Antique Cigar Storage
Antique cigar storage unites fine cabinet-making with the ritual of smoking, offering elegant wooden boxes and desktop cabinets designed to keep tobacco leaf at its best.
Antique Cigar Storage
When you search for antique cigar storage, you encounter a specialised selection of wooden boxes, desktop cabinets and caskets engineered to hold and preserve cigars. These items range from compact boxes to multi-drawer cabinets designed for serious collections.
The pieces listed on this page span several distinct periods, most notably the Victorian era and the twentieth century. You will frequently find Victorian examples alongside Regency cases and Art Deco designs from the nineteen-thirties.
Forms vary from brass-bound oak boxes to elaborate burr walnut humidors and golden oak tambour cabinets. Certain pieces double as collectors' cases or feature fitted interiors designed specifically for tobacco storage.
Materials and construction
The makers of these storage pieces relied heavily on rich timbers such as oak, walnut, burr elm and satinwood, often accentuating the natural grain patterns of the wood. Cabinets and boxes frequently feature robust construction, sometimes reinforced with brass banding for durability.
Silver and metal components appear regularly, utilised for hinges, mounts and dedicated cigar boxes created by silversmiths. Interior fittings often incorporate specialised humidifiers and multiple drawers to manage the storage environment effectively.
The selection includes pieces spanning the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, utilising materials such as brass, sterling silver, oak, and burr walnut.
Quality and craftsmanship
The distinction between standard pieces and the finest examples lies in the selection of timber and the precision of the joinery. Superior items display exceptional matching of burr veneers and tight, clean joints on drawers and lids.
Alfred Dunhill·Wright and Davies
The Antique Cigar Storage Glossary
- Humidor
- A specially designed box or cabinet intended to keep cigars at a controlled humidity level. These interiors often incorporate metal humidifiers or specialised wood linings.
- Tambour
- A type of sliding door or shutter constructed from narrow strips of wood glued to a fabric backing. This mechanism allows the door to curve smoothly around the body of a cabinet.
- Burr walnut
- A highly figured wood veneer taken from the burl growth of a walnut tree. It produces intricate, swirling patterns prized by cabinet-makers for decorative surfaces.
- Desktop cabinet
- A small-scale piece of furniture designed to sit on a desk or table, providing organised storage with drawers or fitted compartments.
Antique Cigar Storage: Frequently Asked Questions
What is a cigar humidor?
A cigar humidor is a specialised storage container designed to maintain a consistent humidity level to keep cigars fresh. These pieces often feature fitted wooden interiors and humidifying elements.
Historically, they range from small desktop boxes to substantial multi-drawer cabinets created from woods like oak and walnut.
How do I date an antique humidor?
Dating these items involves examining the construction methods, wood types, and decorative styles characteristic of periods such as the Victorian era, Regency, or Art Deco.
Maker marks, silver hallmarks, and patent stamps also provide precise chronological markers for pieces originating from the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.
Were all old cigar boxes humidified?
Not every antique cigar box or cabinet included modern humidification systems, as storage technology evolved over time. Many Victorian and Edwardian examples functioned primarily as decorative desktop caskets or general storage boxes.
Pieces designated specifically as humidors often incorporated specialised linings or early metal humidifiers to protect the tobacco.
How do I care for antique wood?
Maintaining wooden storage pieces requires keeping them away from direct sunlight and extreme temperature fluctuations that can dry out or warp the timber. Regular dusting with a soft, dry cloth helps preserve the finish of woods like walnut and oak.
Applying a suitable microcrystalline wax occasionally protects the surface without building up excessive residue.