20 Vintage Life Hacks from 100 Years Ago AND THEY WORK
During the 1900s, cigarette manufacturers used to put stiffening cards into their packs of cigarettes to give them strength and help make them last longer.
In the 1910s, Gallaher Ltd of Belfast & London and Ogden’s Branch of the Imperial Tobacco Co printed “How-To” series, with clever hints for both everyday and emergency situations.
From steaming out a splinter to stopping a mad dog, these cigarette cards told you the smart way to handle many of life’s problems.
Someone during this time had an ingenious idea to put trivia, artwork and even famous people (Elvis Presley anyone?) and athletes onto the stiffening cards.
1. How to Extract a Splinter
![George Arents Collection](/wp-content/uploads/sites/59/2017/01/1484041577-4612-index-387x640-387x640.jpg)
Gallagher’s Cigarettes made a special series of 100 cards that included “How to do it”, useful tips and tricks for everyday problems in the early 20th Century.
2. How to Light a Match in the Wind
![George Arents Collection](/wp-content/uploads/sites/59/2017/01/1484041577-6946-index-2-385x640-385x640.jpg)
3. How to Tell the Points of the Compass with a Watch
![George Arents Collection](/wp-content/uploads/sites/59/2017/01/1484041579-5815-index-4-386x640-386x640.jpg)
The whole 100 card collection was recently digitized and made part of the New York Public Library’s George Arents Collection.
You can visit the NYPL Digital Collections at digitalcollections to see all 100.
4. How To Treat Sprains
![George Arents Collection](/wp-content/uploads/sites/59/2017/01/1484041581-6652-index-6-377x640-377x640.jpg)
5. How To Make a Fire Extinguisher
![George Arents Collection](/wp-content/uploads/sites/59/2017/01/1484041582-2964-index-8-384x640-384x640.jpg)
6. How To Carry a Heavy Jug
![George Arents Collection](/wp-content/uploads/sites/59/2017/01/1484041583-7697-index-10-383x640-383x640.jpg)
7. A Hint When Boiling Potatoes
![George Arents Collection](/wp-content/uploads/sites/59/2017/01/1484041584-4775-index-12-382x640-382x640.jpg)
8. How To Kill a Tree Stump
![George Arents Collection](/wp-content/uploads/sites/59/2017/01/1484041585-5623-index-14-383x640-383x640.jpg)
9. How To Make Corks Fit
![George Arents Collection](/wp-content/uploads/sites/59/2017/01/1484041588-8548-index-16-381x640-381x640.jpg)
10. How To Pull Out Long Nails
![George Arents Collection](/wp-content/uploads/sites/59/2017/01/1484041589-7424-index-18-383x640-383x640.jpg)
11. How To Measure With Coins
![George Arents Collection](/wp-content/uploads/sites/59/2017/01/1484041588-6900-index-20-387x640-387x640.jpg)
12. How To Detect Escaping Gas
![George Arents Collection](/wp-content/uploads/sites/59/2017/01/1484041591-5670-index-22-387x640-387x640.jpg)
13. How To Cool Wine without Ice
![George Arents Collection](/wp-content/uploads/sites/59/2017/01/1484041591-9336-index-24-387x640-387x640.jpg)
14. When Boiling Cracked Eggs
![George Arents Collection](/wp-content/uploads/sites/59/2017/01/1484041593-6612-index-26-388x640-388x640.jpg)
15. How To Preserve Valuable Vases
![George Arents Collection](/wp-content/uploads/sites/59/2017/01/1484041595-9220-index-28-381x640-381x640.jpg)
16. How To Remove Sea Stains from Brown Shoes
![George Arents Collection](/wp-content/uploads/sites/59/2017/01/1484041595-2920-index-30-379x640-379x640.jpg)
17. How To Make a Simple Gate Latch
![George Arents Collection](/wp-content/uploads/sites/59/2017/01/1484041596-3110-index-32-385x640-385x640.jpg)
18. How To Clean an Oil Painting
![How To Clean an Oil Painting](/wp-content/uploads/sites/59/2017/01/1484041598-3992-index-34-389x640-389x640.jpg)
19. How To Test Butter
![George Arents Collection](/wp-content/uploads/sites/59/2017/01/1484041598-7556-index-36-385x640-385x640.jpg)
20. How To Draw a Circle Without a Compass
![George Arents Collection](/wp-content/uploads/sites/59/2017/01/1484041597-3619-index-38-390x640-390x640.jpg)
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