This curious box lot of paper was purchased at Stoner’s Auction House in Westminster, MD on 6/8/19. The contents constitute a collection of cigar label printing company paper cigar box labels and tobacciana ephemera. A significant portion, and perhaps all of the contents is connected with Golden’s Cigar Company of Bonneauville, PA. Of the various brands of Cigars that that Golden’s produced, several are represented in this lot. At least one box label registered to the Golden’s represents a brand name heretofore unknown. The name is “SUN-RAY” cigars.
A complete list of all of the cigar brand names used by the Golden’s has yet to be discovered. “NEWCOMER”, one of the brand names once used by the Golden’s in the early 20th Century, resulted in legal action by cigar manufacturer Newcomer who won the law suit. One of said Newcomer labels is contained in this lot.
Some of the paper labels included in this collection are originals, from the printer, for presentation to the manufacturer. Some are first run prints. Still others are finished works. Some have pencil notations added by the manufacturer or the purchaser.
No label manufacturers names are identified anywhere on this lot of labels. The collection was likely from A. J. Golden, Baltimore, MD. “A. J. moved to Baltimore in the early 20th Century and was quite successful in expanding the Golden’s brands up and down the East Coast.”
Note: During WWI (1914 – 1918) taxes and the price of tobacco and many other goods rose sharply. Cigar prices shot up to seven or eight cents each and nearly never returned to five cents. This bit of information aids in dating old cigar boxes and their labels. (1890 – 1920 is known as the Golden Age of Cigar Making.) (Not to be confused with the Golden Family age of cigar making.)
There are over 43 separately cataloged cigar items in the Bonneauville Museum collection. Refer to them for elaboration on some of the following.
The following is a catalogued list of ephemera found in this lot. Most are colorful, embossed and gold trimmed fine examples of the cigar label maker’s art. Several examples have found their way into auction house catalogues of exemplary box label collections.
2019-19-1: Golden’s Blue Ribbon Ad, 8 1/2 x 11 inch, adhesive backed*
2019-19-2A: Golden’s Blue Ribbon Ad, 8 1/2 x 11 inch, adhesive backed*
2019-19-2B: Golden’s Blue Ribbon Ad, 8 1/2 x 11 inch, adhesive backed*
2019-19-3: Golden’s Blue Ribbon cigar Pocket Humidors. New, unformed condition.
2019-19-4A: “BLUE RIBBON SUPREMES” cigar box side label.
2019-19-4B: “BLUE RIBBON ” cigar box end label.
2019-19-4C: “BLUE RIBBON, It’s Mild ” cigar box end label.
2019-19-5: Multiple copies of a Letter; "One Blue Ribbon Cigar Brings $12,000.00 in War Bond Auction," 1944. See Cat. No. 2003-10 for description of this item.
2019-19-6: One sheet, probably a cigar box lid label. Black and white picture of a gentleman below the text “NEWCOMER”.
2019-19-7: Cigar Box inner-lid labels. Simple red on white text “TWO FRIENDS”. See Cat. No. 1990-01 for additional information.
2019-19-8: 6 ¼ x 9 ½ advertising sheet. Nice black on white graphics. “Ok’d by millions of smokers. It’s mild, 5 cents everywhere.” *
2019-19-9A: 11” x 6 ¼” original pen and ink artwork sheet. Pastoral river valley scene with “BRAZOS RIVER CROOKS” in very stylish text. Handwritten, penciled notation at bottom left. *,**
2019-19-9B: 5 ½” x 9” original pen and ink artwork sheet. Same river scene as above with the playful text; “TUG RIVER CROOKS”. Handwritten notations in pencil on front and back. *, **
2019-19-10A: 9” x 11” original art sheet. Proposal for a cigar box lid label. “Sweet-Soothing, Smoke ENGAGEMENT Cigars, Now 5 Cents.” *, **
2019-19-10B: Finalized version of the above label. The word ENAGAEMENT has been changed from outline text to solid text. A scroll decorated broad line above and below the word Engagement has been removed. *, **
2019-19-11: Two identical 9 1/2 “ x 11” uncut label sheets. Lid label with the text: “SUN-RAY” and “Pleasing to All.” “SUN-RAY” end label and box edge band label. In fine text on the inner lid label is: “Title and design registered A. J. Golden, Baltimore, MD. This brand name was heretofore unknown by the author as being connected with the Golden’s. *
2019-19-12: Bundle of miscellaneous labels: “EL PRINCIPAL” box side an did labels, “LORD ROBERTS” box side and lid labels. One “LORD ROBERTS” lid label with integral edge bands is dated 3/10/43. **
2019-19-13: “SOUTHLAND CIGAR” box inner lid and side panel labels mounted on grey cardboard. 8 ½” x 11”. *
2019-19-14: Two “TU-TU-CHU” complete cigar box label sets. See Cat. No. 2005-07 for more information on this brand.
2019-19-15: Bundle of miscellaneous labels: “SOCRATIES” lid and edge labels and bands, (one lid label has order information handwritten on back). Two different of these lid labels are triple folded as if they had been mailed. “WHITE AND GOLD” box end labels and “BLUE SEAL” box side labels are included. *
2019-19-16A: Bundle of 100 cigar bands – “Golden’s “BUNNIE BOYS”.
2019-19-16B: Bundle of 100 cigar bands- “TWO FRIENDS”.
2019-19-16C: Bundle of 100 cigar bands- “EL PRINCIPAL”.
2019-19-16D: Bundle of 100 cigar bands- “PRIMA LUCIA”.
2019-19-17: Uncut sheet; "BLUE RIBBON" cigar labels as produced by the printer. Framed.
*Heretofore unknown to The Bonneauville Museum. ** Uncertain if Golden family related.
Still more Golden's information will be listed in this file as discovered.
