In the times of the early 1920’s, the cigarette holder was a fashion accessory that no woman could be without. Seen as a tool for the sophisticated woman who was well aware of her allure, cigarette holders became a fashion accessory for the stylish lady. As a matter of fact, when today pictures of the roaring 1920’s are seen, they almost always feature women with cigarette holders - cigarette holder, garter, and satin gloves used to be considered an ensemble. Sometimes a lady might display a silver cigarette holder while other times it may have been a simple black cigarette holder. Sometimes passed around from friend to friend, cigarette holders contributed also to the social fabric of the time. Men also used a cigarette holder, albeit a much shorter one. Franklin Roosevelt with cigarette holder is a famous photographic portrayal that almost everyone is familiar with.

While the cigarette holders in 1920's were a necessity of the evening dress, they eventually fell into disuse. Granted, today there is a bit of a collector market for the vintage cigarette holder, but by and large it is extremely rare to see a cigarette holder. Woman and man smokers alike today do not use a cigarette holder and the few that do are generally considered to be somewhat eccentric.

The foregoing notwithstanding, there are a variety of manufacturers that are still working on the manufacture of the cigarette holder. Some smokers have decided that they want to be safer when smoking and thus use a cigarette holder with cigarette holder filter. While the inhalation of the tar and other chemicals is still occurring, there might be a somewhat lesser quantity, but the decrease in the amount is almost negligible. What a cigarette holder will accomplish, however, is the prevention of the nicotine stained hands and nails which often are an unsightly side effect of the habit.

While the average cigarette holder is no longer employed as a daily convenience, the manufacturers of the Meerschaum cigarette holders are actively marketing to the novelty market where the intricately carved holders make for an interesting conversation piece. Probably the most expensive today is the Dunhill cigarette holder, which stresses – mainly for men – the need for elegance, class, and upscale living. Granted, smoking is still a bit of a filthy habit that involves, smell, ashes, and butts, but with a vintage cigarette holder, a classy cigarette pack holder, and an ashtray that is a study in fine art, you can almost make it look glamorous!