Selling Smoke
Selling Smoke

How Canadian Cigar Boxes Pitched Their Wares  1883-1935

Buyer Enjoy—Buyer Beware
 Winners

The golden, coin-like discs on cigar labels almost always represented medals won by their cigars at international exhibitions and trade fairs. Along with official-looking seals and ribbons, they were meant to assure customers that the product was the finest anywhere.

Cigar box label : Cable  
Cable
Trimmed nailed wood box (100)
Factory 6 IRD 12 Series of 1897
S. Davis & Sons, Ltd., Montreal, Que.
CMC 2001.185.5 | S2002-6846
Tony Hyman Collection
Cigar box label : El Doro  
El Doro
Trimmed nailed wood box (50)
Factory 20 IRD 32 Series of 1915
McLeod, Nolan & Co.'s., London, Ont.
CMC 2004.120.7 | D2004-20034
Cigar box label : The Elk  
The Elk
Trimmed nailed wood box (50)
Factory 7 IRD 30 Series of 1915
Harper, Presnail Cigar Co., Ltd. Hamilton, Ont.
CMC 2003.46.68
Cigar box label : Tuckett's Club Special  
Tuckett's Club Special
Trimmed nailed wood box (50)
Factory 5 Port 10-D Series of 1922
Tuckett Tobacco Co., Ltd., Hamilton, Ont.
CMC 2001.185.66 | S2002-7025
Tony Hyman Collection
Cigar box label : Blue Ribbon  
Blue Ribbon
Trimmed nailed wood box (50)
Factory 10 Port 22-E, Series C
Chas. Blankstein, Kitchener, Ont.
CMC D-13665 | D2002-013814
Cigar box label : Green Seal  
Green Seal
Trimmed nailed wood box (50)
Factory 10 IRD 32 Series of 1883
A. Smith & Co., London, Ont.
CMC 2004.38.61 | D2004-19815
Cigar box label : Red Seal  
Red Seal
Trimmed nailed wood box (25)
Factory 10 Port 22-E Series of 1922
Charles Blankstein, Kitchener, Ont.
CMC 2005.41.13 | D2005-19898
Cigar box label : Legion of Honor  
Legion of Honor
Trimmed nailed wood box (25)
Factory 3 IRD 12 Series of 1915
Brener Limited, Toronto Ont. and Montreal Que.
CMC D-13661 | D2002-013738
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