RyJ glass jar humidor

[smbauerllc]

Got this along with a bunch of well aged Fuentes and Newmans and snacks from a very good and generous friend.

Think its really cool, and the details in the paint of the iconic RyJ scene is just amazing. Surprisingly seems to seal quite well so far, but will be monitoring with my Boveda Butler for a while until I learn how it acts since its my first glass jar humidor ever, and a fine example at that. Did some Googling and they seem to go for roughly what I expected, which is WELL above the $5 he paid at a yard sale for it as a prop for his photography business.

Held 30, 50 to 60rg, 5 to 7" smokes. Filled it with all different singles from cigars he sent, plus from my big monthly order of almost all samplers of 1 or 2, of all different marcas and vitolas, that arrived yesterday.

No idea on age, but based on some photos online of them, the tarnish on the metal clips seems to indicate a fair bit of age. Hard to tell just from pictures though.

If anyone knows anything about these specifically or glass or ceramic jars in general I would love to hear your knowledge.

Thought it was worth sharing with everyone.


ETA:
So far have found that they may have been made in the Dominican Republic, and originally held Churchill En Tubos.

Made for the non-Cuban RyJ brand or outsourced production by Cuba?

The nc RyJ does make an 1875 Churchill En Tubo, but Cuba also has a tubo Churchill. So the mystery deepens...

The brass is heavily tarnished indicating some decent age, but the thin leather carry strap is very soft and no cracking, like would happen with significant age.

Found a Cuban H.Upmann version that is similar with leather strap and same brass clips, listed as 1960's pre-embargo.

I'm leaning towards it being at least a little bit vintage Cuban humidor/jar based on what I'm seeing online but not finding any specifically described as either Cuban or non-Cuban for the same RyJ jars, only the similar Upmann has any date attached which doesn't really help very much.

A search on cubancigarwebsite.com for RyJ 25 and 50ct glass jars came up empty.

I friggin love cigars

[BigO]

Just a WAG, but in my 25+ years of cigars, I've never seen one. I'm certainly not omniscient of the business, but the construction of the jar is in line with jars of the early 40s. My mom has a Planter's peanut jar for display in general stores then. I'll never live it down that I was responsible for breaking the lid sneaking a cookie from it (I have no will power when it comes to cookies) and pretty much ruining an heirloom piece.

If you asked me directly and allowed me to inspect it in person, I'd definitely date it as pre-embargo. Beyond that, I really couldn't say without deep research. In any case, I would treat it like a valuable antique. I have about a half dozen of cigar boxes that date back the 1800s. The oldest of them is stored in the controlled environment of my China cabinet (which is devoted more to fragile heirlooms than actual China or porcelain). With one exception, the rest of them are plastic bodied 1950s Victoria coronas comes from my mom's sewing kit, which my maternal grandfather smoked regularly as well as tins of Velvet brand tobacco.

They were repurposed, to be sure. I've liberated them in the name of tobacco history.

[smbauerllc]

Thanks for the input @BigO

If there is any visual information or particular pictures of anything that would help you date it, I'd love to give it to you as my curiosity is killing me.

Should mention that originally there was a thin Spanish cedar liner going all the way around the inside that I'm not surprised is missing.

Fwiw, the diameter is 6.75" and height without lid is 7.25" and 9.50" with lid.

The glass of the jar is 0.40" thick, and the lid is 1" thick, so its very solidly made and quite heavy.

The image is mildly rough feeling and is just barely raised from the glass.

That's cool about your cigar box collection. I'm guessing that one's from the 1800's sell for a pretty penny.

You should do a photo shoot of your favorites or the most interesting ones. I'm sure many of us would love to see them.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

[BigO]

Sean, I would love to send you the plastic viicrioria boxes, but they are still in my mom's sewing kit. I am first to inheret interest in them and they are almost a thousand miles away. If I can manage it,I will send pics of the oldest box. An old friend left it to me as part of her estate. I'll try, even if the software doesn't help. I don't have tapatalk.

[BigO]

Can't upload the pics I took. Tampa factory, roughly 1890s. Rey Del Larga brand. Well preserved, given that it was designed to be thrown away and not to be saved. No hinge on the lid, but with the lid is a perfect cube. Petite corona sized dress box. Can't say more without pics. I also have an old pre-embargo box of Emerson's corona dress box.

[Smok'em1313]

https://www.ebay.com/itm/36377069238...Bk9SR6yumoTpYA


Don't know if this is the same as yours. This a DR example.

[Smok'em1313]

Sold examples

Also DR. These are not that old - barcode

https://www.ebay.com/itm/30462367531...p2047675.l2557

https://www.ebay.com/itm/18556731548...p2047675.l2557

[smbauerllc]

Similar but not the same is a couple ways

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

[Ljutic]

I believe the name of these are Amatista Cigar Jars. Here's a quick link to a google image search. Who knows where all the image links will lead. https://www.google.com/search?source...ista+cigar+jar

I do know that Lew Rothman brought these back into circulation many years ago and is probably the source of the newer Amatista jars floating around the auction websites referenced above. Key difference in the newer production is the jar art is a large label sticker vs. painted on the jar as you describe.

The reason I know a bit about them is I have one of Lew's jars. H. Upmann branded. It came to me with a bundle of H. Upmann Vintage Cameroon Director Royale lonsdale cigars inside. I put the bundle of cigars in the walk in and have had the jar on display over the bar. I've never used it as a humi-jar, but imagine it would work well in that capacity.

Too lazy to pull the jar down so picture isn't great. Sorry for the picture link. I don't see an option to add the image in my post.

https://i.postimg.cc/5NBvtb1Q/IMG-6046.jpg

[smbauerllc]

Nice, thanks.

It definitely feels like paint and not a decal.

You Upmann jar looks exactly like i ran across googling about mine

I friggin love cigars