What looked like an odd little relic on a British Columbia flea market table turned out to be a finely crafted brass cigarette holder, the kind once carried by people who treated everyday habits with ceremony. Its weight, its intricate engravings, and its almost spiritual iconography hint at a time when even a casual smoke was wrapped in ritual, taste, and identity. This wasn’t just storage; it was a pocket-sized declaration of who you were and what you valued.
Now, removed from its original purpose, it becomes something else entirely: a vessel for incense, a container for keepsakes, a story starter on a shelf. In a world of disposable plastic and instant replacements, this small, enduring object quietly resists. It reminds us that even the most ordinary routines once had texture and meaning — and that sometimes, history doesn’t shout from museums; it waits in cardboard boxes at weekend markets.