Wm. H. St. Clair CLOUD WOOD CIGAR BOX of Ripley County Indiana Circa 1905

Rare WHITE CLOUD WOOD CIGAR BOX circa early 1900s. 

There is not much information about WHITE CLOUD CIGAR-other than it was owned by William H. St. Clair who is listed on page 170 of the 1905 Bureau of Statistics Register as a cigar manufacturer located in Ripley County, Indiana.

The design of the cigar box is very interesting--it is constructed as if it is a book and opens as such.  On the front is a colorful lithograph depicting a gold prospector with pick axe and an Art Nouveau dressed woman holding a crown.  In the center of the lithograph are several prospectors panning for gold in a river bed.  It is difficult to read the title as it is covered by the "book" binding, but it appears to read, Prospector Go Westward.  

Most of the paper on the back is worn away so it is hard to read.  However, Smoke the WHITE CLOUD CIGAR is legible and most of St. Clair's name, as well as the town of origin, Batesville, Indiana.  The factory information--No. 145 8th DIS. IND. 5 is deeply stamped in black.

The inside of the box still has the paper lining intact and a beautiful colorful label--Cigarros Esquistos--Flor Fina, which remains in very good condition.

The small cigar box measures 6 ¾" by 4" and is about 1" deep.  The edges and corners of the box are bound with a red paper binding.  There are a few areas of the lithograph and the binding that are missing, but that does detract from its beauty or interesting design or the lithograph.