Doc Wylie
Curmudgeon
- Joined
- Jun 4, 2008
- Messages
- 848
My grand-uncle (and name-sake) Thomas Matthew Finn, who passed away in 1957 at the age of 72 was a cigar smoker. He had an eight grade education, worked as a fireman on the Pennsylvania Railroad as a young man and after involvement in the labor movement went to work for the US Dept. of Labor. Eventually, he rose to the rank of Chief Mediator in the Buffalo NY region for the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service. 30 years later when I was working in the labor relations field I was proud to learn that he was still remembered within the ranks of the local Labor Department for his work in settling some signifiant strikes during the 30's, 40's and into the early 50's. I was only 7 years old when he passed away, but I can still remember the smell of his cigars and I'm not exaggerating when I say that at that early age I knew that when I got older I would smoke cigars as well. Cigar smoking represented to me a certain dignity,confidence and charisma that was my Uncle Tom.
Recently while rummaging through some old boxes of "stuff" I came upon this cigar box/humidor that my grandmother had given to me long ago. When I was a kid I used it to keep my "treasures" safe and secure... odd rocks and stones, pocket knives, cheap trinkets, stuff that kids think are important. I don't recall that I ever associated it with cigars at the time but I can see now that it would have been used as a humidor since it has a crude humidification device that contains some sort of fiber inner lining between a metal screen and a solid sheet of thin aluminum, with about a quarter inch of space behind it. It's made of cedar and still after all these years exudes a strong cedar smell when the box is first opened. It must have contained either custom made, or custom selected cigars because the inside lid is stamped "Especially made for Thomas M. Finn". The bottom has a City of Tampa stamp that states "These cigars are made entirely of the choicest Havana tobaccos imported from Cuba, being hand made at Tampa" and an imprint that. among other things states "Factory No. 176 Coll. District of Florida", and the stamped signature of "Jms. M. Henderson, City Clerk". The size is 12" x 7" x 4.5".
I'm planning on seasoning this box, adding modern humidification and putting it into service as a humidor for my special sticks, e.g. ISOMS and selected others. Does anyone have any specific advice for me regarding this, and does anyone have an idea of when this box would have been made and what company in Tampa may have produced the cigars that it originally held? I'm thinking it is '40's vintage.
(NOTE: New pics from 1/1/09 have been added at post #16)
Recently while rummaging through some old boxes of "stuff" I came upon this cigar box/humidor that my grandmother had given to me long ago. When I was a kid I used it to keep my "treasures" safe and secure... odd rocks and stones, pocket knives, cheap trinkets, stuff that kids think are important. I don't recall that I ever associated it with cigars at the time but I can see now that it would have been used as a humidor since it has a crude humidification device that contains some sort of fiber inner lining between a metal screen and a solid sheet of thin aluminum, with about a quarter inch of space behind it. It's made of cedar and still after all these years exudes a strong cedar smell when the box is first opened. It must have contained either custom made, or custom selected cigars because the inside lid is stamped "Especially made for Thomas M. Finn". The bottom has a City of Tampa stamp that states "These cigars are made entirely of the choicest Havana tobaccos imported from Cuba, being hand made at Tampa" and an imprint that. among other things states "Factory No. 176 Coll. District of Florida", and the stamped signature of "Jms. M. Henderson, City Clerk". The size is 12" x 7" x 4.5".
I'm planning on seasoning this box, adding modern humidification and putting it into service as a humidor for my special sticks, e.g. ISOMS and selected others. Does anyone have any specific advice for me regarding this, and does anyone have an idea of when this box would have been made and what company in Tampa may have produced the cigars that it originally held? I'm thinking it is '40's vintage.
(NOTE: New pics from 1/1/09 have been added at post #16)
