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A Dramatic Design for Dispensing Cigarettes (or Pencils)

By Rain Noe - January 24

in Object Culture

In the early- to mid-20th century, when smoking was popular, there was a type of cigarette dispenser that you'd leave on the table if you were hosting a party. It elevated the act of offering cigarettes into a little piece of theater:

As you can see by the design, you had to laboriously load the thing.

I never did learn what the thing was called; some have suggested "cigarette elevator," which doesn't yield good results from search engines. In any case, a Thai product brand called Qualy Design has adapted the cigarette thingy into something more wholesome, for kids:

Admittedly less dramatic. It's called the Dinsor, and it's easier to load than the cigarette thing; there are no dedicated sleeves.

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Mark H

29 days ago

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I was at a diner where they had a straw dispenser like the Dinsor. The server just pulled up the top while giving it a little twist and the straws all splayed out, easy to grab. The dispenser just needed not to be overloaded so the straws could move around a bit, and spinning the holder made all the straws stick out the same direction.

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Daniel Jordache

a month ago

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So, instead of a single-hand operation, I'd have to use two hands (one for the lid, one for the pencil) to retrieve an object. For the benefit of using this cumbersome organizer, I'd have the privilege of paying $25 (plus shipping). If I'm coloring, I'd be opening/closing this lid repeatedly. No, thank you, I'll stick with a freebie mug.

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Stevie VanBronkhorst

a month ago

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"retractable" table cigarette case yields me some results, including a new amazon model for $30. Not as cute though!

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