Mastiff Plug Cut Tobacco Tin, Ca. 1900

I have always loved this bulldog mascot or logo for the Mastiff brand of cut plug tobacco. Proudly displayed boldly, the dog represented strength and perhaps the quality of the cut plug tobacco given a bulldog’s strength. This is not the only tobacco can with a bulldog featured, and in fact, their are several other bulldogs featured on tobacco cans including the Bulldog brand of tobacco too! This brand comes in several colors, and includes the varieties of lunchbox or lunch pail styles of tins also.


The Mastiff brand of tobacco was manufactured by the J.B. Pace Tobacco Company which was based in Richmond, VA at one time. This company was best known for their Navy Plug brand, but also sold many other brands including Cross Swords, Twist, Coils, and other brands. Today one building remains from the plant, but the main manufacturing building is now a parking lot sadly.