BrandChesterfield

History

At one time, Chesterfield was one of the three most smoked brands of cigarettes in the United States. The non-filtered version is known for being very strong.

Chesterfield was the Liggett & Myers Tobacco Company’s best known cigarette brand, which they made from 1911 until 1999. The brand was first introduced in 1873 by the Drummond Tobacco Company of St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.A.. James T. Drummond (1834-1897) was a successful plug tobacco manufacturer who had introduced Chesterfield, Cannon, and Drum cigarettes as a sideline. A 'plug tobacco war' was fought during 1897 and 1898 with Drummond and Liggett & Myers on one side battling James Duke and his American Tobacco Company monopoly. The two St. Louis manufacturers lost, and Duke bought Drummond's company in October, 1898. Liggett & Myers became part of Duke's trust the following year. American Tobacco continued to manufacturer Chesterfield until the 1911 trust dissolution. Chesterfield was one of the cigarette brands awarded to the Liggett & Myers Tobacco Company, and ironically, W. Duke Sons & Company became a subsidiary.

Liggett & Myers reblended and repackaged Chesterfield to compete with the successful 1913 introduction of R. J. Reynolds' Camel Cigarettes. Originally made as a 70 mm non-filtered cigarette, Chesterfield was the first brand in America to be extended when L. & M. brought out Chesterfield in a king-sized (85 mm) format in 1952. The filtered version was introduced in 1966, followed by Chesterfield 101s in 1967 (the latter being relaunched, along with Chesterfield 100s, in 1983). Chesterfield Lights were brought out in 1988. In 1999, the Liggett Group (successors to Liggett and Myers) sold the rights to the brand, along with those of L & M and Lark, to Philip Morris U.S.A., who still manufacture Chesterfield today as a discount brand.

The American-blend, plain-end version of Chesterfield was manufactured in Canada by Imperial Tobacco Canada; it was sold until the early 1990s.

Go to Manufacturer Imperial Tobacco Canada