Kipawa
Square slip top tin can, 25 up
Factory 459, 18th Dist OH
Cigars by unknown Cleveland area maker, 1916

Tin became increasingly popular for packaging around this time, particularly for very cheap cigars as cans were less expensive than boxes. Kipawa is one of the most rare Indian images to appear on a tin can, and one of the few known on a square 25/up. The best known Indian cans are the tin oval 50/ups Orcico and Apache Trail. This can contains an unusual notice: "The manufacturers of this cigar are the originators of this style and shape. There has been more imitation of this shape cigar than any other real cigar put on the market." Makes you wonder what was so special about it, considering that more than 3,000 shapes and sizes of cigar were on the market at that time.

To see more cigar memorabilia from the past visit The CigarNexus National Cigar Museum