Really cool old find

[LaDigger]

I found this really old cigar box full of old paper work. The box came from H. T. Cottam co out of New Orleans. The tax stamp goes all the way around the box and is marked series of 1883. I am not very knowledgable about old cigar boxes are there value, so would like to hear opinions. The box is in pretty good shape, I also attached a picture of an 1880 summons that was in the box. Thanks for any information or help.

 

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[Helix]

Neat cigar box I have never seen one like it before. Is it made of wood or that real heavy card board type material? I always thought the wood boxes are the older type and the heavy pressed paper type are more modern. I am no expert on cigar boxes.

 

[MT_Joe]

Thats a very neat find!

 

[LaDigger]

Neat cigar box I have never seen one like it before. Is it made of wood or that real heavy card board type material? I always thought the wood boxes are the older type and the heavy pressed paper type are more modern. I am no expert on cigar boxes.

By what I can gather off the internet 1883 is the date the box was made based on the tax label. I should have took a picture of inside bottom it is made from solid wood. I haven't been able to find any that looked similar so I was hoping somebody here can help.

 

[Msbeepbeep]

Congrats that's a super find! Looks like pieces of thin wood covered with cloth or paper glued on. It even says "Treasury" !

 

[Helix]

Again I am not an expert but I think you have a good one there. Being it looks like a treasure chest and what not. Also great color and in good shape! I wish I had one to keep my goodies in. Forgot to mention, yes I would think so about the Tax stamp deal.

 

[-=METAL=-]

Wow, nice find.

 

[vpnavy]

Thanks for sharing...

 

[PeteWmass]

very interesting - lets see some old paperwork (likely worth more than the cigar box - but who knows) where did you find this(?)

 

[LaDigger]

very interesting - lets see some old paperwork (likely worth more than the cigar box - but who knows) where did you find this(?)

Most of the paperwork was just receipts from the period,state taxes etc. I have attached an old bank book from 1901 that was given out for advertisement. It gave away free needles and some of the needles are still in the book. The neat thing about the book is the phone number 45 plus capital of 35,000. I don't know if the paperwork is worth anything but it is neat. As for the box my research shows factory 294 to be one of the largest factories in New york in 1885, and Ht cottam started in New Orleans in 1870 and was one of the biggest groceries and suppliers in the late 1800's. The red steer pocketbook was from 1941 and was the most recent document in the box. Thanks for looking and any opinions are welcome.

 

[Stripeythecrab]

This is awesome! This didn't come out of the ground, did it?

 

[LaDigger]

This is awesome! This didn't come out of the ground, did it?

No this came out of an old house on a property of a friend. The box is not related to the properties family so not sure how it came to be in this location. I have tried to trace some of the history but a lot of the paperwork is diffucult to read. The property is a old sawmill location and has several of these small workers homes still standing, some of which are still being lived in. This mill operated from the 1920's untill the 60's so there were a lot of different people in and out.