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RARE 1890s L.A.W. Sliced Plug Tobacco Map Bicycle League of American Wheelmen Good 1890s League of American Wheelmen L.A.W. Sliced Plug Tobacco Route MapFor sale is an authentic 1890s advertising map for L.A.W. Sliced Plug Tobacco, featuring the League of American Wheelmen and their “Good Roads” campaign.Details & Historical Context:
Issuer: L.A.W. Sliced Plug Tobacco, marketed directly to cyclists, aka “Wheelmen.”
Era: 1890s Bicycle Boom. The L.A.W. was founded in 1880 and led the national push for paved roads before automobiles.
Format: Fold-out pocket map, approx. 4.75” x 3.25” closed. Opens to a long strip map.
Route: Springfield to Worcester, Massachusetts via Boston Road, Great Post Road, through Ludlow, Palmer, Warren, Brookfield, Spencer, Leicester. Shows rail lines, towns, post offices, mills, and ponds.
Graphics: Beautiful red ink cover with safety bicycle and “Good Roads” banner. Reverse reads “WHEELMEN TAKE NOTICE!” with tobacco ad copy.Condition:
Good to very good antique condition for a 130-year-old paper map. Original folds present. Light toning, minor creasing, and handling wear as expected. No major tears or missing sections. Some separation at the bottom of the folded binding. Corner chip at lower left of cover as shown. Paper is supple, not brittle. Graphics are strong and legible. Please see all photos for exact condition.
Tobacco collectors: L.A.W. Sliced Plug is a scarce brand.
Bicycle/Cycling collectors: Early L.A.W. ephemera from the Bicycle Craze is highly sought after.
Map collectors: Early road maps pre-auto are rare, especially cycling-specific routes.This is a genuine piece of transportation and advertising history from the dawn of paved roads in America.Please ask any questions before offerding. No returns on antique paper items.
