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.
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.
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.
1. How to Extract a Splinter
![30](https://www.thevintagenews.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/65/2016/10/30-1-640x383.jpg)
![George Arents Collection Photo Credi](https://www.thevintagenews.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/65/2016/10/index-387x640.jpg)
2. How to Light a Match in the Wind
![index-1](https://www.thevintagenews.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/65/2016/10/index-1-640x381.jpg)
![George Arents Collection Photo Credit](https://www.thevintagenews.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/65/2016/10/index-2-385x640.jpg)
3. How to Tell the Points of the Compass with a Watch
![index-3](https://www.thevintagenews.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/65/2016/10/index-3-640x387.jpg)
![George Arents Collection Photo Credit](https://www.thevintagenews.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/65/2016/10/index-4-386x640.jpg)
The whole 100 card collection was recently digitized and made part of the New York Public Library’s George Arents Collection. You will find 40 of the sifter’s personal favorites below. You can visit the NYPL Digital Collections at digitalcollections.nypl.org/ to see all 100.
4. How To Treat Sprains
![index-5](https://www.thevintagenews.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/65/2016/10/index-5-376x640.jpg)
![George Arents Collection Photo Credit](https://www.thevintagenews.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/65/2016/10/index-6-377x640.jpg)
5. How To Make a Fire Extinguisher
![How To Make a Fire Extinguisher Photo Credi](https://www.thevintagenews.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/65/2016/10/index-7-385x640.jpg)
![George Arents Collection Photo Credit](https://www.thevintagenews.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/65/2016/10/index-8-384x640.jpg)
6. How To Carry a Heavy Jug
![index-9](https://www.thevintagenews.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/65/2016/10/index-9-640x383.jpg)
![George Arents Collection Photo Credit](https://www.thevintagenews.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/65/2016/10/index-10-383x640.jpg)
7. A Hint When Boiling Potatoes
![index-11](https://www.thevintagenews.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/65/2016/10/index-11-380x640.jpg)
![George Arents Collection](https://www.thevintagenews.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/65/2016/10/index-12-382x640.jpg)
8. How To Kill a Tree Stump
![index-13](https://www.thevintagenews.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/65/2016/10/index-13-640x383.jpg)
![George Arents Collection Phoito credit](https://www.thevintagenews.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/65/2016/10/index-14-383x640.jpg)
9. How To Make Corks Fit
![index-15](https://www.thevintagenews.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/65/2016/10/index-15-640x379.jpg)
![George Arents Collection Photo Credit](https://www.thevintagenews.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/65/2016/10/index-16-381x640.jpg)
10. How To Pull Out Long Nails
![index-17](https://www.thevintagenews.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/65/2016/10/index-17-640x379.jpg)
![George Arents Collection](https://www.thevintagenews.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/65/2016/10/index-18-383x640.jpg)
11. How To Measure With Coins
![index-19](https://www.thevintagenews.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/65/2016/10/index-19-387x640.jpg)
![George Arents Collection Photo Credit](https://www.thevintagenews.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/65/2016/10/index-20-387x640.jpg)
12. How To Detect Escaping Gas
![index-21](https://www.thevintagenews.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/65/2016/10/index-21-388x640.jpg)
![George Arents Collection Photo Credit](https://www.thevintagenews.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/65/2016/10/index-22-387x640.jpg)
13. How To Cool Wine without Ice
![index-23](https://www.thevintagenews.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/65/2016/10/index-23-386x640.jpg)
![George Arents Collection Photo Credit](https://www.thevintagenews.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/65/2016/10/index-24-387x640.jpg)
14. When Boiling Cracked Eggs
![index-25](https://www.thevintagenews.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/65/2016/10/index-25-640x382.jpg)
![George Arents Collection Photo Credit](https://www.thevintagenews.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/65/2016/10/index-26-388x640.jpg)
15. How To Preserve Valuable Vases
![index-27](https://www.thevintagenews.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/65/2016/10/index-27-379x640.jpg)
![George Arents Collection Photo Credit](https://www.thevintagenews.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/65/2016/10/index-28-381x640.jpg)
16. How To Remove Sea Stains from Brown Shoes
![index-29](https://www.thevintagenews.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/65/2016/10/index-29-376x640.jpg)
![George Arents Collection Photo Credit](https://www.thevintagenews.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/65/2016/10/index-30-379x640.jpg)
17. How To Make a Simple Gate Latch
![George Arents Collection Photo Credit](https://www.thevintagenews.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/65/2016/10/index-31-387x640.jpg)
![George Arents Collection Photo Credit](https://www.thevintagenews.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/65/2016/10/index-32-385x640.jpg)
18. How To Clean an Oil Painting
![index-33](https://www.thevintagenews.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/65/2016/10/index-33-640x384.jpg)
![How To Clean an Oil Painting Photo Credit](https://www.thevintagenews.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/65/2016/10/index-34-389x640.jpg)
19. How To Test Butter
![index-35](https://www.thevintagenews.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/65/2016/10/index-35-387x640.jpg)
![George Arents Collection Photo Credit](https://www.thevintagenews.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/65/2016/10/index-36-385x640.jpg)
20. How To Draw a Circle Without a Compass
![index-37](https://www.thevintagenews.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/65/2016/10/index-37-640x387.jpg)
![George Arents Collection Photo Credit](https://www.thevintagenews.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/65/2016/10/index-38-390x640.jpg)