfield' was first published in book form, showing Copperfield running into the odious Heep while on a prison tour:




~Cheryl

 

That David Copperfield picture! You can literally see the jacket going out of fashion. No argument, Phiz is less of a leap than a Twain illustrator

 

Spot on. Many Phiz and Boz illos hark back to earlier times.