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Finding the Right Cigar-boxes for You
Cigars were not always packaged in what we now know as the antique cigar boxes and humidors that have over time become eye-catching decorative objects as well as collector’s items.
Outside the United States, cigar boxes are said to have originated in the 1840s when a German businessman, Hermann Dietrich Upmann of H. Upmann Cigars, bought a cigar factory and opened a bank in Havana, Cuba. Upmann reportedly handed out cedar cigar boxes branded with advertising for the bank as gifts to his banking clients. In the early 1860s, after years of cigars being shipped in big crates or barrels, cigar boxes became a requirement when the United States passed a law that mandated the use of boxes for tobacco producers, which was part of a broader effort to regulate the tobacco industry and generate revenue for the war effort. Humidors, which are moisture-controlled storage boxes that allow a cigar enthusiast to store, organize and preserve a larger collection of cigars, were very popular accessories during the early 1900s onward.
As the use of cigar boxes and humidors became widespread, all kinds of options materialized over the years, with particularly vibrant editions of these decorative objects emerging during the Art Nouveau, mid-century modern and other eras. Visionary designers like Isamu Noguchi popularized the idea of tobacco accessories as art with projects such as his decorative ashtrays.
Today, not unlike antique and vintage ashtrays, cigar boxes are more than practical objects. In fact, there are many uses for an old cigar box even after the cigars are gone. They can be used as planters, tissue boxes or can support your long-delayed effort to organize your sewing and craft supplies. During the Great Depression, an emptied cigar box — perhaps a walnut Art Deco-style cigar box with inlays in bronze and hand-carved decorative geometric patterns adorning its exterior — was occasionally repurposed as a jewelry box.
Antique and vintage cigar boxes — made of wood, metal or other materials — are valuable treasures in some corners of the collecting world, and in your home, they’re exquisite desk ornaments and colorful flourishes to add to your bookcase or mantel. On 1stDibs, find a variety of antique and vintage cigar boxes and other decorative boxes today.
- 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022How long you can keep cigars in a box depends on whether the box is open. Sealed boxes may keep cigars fresh for a few months. After you open the box, you should smoke the cigars within one month or place them in a humidor to keep them fresh. You'll find a selection of cigar boxes on 1stDibs.
- 1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022Yes, although whether or not a cigar box can be used as a humidor depends on its design. Only cigar boxes that seal well and are crafted entirely out of wood and lined with cedar should be used as humidors. You will also need to add a humidification device to the box to preserve the freshness of your cigars. On 1stDibs, find a collection of humidors.
- 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022To tell how old a cigar box is, look for the caution notice. Caution notices are required by law but before 1910, they were pasted on the cigar box. After 1910, caution notices were printed directly onto the bottom of the box. Shop a collection of antique cigar boxes from some of the world’s top sellers on 1stDibs.
- 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022Cigar boxes can be made of cardboard, paper and several kinds of wood. Spanish cedar is a popular choice for cigar boxes but mahogany, white oak and elm are also common. On 1stDibs, you’ll find a collection of antique cigar boxes from some of the world’s top sellers.
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