Some cigar manufacturers of the late 19th and early 20th century advertised
in newspapers, but most relied for promotion on word of mouth, on drinkers in taverns treating each other to cigars, and especially on the mute cigar store salesmanship of the cigar box inner label.

Tobacco Shop Interior, Midland, Ontario, 1905. J.W. Bald/Library & Archives Canada/PA-177539 One hundred years ago, the cigar boxes in this store display were new. Which ones are now represented in the Canadian Museum of Cviilization's collection? Cursor over the photo and click on the areas that glow. Explore the whole tobacco shop. If you see a cigar box that YOU have, please let us know.

Cigars were sold out of their open boxes set out side by side in store display cases. Competition for the buyer's attention was fierce. As a manufacturer, how did you convince a buyer to purchase your cigar, rather than one from the box next to it?

The answer is, you tried an emerging form of point-of-sale hucksterism using colour lithography—a new printing technology that produced stunningly vivid hues. Lithography enabled you to design a colourful label for the inner cigar box lid that, like a miniature billboard, caught the (nearly always male) customer's eye and instantly gave him a reason to buy your cigars.

What theme or image might press the customer's “buy” button? Many manufacturers thought it would be the news of the day, popular phrases and catchwords, humorous images and puns, depictions of pretty women and exotic ethnic groups, or the growing cult of celebrity in politics, sports, entertainment and the military.

The competition to sell cigars at the turn of the 20th century resulted in the Golden Era of Canadian cigar box label art. Cigar labels became a show in themselves: they entertained, they amused, they titillated, they informed.

Because the labels were full of images from their time, they now serve as a window on Canada and Canadians of that era.