Object ID
2013.5.128
Object Name
Box, Cigarette
Object Entities
Poulos, Peter (is related to)
family, Karelias (is related to)
Object Description
Cigarette box from the KARELIA company. The cover has the name of the comany, Karelia, but written in Greek. The letters are all caps and in red. Written somewhat behind it and to the bottom right is the word "Aeoi. There is a red circle to the right of the "i". In the bottom left corner there is the word AGRINIO, but written in Greek. There is the paper seal that starts under the "eoi" of the aeoi and goes around to the middle of the back side of the box. The seal is a dark yellowish color with black print on it. There is a round crest like image at the top. the crest has two men, unclothes, holding a bat or club in their outside hands and have their inside arm resting on a sheild that is set in between them. around this image is Greek letters that cirlce around. The longer strip on the back reads Tobacco Tax in Greek with a blue, mostly faded stamp. On the side of the box that the seal is opened, on the right side reads 'cigaretts 20' in greek and on the left side 'dra. 9' On the left side of the box is 'Kalamata-Athens' and on the right side 'Agrinio'
On the inside of the box, on the lid is an image of a large building/factory and underneath is reads Brothers C. Karelia. On the bottom half is two layers of wax paper that would hold the cigaretts. There is also a card on the inside which reads "Tobacco Karelia, No. Controle 4642."
Origin
The Karelia name has been closely associated with tobacco since 1888, when George and Stathis Karelias founded the Karelia Tobacco Company in Kalamata where they first began making tobacco products. A hundred years ago the company sold cut tobacco in paper pouches to local customers. Kalamata is still their home. Successive generations of the family have worked to refine the products and develop new markets.

Today they have grown to become Greece's largest cigarette manufacturer and exporter with a state-of-the-art factory producing a full range of high quality brands for both domestic and export markets. The brands are increasingly appreciated, both nationally and internationally.
Rights and Reproduction
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Citation
Box, Cigarette, National Hellenic Museum, https://collections.nationalhellenicmuseum.org/Detail/objects/10745. Accessed 05/08/24.