In the early 1890’s it became technologically possible to screen photo in such a way they could be lithographed. This “half-tone” process meant that a blank stock label could add any snapshot, including those from the new Kodak cameras that brought photography to the masses. The cigar selling and smoking public responded enthusiastically to what became the ultimate in personalized private labels.
Self portraits of mustachioed proprietors were popular choices, with children running a close second. Anything that anyone was proud of could be, and was, incorporated into a cigar label. Mementos of events and awards appeared on labels, as did many a hunting trophy and championship animal. Proprietors of stores often put their business or local landmark on a label. Sports teams, clubs and local bands used boxes of cigars displaying their portraits as fund-raisers. You’ll find ships, trains, fire trucks and oil gushers among surprises in this exhibit.
Among themselves, printers and box makers call them vanity labels. Turn-of-the-century label catalogs call them a more polite portrait labels or half-tones. Labels with pictures of people were referred to as portrait labels and those with animals, buildings, events and the like were usually called half-tones in most label catalogs. Collectors generally refer to both as Vanity Labels.
Vanity labels appear to have reached their height of popularity between 1901 and 1910 as a lopsided majority of the vanity boxes found today date from that decade. Just as small factories began to disappear after World War One, so too did vanity labels. The Great Depression of the 1930’s curtailed their use even further as did changes in box making technology of the 1940’s. By the 1950’s vanity labels were seldom seen.
Vanity labels are personal favorites of mine.
Vanity: labels with photographs
A National Cigar Museum Exhibit
© Tony Hyman
F.M. Howell in Elmira, NY, was the largest
printer of vanity labels. Founded in 1883, the company was one of the first to adopt photographic techniques for not only vanities, but all label production. Hard and soft cover label catalogs from all printers are sought by the Museum. [10077]
Typical Howell half-tone labels. A customer could order the label as offered, or include a photograph of their choice. Sample labels are recognizable by the addition of pricing and ordering information.
1,000 custom labels cost $17. [10073]
Very finely screened (rotogravure?) created around 1895. Cigars by John Roeder’s four man shop in Boston for C.A. Weston & Co., Portland Maine.
[6404]
Half-tone. Cigars by Barnes, Smith & Co., Binghamton, NY for Wm. Philips, Cheshire, NY
in 1905. “Made in an Independent Factory” sticker
to show lack of involvement with the Trust.
[6418]
Half-tone of the cigar-maker’s son. Cigars by Andy J. Holmes, Chariton, IA, Fact. 122, 4th Dist, Iowa.
F.M. Howell stock label used in 1898.
[6417]
Half-tone with unusual farming scene background made for Fred Ambs, Sr., Moorhead, Minnesota by Kuhles & Stock in St. Paul, one of Minnesota’s two largest cigar factories, with 100 rollers. Fred Jr.
died at age seven. This may have been a memorial. [6414]
Another fine-screen or rotogravure created for
G.A. Howland of Lime Springs, Iowa, by Moers & mannheimer, whose 100 rollers made it one of the two largest cigar factories in Cincinnati in the 1890’s. A curator’s favorite. [6407]
Made for Nels Hansen, Wautoma, Wisconsin. Half tone depicts Carlton Hansen, Nels’ sister’s son whom he adopted when she died in childbirth, An avid hunter, Nels included his dogs, gun and skins in the photo. Cigars by Wautoma Cigar Co., Fact 149, 1st Wisconsin. 1901-1904. [6429]
Stock blank label with fancy typeface brand name and half tone depiction of two sons of cigar maker, C.B. Spofford, Claremont, NH. Fact. 96. 1905. [6403]
Howell stock label with half tone depicting three of Henry’s sons. Cigars made by Joe Reinstein, Westpoint, Iowa (Fact. 100. 4th IA) in 1903.
[6413]
Unusual vanity created by laying a photo of the twins on a blank stock label and re-photographing it.
Real photo on photo paper label. Cigars made by Joseph Heller in Fact. 122, 1st Wisconsin,
Milwaukee, 1905.
[6411]
Unknown children (TR’s sons?) used as a label by Charles Timmerman, Fact. 931, Mankato, MN c1905. [6424]
Salesman sample size NW12/6 boxes are rarely found with vanity labels. Cigars by W.H. Snyder, Fact. 752, 9th Windson, PA for W.M. Siers,
Altoona, PA c1910.
[6426]
Two jaunty three year olds in boots, hats and jackets. A handful for mom.
[6427]
Three children posed in a studio with cigar props. Cigars by John N. Stadler, Fact. 1318, 28th Dist. Lockport, NY. 1906.
Bequeathed to the NCM by Chuck Tuthill.
[9514]
One of my favorite vanities. One child is stripping, one is rolling and the third is packing.
Exceptional vanity in very fine condition.
[9516]
Cigars made by Ashland Cigar & Tobacco Co., Ashland Wisconsin Fact. 157, 2nd Dist. WI., for John I. Hahn Company. “Cigars to burn.” c1905
[6419]
Unusual tableau of child boxer and sporting men. Why does fine print imbedded in the image say ©Scioto Sign Co., Chicago?
[6421]
Cigar maker George Dillon of Mt. Pleasant, Michigan (fact. 153, 1st MI) put his five daughters on this 1911 box.
[6409]
Straight five is a delightful play on words referring to five straight daughters. In the cigar industry, straight five also means nickel cigars sold without quantity discount no matter how many you buy.
[6408]
Three pictures of the same infant adorn Singer & Swoyer’s brand made in their Factory 233, 12th (Jersey Shore) PA in 1905.
[6422]
The same three photos appear on a stock label in F.M. Howell’s catalog. Who copied whom?
Did S&S save $4/100 by buying the infant along with the border and passing Joe off as someone they knew or did Howell like S&S’s Joe label so much
they used it as a sample? [10276]
Unusual staged photo half-tone vanity on brand made by Nicolas Weber, Fact. 639 Milwaukee
for an unknown customer. c1928. Cute ambiguous “try it” refers to the cigars and rocket-riding.
[6425]
Close-up of previous.
[6425CU]
Half-tone vanity labels are very rare on large
NW250 dropfront boxes. The label is standard
size for a 50/13 box, looking a little lost on this.
Cigars by Cincinnati giant J.H. Lucke owner of
Factory 567, 1st Dist. Ohio.
[6458]
Cigarmaker H. Payenkop, Fact. 717 Milwaukee, packed this box of cigars for dog-lover and likely owner, H.G. Tess between 1901-1910. Champion animals frequently were the subject of vanity labels.
[6439]
Glade City Cigar Co., Fact. 82, 8th District Illinois
(Blandinsville) made this box in 1902, probably for C.E. Ballou, to whom the brand is registered.
[6438]
Bab and Bob were champions of something, probably having to do with the fire apparatus they’re hitched to. Cigars by T.W. Schroeder & Sons,
Fact. 71, 4th Dist. (Clinton) Iowa.1901-1910.
[6440]
Joe Ditz made these for the East Side Gun Club in Saginaw Michigan in 1904. Rich people’s club with fancy building, 125+ people, 27 men with guns,
15 piece band, spotting tower, judges. Long-lived brand featuring the armed society of Saginaw.
[6432]
Jockam “Joe” Ditz, Factory 160, 1st Michigan.
[6433]
The West Side Gun Club of Saginaw in 1912 was not as blessed, consisting of 11 armed men and boys, two dogs, and 23 hangers-on standing in front of a cloth banner by the local cemetery.
[6435]
George Schulz, Factory 479, 1st Michigan, created this as a satire on the popular group and cigars.
The addition of Perfectos frontmark alongside the
label was probably a taunt. Much more difficult
to find this box than the East Side.
A curator’s favorite pair. [6434]
Rotogravure or real photo label? Nice trophy label
not in the NCM collection.
[w0000]
Four deer and two bears qualified as Extra Good Luck for these hunters and their dogs. Trophy label box from late 1920’s by Quakertown Cigar Co.
Factory 428, 1st District Pennsylvania.
[6430]
Twenty-seven guys and a boat and one oar.
No guns or fishing gear. What were they up to? They’re holding a banner, but it’s unreadable.
Cigars by William N. Nase, 510 W. Dauphin St., Philadelphia 1916.
[6436]
The “club” referred to “good ol’ boys” who hung out at Cook’s cigar factory and store in Dansville, NY. The brand was around for a couple decades.
Fact. 152, 28th Dist. NY 1921.
[6459]
Depression era box style created to encourage men to buy an entire box, then give it to their wives as a jewelry box. Many other similar 1930’s Novelty boxes are on display in the NCM. [6455]
Most boxes of this style had mirrors inside. This has a team photo of the 1935 Green Bay Packers.
Football team photos are very rare on cigar boxes, especially this late and in this type box. Cigars by fan George Barth, Fact. 283, Green Bay.
[6456]
The Somersworth, NH, football team of 1917 was immortalized by C.N. Hurd, who pasted the label for the short lived brand on top of the black and gold label of his leading SPIDER brand. The top brand and edging of SPIDER were not changed.
See SPIDER in the Bad Brands exhibit. [10281]
Chicago’s National Soccer League was dominated by Sparta, champions every year from 1928 through 1938. Sparta was one of the all-time great amateur soccer teams. The 1928 team is featured on this vanity by Chicago cigarmaker Thomas Verve
Fact. 1201, 1st Dist, Illinois. [10266]
The 1908 Cobleskill, NY, baseball team is pictured and identified on this 1908 box by Harry Kelso, Factory 519, 14th Dist (Cobleskill) NY.
[6437]
One of the longest running baseball labels features Al Simmons, a Hall of Famer with Philadelphia and 6 other teams. Labeled “Milwaukee’s favorite” but he was traded from AA Milwaukee to the Athletics in 1923. Cigars by Erlinda Cigar Co., Milwaukee, 1960. This Howell stock label was used often. [10282]
Military units are surprisingly scarce on vanity labels considering their popularity and that of the Spanish-American War coincide. Cigars made in Factory 190 South Dakota (tax District of Nebraska) in 1899, most likely by Fred Kurth or A. Reichert.
[8167]
Why a Milwaukee cigar maker named Ramon Garcia (Fact 156) features a German men’s choir from 1938 on this 1945 box of cigars is
anyone’s guess. Did they tour the US in 1938?
[6454]
Local marching bands are a popular vanity topic frequently packed in book-shaped boxes. I suspect without proof that they were used as fundraisers. This reads “ [illegible] Champions” on top.
Cigars by L.O. Coleman, Fact. 196 Beloit, KS.
[6449]
Vanity label of previous box, 1898.
Gift of Joe Davidson.
[6451]
1906. Twenty-eight members of the Dayton, Ohio, Bar Association are pictured on this brand by Dayton cigar maker C.W. Alday.
Factory 469, 1st District Ohio.
[6463]
1921. Same brand, same top oval, same edging, same Caution Notice, fourteen different lawyers.
Was the Bar Association limited to only 28 members or did Mr. Alday not want to change the label’s layout? How many different versions are there?Unusual “Solid Comfort” frontmark. [10277]
1908. Two men and a boy in clown costumes along with a donkey pulling a flag-decorated sulky. Sign reads: “When not a going, we stop at Hittemiller’s Palace Saloon” Founded in the 1870’s, the saloon was still in Dyerville, Iowa, a century later.
[6443]
Actual photo on photo paper, with multiple creases.
Possibly a one-of-a-kind created by a family member. Cigars by John Mitch, Manchester, Iowa, Factory 279, 3rd Iowa. A curator’s favorite.
[6444]
Unusual sport of high-kicking featured on equally unusual side by side half-tone sequential photos. Another book-shaped box by the Hittemillers, this one featuring J.J. Hittemiller doing the 9’ 8” kick.
Spine reads “J.J. Hittemiller Special.”
[6442]
Doing the stunt AND getting the photos wasn’t easy. Landing must have hurt!
Cigars by William. Hartley, Dyersville, Fact. 133,
3rd District of Iowa.
[6441]
Unusual photographic vanity of six men. Top brand reads SOCIAL SIX. Lack of inside brand name may mean short-run custom work, not for retail trade.
Cigars by H.E. Walter & Co., Fact. 34, 3rd NYC for E.L. Rushton, Canton, NY. Is he one of the six? What makes them social? [6460]
Photographic vanity of dapper mustachioed gent.
Unusual configuration for a 50 box. No brand name but reads “Manuf’d expressly for A.F. Burhop” on side liner. Unusual placement of Caution Notice.
Cigars by George Schivibringer/Schwibinger,
Milwaukee, Fact. 512, 1st Wisconsin [6461]
Who is Knaup and what was he diplomatic about?
Cigars by Lazarus Levy, NYC, Fact. 861, 3rd NYC.
Odd brand name. 1898. Very popular style
of blank stock label used for vanities.
[6472]
Brand name is SILVER’S BEST, most likely named after the retailer. Portrait is of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, distributor James Plumb. Cigars by Charles Hass,
Fact. 21, 1st Dist. Ohio, Cincinnati 1905.
[6465]
Half-tone photo, probably of wholesaler or retailer. Cigars by big-timer Yocum Bros., Fact. 103,
1st Dist. PA. c1905.
[6469]
Photograph pasted onto stock label by Joseph Weinreich, 1015 East 5th, Dayton, Ohio for
T.J. Schmitt, Graf, Iowa in 1905.
Fact. 495, 1st Ohio.
[6466]
Early 1920’s stock label with portrait of dad surrounded by cherubs. Cigars by Gay & Sons, Fact. 129, 1st (Hastings) Nebraska.
[6484]
Vanity labels are almost never found on cans. Unusual portrait of a gent sitting at a table with a box of cigars and a jumbo torpedo. Cigars by
S. Kauffman & Bro., Dallastown, Fact. 961, 9th PA.
[6496]
Who is “Our” and why do they have someone who annoys young horses? A mystery. Appears to be a leaf salesmen. Cigars by Schrier Brothers, Athens, PA Fact. 124, 12th Dist. PA c1896.
[6476]
Same brand, same guy, same cigar maker, probably not the same tobacco leaf, but the same mystery. Only the pose has changed. c1904
[6475]
The gloves suggest a fire department captain, but it’s not certain. The stylized signature on the front panel of the box is that of D.N. Kelley, Sabetha, Kansas cigar maker, Fact. 135 Kansas, c1904
[6474]
Nine salesmen? working for Boston distributor Silas S. Peirce & Co. Cigars by George A. Kent, Fact. 3, 21st. Dist. New York (Binghamton). c1905.
[6462]
Full page half-tone of a tobacconist with 63 open boxes of cigars on display along with large numbers of cigarettes, pipes, tobacco and accessories.
Note plaster Indians on top of cabinet. Cigars by
T. Thorne, Binghamton, Fact. 1404, 21st NY, 1918.
[6487]
Unusual vanity sold only at the R.G. Sullivan factory in Manchester, NH. Label refers to “New 7-20-4 factory” and pictures the exterior of the factory on the top and the interior of the factory’s salesroom as an inner. 7-20-4 was one of nation’s biggest selling
10¢ cigars. 1915. [6446]
Puzzling vanity. Why is the band pictured along with the building and horse and buggies? Why did the band order cigars from Michael Becker, Brillon WI (pop. 845) only cigar maker instead of one of the three cigar factories in Kasson (pop.1112), MN?
c 1900. [6448]
Half-tone of Barton & Wheadon, wholesale grocers in Elmira, NY. Cigars made by Binghamton’s Barnes, Smith & Co. Wholesale grocers were responsible for creating hundreds of thousands of brands as they were the leading distributors of cigars. Box c1905. [6486]
Exceptionally rare 250 (not a dropfront) with real photo pasted on inside lid. Pictures Armstrong Hotel, staff and vehicles, c1890.
Fact. 11, 9th PA. Warren or E.C. Beck, York.
[6494]
Full page, blue tinted half-tone of Seaside resort.
Lid only.
[6497]
Odd vanity with picture and text on photographed label, with previous maker crossed out. Different factory ID on lid and bottom. Cigars by C.T, Goodrich, Kasson, MN Fact. 191.
[6481]
No idea who the oil man was, but this unusual vanity was made by J.B. Milleysack, Lancaster, Fact. 41, 9th PA, and distributed by Tinkham Bros. from Jamestown NY, 1918. Price was raised from 7¢ to 8¢ probably in response to WWI revised taxes.
[6482]
Event vanities are rare, with disasters especially desirable photos. This commemorates a tornado that hit St. Louis May 27, 1896. The photograph is
of Broadway looking South. Cigars by unlisted maker, owner of Fact. 246, 1st Dist. Missouri.
[6479]
Honors a fountain built in the New Haven green in 1907. The fountain was modeled after the Choragic Monument of Lysicrates in Athens. Cigars by James Manning, 371 State St., Fact 110, New Haven, CT.
Box made between 1926-1931. [6480]
Grant Park, Chicago, is pictured on this 1921 box. Site of my first date with my wife, during the 1968 Democratic Convention. Cigars by unlisted maker, owner of Factory 29, 4th Dist. Michigan. Box contained packs of 5 cigars sold for a quarter.
[10029]
First vanity in the NCM collection, obtained by Howard Richards in 1953. View is of scenic overlook above Riverside, Calif. Cigars by Julius Hess, owner of Fact. 11, 6th Dist. Riverside. 1910.
[6477]
Interior pictures are rare. This bowling alley box held cigars by George E. Eichinger, Fact. 131, Red Wing, Minnesota. No indication of whose bowling alley it was, or where. 1929. FM Howell stock frame.
[6488]
Half-tone label pictures local telephone operator.
Back panel reads Kreutz & Niedbalski, La Crosse, Wisconsin but doesn’t say whether they were cigar makers, distributors or the retailer. Cigars made in Fact. 310, 2nd Wisconsin c1908.
[6498]
The first fire truck in Cortland, NY, made it onto a vanity label used by local cigar maker M.P. Crain
Factory 1109, 21st Dist. NY in 1907.
[6489]
Some town’s fire chief riding in a parade. This oddly colored vanity with dropped background was used by E. Renninger & Sons, Fact. 67, 1st PA in 1930.
[6490]
Lehigh Valley railroad so nicknamed because of its frequent cargo of anthracite coal was the subject of a popular 1896 and 1900 Edison movie short as well as this popular 1898 brand of cigars picturing the train. Cigars by H.M. Ferguson, Fact. 239, 21st NY Waverly. F.M. Howell litho. [6492]
Custom brand picturing the facilities of the General Engineering and Dry Dock Co. in Alameda, Calif. When these 1940 cigars were made the company had no idea how active it would become repairing and modifying ships for the US Navy during WWII. Cigars made in Fact 83, 1st CA. [6495]
A type of cargo ship used on the Great Lakes, 44 of which were built 1889-1896. Oil, grain, iron ore, etc. were hauled. By 1910, only 6 were still in service. The SS Meteor, pictured?, is berthed today in Superior, WI. Cigars made by Jacob Vanden Berge, Grand Rapids, Fact. 168, 4th MI, 1917 [6499]
One of the Whale-backs, thought to be the Meteor, passes through the locks at Sou-Sainte Marie. The brand was still around in 1933, and shows typical Depression era price drop. The NCM owns the original photo used for this label.
[6400]
Stock labels were available with hundreds of different themes. The patriotic frame (top) was designed for a Spanish-American war veteran, but a 1920’s Wisconsin factory used it for a portrait of military band-leader John Philip Sousa. The more generic set at the bottom could accept any portrait and brand name. These three labels were paper-clipped together and mailed to wholesalers, retailers and cigar salesmen to show what was possible. Any label, not just stock ones, could have any name the customer wanted.
