Morland Cigarettes

SFPROPS

Both Ian Fleming and the literary Bond smoked custom Morland cigarettes.

http://flemingsbond.com/morland-cigarettes/


Anyone have a decent, higher resolution photo of one of the boxes where you can see the design of the coins on the front? Winner gets a reproduction when I'm finished with them.

BenSV650

I'm guessing you will have seen this one already as it's the first one when you search on google images but it is slightly better than the one you posted.

http://mitteleuropa.x10.mx/files/frwl_from_russia_with_love_fleming_morlands_01-01c.jpg

Asp9mm

Superb. Really glad someone is doing these.

I have an original somewhere. Used to have a few, but sold them on. The blue of the box is a dark navy blue. Not as light as they appear in that picture.

Asp9mm

No, they went under decades ago.

SFPROPS

I've got just about all the photos that can be readily Googled already. All show the area with the hanging coin elements blurry. That's the only part I don't have 100% to reproduce. I've got a place holder there now on my design, but I'd rather have something more accurate to create some reproductions.

I was hoping someone had either an original box or one of the reproductions that were apparently done by the Goldeneye art dept. The size of the actual box would be helpful as well. I've done some calculations based on the standard sizes of cigarettes, but that's just a guess.

Asp9mm

They used one in FLEMING too. There are a couple of people on here who own the originals, I sold two boxes myself back in 2009 to forum members. Can't remember who they were though )

qbvi

Morland's, one of my favourite items. No J, you didn't sell me one. Wish I knew back then you had some. On the subject of smokes, besides the Morland's box, Kerim Bey's FRWL (book) box of Diplomates is also difficult to come by. Only to be smoked with a cup of strongly brewed De Bry coffee. After that the only thing to remove the smell of the smokes should be Guerlain's Fleur des Alpes.

SFPROPS

qbvi wrote:

Morland's, one of my favourite items. No J, you didn't sell me one. Wish I knew back then you had some. On the subject of smokes, besides the Morland's box, Kerim Bey's FRWL (book) box of Diplomates is also difficult to come by. Only to be smoked with a cup of strongly brewed De Bry coffee. After that the only thing to remove the smell of the smokes should be Guerlain's Fleur des Alpes.

Is that an original or a reproduction?

You wouldn't happen to have a closer picture? Still can't make out the darn coins!

One more question...is the printing in shiny gold, goldish flat ink, or some other color?

walther p99

what kind of cigerettes did Connery smoke?

SFPROPS

walther p99 wrote:

what kind of cigerettes did Connery smoke?

I don't think they ever showed or said in the films. He always pulled them out of a cigarette case.

Gadget Meister

Nice display, Sid {[]

danjaq_0ff

Very nice Sid, good to see you in here -{

qbvi

danjaq_0ff wrote:

Very nice Sid, good to see you in here -{

Hi guys. It's good to be back. I missed all the great humour all this while. Life has been keeping me busy and away from the real business of Bond Collecting. LOL.

As to SFProps questions...
Pic is of a replica I made based on the real box. Inside and out is replicated using materials that accurately portray the colour and textures of the original. There are many cigarette collectors out there but the Morlands box is really difficult to come by as Morlands, been a "boutique" firm didn't feature in the collections of most collectors. Its really only the Bond fans that are more likely to own the originals. Problem with many originals, but not all, is the current condition. Many boxes may be falling apart or suffer mildew damage. Furthermore the gold may be discolouring or missing in places. Boxes with ciggies still inside act as a moisture trap - so unless you store in a non humid environment or have lots of silica gel, paper items do deteriote. All this means a lot of groundwork to source a good reference for your replica.

I have never seen a "brand new" Morlands box so cannot attest to what the gold looks like new. I have seen many gold shades but thes variations are probably deterioration effects. Mostly a satiny effect that is not reflective gilt is probably best effect.

The ciggies themselves are not current sizes. Back then they were much smaller and unfiltered. If you want more info look up Adrian Turner's book on Goldfinger - there a section describing Morlands.

In the films, you see Connery in Dr No smoking but there is no closeup of the Morlands. It is only in OHMSS where you see a closeup of the ciggies in Lazenby's hands. There is no Morlands box in the movies. In the books Bond always seems to buy a few hundred and decants them into his case. The small blue box version in my picture as well as the ones (original and art dept replica) in the archives are (to the best of my knowledge) made by Morlands as promotions to "cash" in on the Bond craze - hence a smaller commercial size as well as the promotional "Fleming" text on the inside paper slip. The ciggies themselves also reference James Bond in these boxes. After Fleming died, the paper slip reference changed text also.

This is all I remember for now as lots of my stuff is packed away in storage as I am renovating.

SFPROPS

I'm aware of the size difference in cigarettes from then compared to now based on the research I've done. I'm assuming these where the original 70mm unfiltered size and not the current 84mm "King" size that is the standard.

I'm not planning on actually storing cigarettes in the box, so as long as I've got the size about right that would be fine. Also, I'm going to be happy with current materials for the box as long as the "look" isn't off. I've just about figured out how I'm going to do everything and will probably make some extras for others. I doubt they'll be quite a detailed as the one you made, but I'm mainly looking to put together that would look nice in a case and it not be too obvious it's just a cheap reproduction.

The size and the graphics on the coins are the only viables I don't have now and that's what is holding up the project.

THANKS!

Charmed & Dangerous

qbvi wrote:

One more question...is the printing in shiny gold, goldish flat ink, or some other color?

Though I'm no expert, it appears the box may have been gold foil blocked or similar - which could explain why it's difficult to see a clear image of the coins. Many 'prestige' brand packagings were, and still are, foil blocked as it gives a nicer effect than litho printing, plus a dark blue ink could start to bleed into the paler gold unless care is taken (for instance using two blue printing plates). -{

SFPROPS

That goes along with my thinking as well. I have matte gold laser transfer foil that may work on something like this if I can get the graphic right.

Bond Collectors' Weekends

The Morlands blue is tough! Adrian Cowdry had another version ages ago that he sold. Graham Rye put one of his one a book cover if you want to ask him...

SFPROPS

I'm not acquainted with either fellow you mentioned, unfortunately.

I'm pretty sure I can get a good reproduction blue with the proper reference. It appears to almost be what we used to call "process blue" when I was in charge of prepress at a commercial printer. 100% Magenta and 100% Cyan. A little less magenta than cyan actually.

My example I posted above doesn't represent the color I think I'll use. It's darker/deeper. I've sort of taken all the photos I've found and created a composite blue that seems to be a decent match. Though, without a little better reference, my project is sort of at a standstill.

Charmed & Dangerous

There's also a good photo on the cover of the first edition of The James Bond Bedside Companion by Raymond Benson. I have a copy, will check it tonight to see how good the pic is. -{

Edit: is that where your photo is taken from, SFP?

SFPROPS

I got all my photos off the web via Google.

Can anyone who doesn't have a good clear photograph clue me into what the art is inside the two round "coins?"

Charmed & Dangerous

This is the highest res scan I can take from the cover:

SFPROPS

It looks like the photo from the book was taken at the same time as the photo in the first post or the photo was scanned off the book and retouched. Still blurry coins! )

qbvi

SFPROPS wrote:

I'm not acquainted with either fellow you mentioned, unfortunately.

I'm pretty sure I can get a good reproduction blue with the proper reference. It appears to almost be what we used to call "process blue" when I was in charge of prepress at a commercial printer. 100% Magenta and 100% Cyan. A little less magenta than cyan actually.

My example I posted above doesn't represent the color I think I'll use. It's darker/deeper. I've sort of taken all the photos I've found and created a composite blue that seems to be a decent match. Though, without a little better reference, my project is sort of at a standstill.

Hi Vaughan

Its not just the blue shade you need to get right but also the texture. The blue is a type of "leatherette paper" with a grain that reminds you of a mess of intestines or brain coral.

Rgds, Sid

SFPROPS

qbvi wrote:

Its not just the blue shade you need to get right but also the texture. The blue is a type of "leatherette paper" with a grain that reminds you of a mess of intestines or brain coral.

I've got a supplier that has about 50 different textures of leatherette paper in about 25 different shades. I'm getting the paper I'm using for some passport replicas from him.

_M

Taken from here

http://mitteleuropa.x10.mx/tech_tabak.html

All you need to know about Bond's smokes lol.

_M

Another

Higgins

phantastic!!!!!!

_M

The last one is a cracker eh. Hope I win lol.

Thomo

Will you be selling completed boxes? I've been looking for ages for a desk top cigarette box but for modern cigarettes. It would be a great piece to have on show that actually has a function too

SFPROPS

_M: That last photo is the very best I've seen so far. THANKS! It's the only one I've seen where you can make out the texture of the paper. However, my old eyes still can't make out what the items are in those coins! It looks as though the same thing is in each coin, but are a mirror image of each other. Can anyone else make it out?


Stag: Tobacco collectors where going to be my "Plan B." I was hoping to exhaust my resources with Bond collectors first. -{

Bond Collectors' Weekends

SFPROPS wrote:

_M: That last photo is the very best I've seen so far. THANKS! It's the only one I've seen where you can make out the texture of the paper. However, my old eyes still can't make out what the items are in those coins! It looks as though the same thing is in each coin, but are a mirror image of each other. Can anyone else make it out?


Stag: Tobacco collectors where going to be my "Plan B." I was hoping to exhaust my resources with Bond collectors first. -{

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