Wills’s “STAR” Advertising Bakelite Dominoes

A lovely complete set of “Wills’s” advertising dominoes. This Double-Six set has a full complement of 28 finely moulded Bakelite pieces. The reverse of each piece carries the Wills’s branding in red as shown.  Both the dominoes and tin box are in great original condition. C1935

W.D. & H.O. Wills was a British tobacco manufacturing company formed in Bristol, England. It was the first British company to mass-produce cigarettes. It was one of the 13 founding companies of the Imperial Tobacco Company (of Great Britain and Ireland) these firms became branches, or divisions, of the new combine and included John Player & Sons.

The company was founded by Henry O. Wills in 1786, and went by various names before 1830 when it became “W.D. & H.O. Wills”. Tobacco was processed and sold under several brand names, some of which were still used by Imperial Tobacco until the second half of the 20th century. 

These Dominos were produced by Tobacco companies for advertising, they would have been given to pubs to promote (When Tobacco companies could) their brands and also provide the pubs with free games for patrons to play while they were having a social drink.

A lovely display piece for a collector or can still be use for purpose.

Dimensions: H: 3cm W: 16cm D: 5cm