Description
Own a genuine piece of Key West history. In the late 1800s, Key West was one of the busiest cigar-making cities in the country. Thousands of Cuban cigar workers rolled premium cigars there using tobacco from Cuba’s famous Vuelta Abajo region, and the town’s factories shipped “Key West Cigars” across America. This label comes from that era.
The design is printed in rich color with gold embossing, carries a “Design Copyrighted 1898” line from Schmidt & Co. of New York, and is a striking example of Victorian cigar label art. Two allegorical figures stand over a field of tobacco under a rising sun. On the left, Columbia wears the Stars and Stripes and holds an American flag. On the right, a figure representing Cuba carries the Cuban flag. Together they lift a box of cigars between them. The banner reads “Key West Cigars – Cuban Make,” flanked by “Superiores Tabacos” and “Vuelta Abajo,” with gold medallions on both sides and the American and Cuban shields joined beneath an eagle. 1898 was the year of the Spanish-American War and Cuba’s break from Spanish rule, so the label’s theme of American and Cuban friendship carries real historical weight.
The label also has a detail collectors look for. Below the artwork is the printer’s own ordering information: “From Schmidt & Co., New Chambers, Cor. William St., N.Y.,” with prices for the inside label (No. 1211, $2.50 per 100) and the outside label (No. 1212, $1.00), plus the note “Also Blank.” Text like this marks it as a printer’s sample label, offered to cigar makers who could order it for their boxes.
The frame is pure Key West. It was handmade from recycled lobster or stone crab traps from Key West, and its pink, blue, and natural wood still shows the paint and wear from years of use. The back is hand-lettered “Key West, FL,” “Cayo Hueso (Bone Key),” and “Conch Republic U.S.A.,” along with the framer’s mark dated 2024.
Details:
- Antique cigar box label, design copyrighted 1898 by Schmidt & Co., New York
- Embossed gold and full-color printing
- Printer’s sample with original ordering information
- Frame made from recycled Key West lobster/stone crab trap wood, framed in 2024
- Ready to hang, with a sawtooth hanger
- Winning bidder also pays shipping costs
All proceeds from this auction benefit the Sloppy Joe’s Foundation and its support for the Key West community.
