Men have always banded together in groups with similar interests. Immigration and the industrial age made the 19th and early 20th centuries periods in which such fraternal organizations became particularly popular in America. Naturally this was reflected on cigar boxes. Here are some samples of those in the NCM collection.
Fraternal Orders
A National Cigar Museum Exclusive
© Tony Hyman
Beautiful unused box for cigars by Powell & Goldstein, Oneida, NY, for an unknown customer. Fact. 370, 21st District NY. 1888-1892.
Label by Schumacher & Ettlinger.
[6508]
Washington depicted as Grand Master of the Masons on this mid 1880’s box for cigars by
Joel Garrison, Dagget’s Mills, PA
Factory 163, 12th District PA/
[6507]
An unidentified Masonic Grand Commander is depicted on the box of cigars by Barnes, Smith & Co., Binghamton, NY for Joseph Simon & Son, Grand Rapids, MI, distributors c1905.
Fact 1239, 21st Dist. NY
[6512]
SHRINER Invincibles makes a nice combination brand name and frontmark on this c1929 box used by Erickson & Hanigan Cigar Co., Pierre, SD,
Fact. 108, Dist. N&S Dakota.
[10472]
[Box of 10 made by L.N. Schulner, Factory 15. Watertown, SD, District of N&S Dakota, c1920.
[10473]
The women’s auxiliary of the Masons is honored on this distinctive box used by George Sessler, 442 1st Avenue in NYC in the late 1890’s.
Factory 27, 3rd Dist. NYC.
[6515]
Good looking Canadian box used for 10 cigars by
Miller & Lockwell, who owned Fact. 4, IRD 8 between 1907 and 1911. 1897 stamp.
[6506]
Stock label with name and K of C pin added. c1910.
Good example of how local clubs could have short run boxes of “custom” cigars, perhaps made by a member. Not in the NCM collection.
Stock label printed by A.C. Henschel starting in 1901. Used by Elks Clubs all over the country.
Cigars by Harry Beckoff, Fact. 616, Philadelphia.
[6516]
Cigars by P.F. Auler, Oshkosh, Fact. 360, Wisc.
in the late 1920’s. Is that where the club was?
[6517]
Created in 1911 to celebrate the 2nd anniversary of the founding of Moose Lodge 148 in York, PA, with cigars by S.L. Etter, York. Fact. 1700, 9th PA.
Salesman’s sample size box of 12.
[6523]
In 1938 and 1943 Moose Lodge 148 was still celebrating their existence with custom cigars, these by Diehl Cigar Co., Pleasureville, Fact 22. 1st Dist.
[6522]
Stock top brand, perfectly suited for the
V.F.W. cigar.
[6519]
Rare box of 13/13 created in the late 1930’s,, used by the Brazil Cigar Co., in Brazil, Indiana. Note “Manufactured with permission of the VFW” rather than made specifically for them. Fact. 82, Indiana.
[6520]
The Grand Army of the Republic was a very popular veteran’s group following the Civil War. Veterans wore their service medals (shown) proudly, and displayed it in ads and on business cards.
Factory 504, 1st Mich. this box issued on the 23rd anniversary of the start of the Civil War. [9174]
The twentieth national reunion of veterans was held in 1886 in California, resulting in this stunning box. Label created by Emil Steffens, NYC. Cigars made by one of the 500 rollers in Fact. 401, 3rd NYC
run by Levy Bros,
[2202]
Silver ink is appropriate for the 25th anniversary of the South Brooklyn Sharp Shooters in 1893.
Cigars made by club member, Ernst Guenther
Factory 548, 1st Brooklyn, NY.
A curator’s favorite. [2252]
Sharpshooter member Ernst Guenther created a label that included a formal proclamation from the club authorizing him to use the club’s name.
Late 1800’s. Factory crossed out.
[2253]
After the Masons, more boxes are found for the Knights of Pythias than for any other organization. This 1886 beauty was printed by Schumacher & Ettlinger and used by Hummel & Co. of Schenevus, NY, for an unknown customer. Fact. 788, 21st Dist.
[6502]
Stock O.L. Schwencke, NY, label, depicting a wounded warrior knight in silver armor.
[6504]
A stock gold frame label was made into a custom for the Knights of Pythias. Brinted by Dittgen & Co., Cincinnati, for F.H. Berning & Sons, cigar makers located at 331 Main in Cincinnati. Fact. 12, 1st OH.
[6505]
John Schnell, Factory 26 in Madison, 2nd Dist. of Wisconsin sold these around 1900.
[6518]
KNIGHTS OF THE SKUNK SKIN. Yes, that’s really the organization’s name. Cigars by George Schmidt & Son, Factory 136, 1st District, Neenah, Wisconsin c1905. Box of 12 packed horizontally.
[6524]
The Allies frontmark goes along with its near WWI origin. Box of 10/5 made by William Glaccum & Sons, 302 E. 45th St., NYC, for W.W. Pegan, Grand Forks, ND. Who’s the man in the insert?
What is KEM? Part of the Shriners is best bet?
[6521]
Knights of The Maccabees box from 1901-1904. Local chapters were called ‘tents’ hence the image.
Cigars by the Watkins Cigar Co, Watkins Glen, NY. Fact. 469, 21st NY. Label by F.M. Howell.
[6529]
Here’s a group you didn’t expect on a cigar!
Getman Cigar Co., Oshkosh Fact. 83, Wisconsin.
Distributed by the N.A.A.C.P. Cigar Co.
[6089]
A labor union, more than a fraternal or service group. Wonderful Heppenheimer & Maurer label used by Kerbs & Spiess, one of NYC’s largest cigar makers. The CMIU stamp is the very rare issue of 1886, almost never seen on a box. Fact. 13, 3rd NY
[6551]
Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen, also a labor union rather than a fraternal or service group, but certainly men bound by common interest. Ciggars by Frey & Conway, Newark, NY, Fact. 842, 21st NY
in 1919. Label by Moehle Litho, Brooklyn.
[6235]
Another union is featured in this exceptionally rare box created especially for the Journeymen Barbers’ Union No. 50 in 1927.
[6570]
