Cigar Bands and other Accessories

• Posted on 31 July 2024
• Posted in Cigar Bands and other Accessories
• 0

Cigar bands can be simple or extremely ornate. They can also range from being generic to being extravagant. In the modern age of cigars, and smoking cigars, cigar bands are very common. They also play a major role in the market.

Some cigar bands consist of a single word such as Tatuaje. Some cigar bands are just simple symbols. For example, the Padron cheaper cigars.

Some cigar bands are beautiful works of art, the result of someone's time and efforts. Consider the My Father or Arturo Fuente cigar bands.

Cigar bands are a great way to tell a tale and promote a brand when you're smoking if with friends or strangers. Where did the tradition of placing bands on cigars originate? What is the origin of this practice we all accept as normal?

Some stories are nonsense, but they claim that Catherine the Great, the former Tsarina, Russia, was the one who started the practice. She was said to have wrapped silk around her cigars so that the tobacco wouldn't stain her fingers.

Historians who are experts in the history and production of cigars, mainly in the west, suggest that this practice dates back to the 1800s. The Dutch-born cigarmaker Gustave Bock, widely credited as the inventor of the practice, is thought to have started it.

Gustave, in the 1830s, ordered that paper rings be placed on cigars he exported to Europe. He believed that the paper rings would be seen as a sign of quality and prestige by the people in Europe.

In about two decades, the practice spread around the globe. Even the master cigarmakers of Cuba began to put bands on their cigars at this time.

As more and more cigar manufacturers saw this as an opportunity to trademark not only their name but also the design of their bands, they began doing so. They also told cigar buyers to only buy cigars with bands. If the cigar did not have a band on it, then it was likely not authentic from their facility.

In the early 20th century, cigar bands were used for a different purpose. The best way to make products stand out was by using well-designed bands which suggested quality. The high quality of the cigar would never be in doubt.

Early 1900s, four out of every five men in America smoked cigars. In 1900, historians estimate that 2 BILLION cigar bands (yes with a B!) were sold.

In the early 1900s these bands were usually sold in 100-bag bags by printers and then applied by manufacturers. They used a small amount of plant-based glue to ensure the band would remain in place.

Even frivolous items like cigars were cut back on as the 1900s progressed and two world-wars took their toll. As a way to reduce costs, cigar bands were simplified to four colors, moving away from ornate, elaborate bands. As cigars and cigarettes became less popular, it became rare to find many ornate bands on tobacco shop shelves.

The ornate cigar bands from yesteryear, as well as some artwork from the era of the "golden age" of cigars, in the early 1900s, have started to make their comeback.

Cigar bands are now available in a variety of sizes, from simple ones to huge ones. Cigar bands are available in a variety of thicknesses, from less than one inch to several inches. This is all determined by the desire of the cigar maker to stand out.

People often collect the bands from their favorite cigars. I do the same thing, and carry around several dozen cigar bands. After smoking the cigar, it's easy to remove the band. The heat usually loosens the adhesive.

Take a closer look at the bands the next time you visit the humidor in your local shop or browse your favorite online store. Be sure to note the differences. What are they trying to say? Take note of what they are trying to convey and pay attention to the ones that catch your eye.

Someone has worked hard to create those bands.

What We Do

El Cigar Shop offers both online and local customers a wide range of cigars and accessories. Our staff will be happy to assist you in finding the perfect cigar. For more information, you can email us or call 215-576-5300.

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