Between the late 1890’s and 1910, Elmer Kirkland and Hummell & Co., both in Binghamton, NY, adopted tin boxes shaped and printed like travel trunks (yes that’s what luggage looked like). Deutsch Bros. of NYC was a third major user.
American Can and other makers must have sold the idea to more than these three companies. If you have others, I’d like to hear from you.
Tin Trunks
A National Cigar Museum exhibit
© Tony Hyman
1904 ad says “these packages have long been standard with the trade.”
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Cigars by Elmer Kirkland, Binghamton, c1900.
Fact. 810, 21st Dist. Central NY
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Cigars by Hummell & Co., Binghamton, c1900.
Fact. 760, 21st Dist. Central NY.
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Cigars by Deutsch Bros., New York City, c1900.
Fact. 92, 3rd Dist. New York City.
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More than a dozen different labels
have been found in tin trunks.
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CUBAN DAISY and JOE WHEELER are the two
most common labels found in tin trunks.
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Not Made by a Trust sticker confirms
it’s date as 1900 to 1910.
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Kirkland trunks are those found most often, but this is one of the more rare ones. Latch broken. Unusual in that the box reads Fact. 810, while the CN reads Fact. 760 (Hummel’s factory), both 21st, NY.
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Close up of one of the more difficult to find labels used in Kirkland trunks. Western vignettes of Fremont, RRs, K troop and a covered
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This speckled rust is nicknamed ‘acne’ and no tin this badly infected will interest a collector.
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This damage is called ‘alligatoring’ for obvious reasons. It happens to tins that have undergone serious temperature changes, like being stored
in an upstate NY barn or unheated attic.
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The three ends to help you compare.
Top to bottom: Kirkland, Hummel, Duetsch.
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