Posted by xikuzus on 7/25/2006, 5:30 pm, in reply to "an interesting stumble for those in london"
217.149.103.209

Style council In Britain, cigarette holders survived postwar austerity and remained in vogue for many years. Princess Margaret did her bit for the cause, when, at the age of 19, she was first seen in public with her three-inch holder; sales rocketed again after Audrey Hepburn’s unforgettable portrayal of Holly Golightly in Breakfast at Tiffany’s. Nyree Dawn Porter, Peter O’Toole, Terry-Thomas and Anne, Duchess of Westminster — owner of Arkle, the greatest racehorse of the period — were other postwar icons who must be mentioned in dispatches. Thirty years on and the sad march of health fascism and political correctness means that while FCUK T-shirts are two a penny in the high street, it is rare to spot a cigarette holder in use. Anti-smoking fanaticism becomes more hysterical by the day: in the recent Thunderbirds film, Lady Penelope was not only deprived of her strings but of her cigarette holder too, on the grounds that it would not set a good example. Forget the bad language and casual violence that pepper most of today’s films, clearly it’s the use of a smoker’s accessory which represents the greatest social evil. For those determined to resist this insidious nonsense and to help initiate a new golden age for the cigarette holder, Davidoff’s of London, on the corner of St James’s and Jermyn Street, must be the first port of call. The store stocks a wide selection of Denicotea and two-and-a-half- to three-and-a-half-inch Dunhill holders (ranging from £18–£26) into which silicon filters can be fitted, as well as individually made meerschaum holders, without filters, which come in their own boxes and cost £24.50. Head-turning telescopic holders ranging from five to 18 inches long are available from £12.50, and for those who like to get every last ounce of pleasure from their cigarette, a 12-inch gold-tipped ejector model (£14.95) is both an elegant and practical option. Dainty five-inch ‘trumpet’ holders (£12.50) are perhaps the call for those having to do the majority of their smoking in confined spaces, but if he/she’s buying, then one of Davidoff’s exquisite lacquered enamel-, silver- or gold-plated holders (£73) is highly recommended. For cigarillo smokers wishing to take up the holder habit, Davidoff’s has a collection of rodium-plated holders from £75 to £90: if you’ve never smoked a cigarillo before in your life, one look at these beautiful pieces of workmanship will make you want to light one up pretty quickly. Previous page Next page