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Anatomy of a Cigar Box

Bottom Brand

Because the cigar box contained taxable goods, it had to enable Inland Revenue inspectors to identify the party responsible for paying the taxes. Therefore, the manufacturer was required to imprint on the bottom of the box certain number and letter codes that indicated who had made the cigars and where.

Factory 2 I.R.D. 31 indicates cigars made by T.J. Fair, Brantford, Ontario (CMC 2005.139.7)

These "licence codes" were supplied by Inland Revenue, who divided the country from east to west into tobacco taxation areas. Between 1867 and 1921, these areas were called Inland Revenue Divisions. From 1883 to 1921, each "IRD" was assigned a code number (illustration courtesy Chris Ryan).

In 1921, the coding was switched to Port Number-Letter designations. Each province was assigned a letter, from "A" for Nova Scotia to "I" for British Columbia. Tobacco manufacturing centres in each province were given numbers. Thus Montreal was Port 10-D, Toronto 50-E, Winnipeg 5-F, Vancouver 14-I.

The cigars in this box were made in Montreal—Port 10D (CMC F-9174)

Whether a division was designated an IRD or Port, every cigar making enterprise in it was assigned a Factory Number. If a manufacturer changed names, or a company dissolved and a new one took its place; the factory number was reassigned to the new company.

Thus, for instance, over the years the bottom brand showing "Factory 1 IRD 6" (in St. John, New Brunswick) identified the handiwork of Abraham Isaacs (1883-92, 1895-1908), I. Isaacs (1909-16), or Glenn, Brown, & Richey (1918-20). Similarly, "Factory 4 Port 23D" (Granby, QC) indicated cigars made by P. Bernier (1924-31) or Oliva Bernier (1933).

The third number in the bottom brand indicated the quantity of cigars in the box. This number was shown at the top of the bottom brand, but sometimes also with the other numbers elsewhere on the box. Thus 6-28-50 signifies the 50 cigars in the box were made in Factory 6, IRD 28 (Berlin, Galt, or Listowell, Ontario).

CMC 2004.120.6

Consult a complete listing (PDF–84KB) of Canadian cigar manufacturer licence codes—IRD, Port, and Factory numbers with the names of their licence holders.

Until the 1930s, every cigar box was required to carry a legal notice declaring that taxes had been paid on the contents, and cautioning sellers on how the cigars were to be dispensed and the empty box disposed of.

Early caution notices were printed on paper and cited "the law" as their authority; eventually, they invoked the "Statutes of Canada".

Their text was mandatory but their design was not: manufacturers were evidently free to vary the look from the simple utilitarian to the decorative.

CMC 2003.46.86

CMC 2004.216.4

CMC 2003.46.100

CMC 2001.185.6

CMC 2003.46.28

By 1897, the caution notice was being branded or printed directly on the bottom of the box. It enumerated the law's four key requirements:

NOTICE

1st.

This package is to be opened in such a manner as to break the Stamp.

2nd.

The package is not to be used again when the present contents are removed.

3rd.

The contents are not to be removed except for immediate sale; and

4th.

When the package is empty the stamp and package must both be destroyed.

As with the notices on paper, the text of the branded caution notice was standard, but manufacturers varied its look. They framed it with horseshoes (most common), maple leaves, a fleur de lys, an animal (the beaver and elk were popular), chain links, or geometric figures.

The cigar box historian must be grateful that the impulse of Canadians to recycle was stronger than their inclination to comply with the government's injunction to destroy the empty boxes.