The Winterthur Library

The Joseph Downs Collection of Manuscripts and Printed Ephemera

Henry Francis du Pont Winterthur Museum

5105 Kennett Pike, Winterthur, Delaware 19735

Telephone: 302-888-4600 or 800-448-3883

OVERVIEW OF THE COLLECTION

Title: Cigar box labels

Dates: ca. 1896-ca. 1905

Call No.: Col. 234

Acc. No.: [various]

Quantity: 24 items

Location: 34 B 2, and map case 3, drawer 1

SCOPE AND CONTENT

This artificial and still open collection contains printed cigar box labels, printers' proofs, and color separations for cigar labels. During the period from 1860 to 1900 thousands of American cigar manufacturers produced tens of thousands of different cigar brands. Brand competition and the lessening cost of commercial color printing led to the production of ornately designed cigar box labels. Early labels primarily used images of cigars, tobacco leaves, and scenes of Havana to connect their American-made products with the more famous Cuban ones. Later images often included patriotic and historic symbols, flowers, and attractive women. Bold colors, much use of gold and embossing, and odd juxtapositions of images attracted attention to the product.

ORGANIZATION

Arranged in accession number order.

LANGUAGE OF MATERIALS

The materials are in English.

RESTRICTIONS ON ACCESS

Collection is open to the public. Copyright restrictions may apply.

PROVENANCE

Gifts and purchases from various sources.

ACCESS POINTS

Topics: Cigar bands and labels.

Advertising - Tobacco.

Costume - Pictorial works.

Lithography - Specimens.

Labels.

Illustrations.

Advertisements.

Lithographs.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF COLLECTION

CIGAR LABELS
CALL NUMBER	ACCESION NUMBER	TITLE	DATE	PUBLISHER	PLACE	TEXT	DESCRIPTION
Col. 234	06x158.1	Fireside Gems		O.L. Schwencke	33-37 Bleecker St., New York, NY	Fireside Gems/O.L. Schwencke,/33-35-37 Bleecker Street./No. 2626 ins. $1.00, No. 2627 outs. $.075/Also blank.	Label with scenes of man reading by fire and writing at desk surrounded by roses and cigars.
Col. 234	06x158.10	Something New		O.L. Schwencke	33-37 Bleecker St., New York, NY	Something New/O.L. Schwenke,/33-35-37 Bleecker Street./No. 2552 ins. $1.50, No. 2553 outs. $1.00	Label with flowers.
Col. 234	06x158.11			O.L. Schwencke	33-37 Bleecker St., New York, NY	O.L. Schwenke,/33-35-37 Bleecker Street./No. 2446 ins. $1.90, No. 2447 outs. $1.10	Label with image of open jewelry box and vase with flowers.
Col. 234	06x158.12	La Gloria de Cuba		O.L. Schwencke	33-37 Bleecker St., New York, NY	La Gloria de Cuba/O.L. Schwenke,/33-35-37 Bleecker Street./No. 2436 ins. $2.00, No. 2437 outs. $1.50/Also blank.	Label with image of woman surrounded by flowers and open cigar box. Scenes of harbor and factory in background.
Col. 234	06x158.2	Key West Gems		O.L. Schwencke	33-37 Bleecker St., New York, NY	Key West Gems/O.L. Schwencke,/33-35-37 Bleecker Street./No. 2460 ins. $2.50, No. 2461 outs. $1.25/Also blank.	Label with image of woman and scenes of harbor and men working in fields.
Col. 234	06x158.3	Pretty Poll		O.L. Schwencke	33-37 Bleecker St., New York, NY	Pretty Poll/O.L. Schwenke,/33-35-37 Bleecker Street./No. 2194 ins. $2.00, No. 2195 outs. $1.50/Also blank.	Label with image of woman, parrot, and vase with flowers.
Col. 234	06x158.4	Cuban Rose		O.L. Schwencke	33-37 Bleecker St., New York, NY	Cuban Rose/O.L. Schwenke,/33-35-37 Bleecker Street./No. 2412 ins. $2.00, No. 2413 outs. $1.50/Also blank.	Label with image of woman surrounded by flowers, harbor scene in background.
Col. 234	06x158.5	Compliments of the Season		O.L. Schwencke	33-37 Bleecker St., New York, NY	Compliments of the Season/O.L. Schwenke,/33-35-37 Bleecker Street./No. 2221 ins. $2.50, No. 2222 outs. $1.25/Also blank.	Label with two women surrounded by flowers.
Col. 234	06x158.6	Blue Cap		O.L. Schwencke	33-37 Bleecker St., New York, NY	Blue Cap/O.L. Schwenke,/33-35-37 Bleecker Street./No. 2444 ins. $1.90, No. 2445 outs. $1.10/Also blank.	Label with woman in blue cap and sailor suit, flowers, box of cigars, and ships.
Col. 234	06x158.7	Royal Rose		O.L. Schwencke	33-37 Bleecker St., New York, NY	Royal Rose/O.L. Schwenke,/33-35-37 Bleecker Street./No. 2476 ins. $1.90, No. 2477 outs. $1.10/Also blank.	Label with woman, roses, box of cigars, and ships.
Col. 234	06x158.8			O.L. Schwencke	33-37 Bleecker St., New York, NY	O.L. Schwenke,/33-35-37 Bleecker Street./Flap No. 2507, $1.25 per 100.	Label with scene of lighthouse and ships in water surrounded by flowers.
Col. 234	06x158.9	Busy Day		O.L. Schwencke	33-37 Bleecker St., New York, NY	Busy Day/O.L. Schwenke,/33-35-37 Bleecker Street./No. 2466 ins. $2.00, No. 2467 outs. $1.50/Also blank.	Label with scene of man reading paper and woman at typewriter surrounded by scenes of people working in fields and men on horseback.
Col. 234	74x010.1	Lord Coke	1900	A.C. Henschel & Co.		Lord Coke/Tabacos Primeros/ Garantizados por los fabricantes	Series of progressive color proofs in folder with cut-out template. Image of man in wreath with embossed gold coins, two heraldic emblems, and city view with palm trees.
Col. 234	74x010.2	Prime Smoke	1900			Prime Smoke/ fabrica de tabacos/puros superiopes/ vuelta abajo	Series of progressive color proofs in folder. Image of embossed lettering border of gold embossed coins, crown and shield.
Col. 234	74x010.3	Miss Liberty Glories	1902	Schmidt & Co.	New York, NY	Miss Liberty Glories	Four color proofs in folder. Woman in French Liberty cap with morning glories, gold coin, box of cigars; embossed.
Col. 234	74x010.4	U.S. Navy Success	1898	Schmidt & Co.	New York, NY	United States Navy Success/Smoke U.S. Navy Success U.S. cigars	Six color proofs in folder. Image of Navy ships with embossed gold border design and shield with flag.
Col. 234	74x010.5	Cuban Specials	1896	Schmidt & Co.	New York, NY	Cuban Specials/ Smoke Cuban Specials Cigars	Five color proofs and cut-out template in folder. Image of woman in Spanish-style clothing offering box of cigars to man; embossed floral border and coins in gold.
Col. 234	74x010.6	The "Hess" Tiger	ca. 1900	Schmidt & Co.	New York, NY & Chicago	The "Hess" Tiger	Series of progressive color proofs in folder. Image of tiger head with initials AM over H and embossed gold coins and border.
Col. 234	74x010.7	Regina	ca. 1900			Regina/warranted/ hand made/and Havana/filler/single binder/Regina/John Brunner, Maker.	Series of progressive color proofs in folder. "Regina" outlined and embossed in gold in border with gold coins and shield.
Col. 234	74x010.8	Don Royal	ca. 1900			Don Royal	Three folders of proofs and templates. Variations of image of man with embossed gold swords and symbols.
Col. 234	77x085.1	Javotte				Javotte	Label with woman's face with embossed gold necklace surrounded by flowers and sun's rays.
Col. 234	77x085.2	Joe Anderson				Joe Anderson	Label with man in clothing style of 1830-1850 surrounded by ornate gold and pink embossed border with theatrical masks and lute.
Col. 234	92x150.1	La Victoria		L.V.C. Corp.	New York, NY	La Victoria/Gran Fabrica de Tabacos/Habana/ Manufactured in N.Y.C./La Victoria Cigar Corp.	Label with scene of Columbus landing with embossed gold coins, flags and shields.
Col. 234 map case 3 dr 1	88x076	O.L. Schwencke			Bleecker St., New York, NY	Specimen of Top Brands/O.L. Schwencke/Cigar Box Labels	Printed sheet with 18 different labels