Circa 1910 Imperial Germany Flag Tobacco Felt/Cigarette Premium-Black, Red, & White

Original circa 1910–1915 tobacco premium felt featuring the national flag of Imperial Germany in the distinctive black, white, and red horizontal tricolor used by the German Empire.

These colorful textile premiums—often called tobacco felts, cigarette felts, or tobacco flannels—were distributed by American tobacco companies during the early 20th century as collectible promotional items. Flags of nations were a particularly popular series, and collectors were encouraged to save the individual pieces; many were ultimately sewn into quilts, pillow covers, table coverings, and other decorative textiles. Period tobacco flannels are generally associated with the roughly 1910–1915 collecting craze. 

This example depicts the waving Imperial German flag on a decorative tan field surrounded by an ornate multicolor border, with “GERMANY” printed along the lower portion. The black-white-red flag makes this an appealing crossover piece for collectors of Imperial German and World War I-era memorabilia as well as early tobacco advertising.

The felt remains colorful after more than a century, although it exhibits expected age and storage wear, including edge and corner wear, discoloration, minor staining, loose threads and general handling wear. It is currently protected in a clear sleeve. Please examine the photographs closely for condition.