Labels & Other Trim
A National Cigar Museum Exclusive
© Tony Hyman
 
Trim Trim is the name given by the box industry to all the labels and markings applied in one way or another to a cigar box. Some trim is applied by the box maker and other trim is pasted or stamped by the cigar factory after the box is packed full of cigars. A few pieces of trim may be applied by either. Most trim is optional. Some is required by law. Trim includes: top brand on outside top of lid to identify brand name, edging to cover the joints and nail heads, inner label to attract the smoker’s eye, liner to prevent cigars from interacting with the wood on the sides and bottom, flaps to protect the inner label from the cigars, outer/end label to identify the product on a shelf, required factory ID (1868-1962+) required Caution Notice (1868-1959) required Tax Class Notice (1917-1962) required Federal tax stamp. (1863-1959) frontmark identifying size and shape of the cigar, tags glued inside front, back or sides with ad copy, color mark stamped / pasted on to note the cigars’ color, nail tag to cover the nail which seals the box, cigar bands for decoration, price stickers, banners across the inner label with ads or offers, distributor’s label to identify the distributor; box wrap is an alternative in which all trim is printed on three sheets, top, inner, and bottom-sides.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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This exhibit is partially completed, scheduled to be finished in early 2009. I post exhibits quarterly so visit the Museum each three months to see which of the 300 exhibit/chapters has been added.