Cigar storage throughout the years

[Shelby07]

I don’t want to thread-jack another thread, so I’ll start a new discussion. 

Another thread is talking about the optimal way to age and store cigars. There was at least one reference to 70 year old cigars being in great shape because of being stored under certain conditions. 

This got me wondering about how temperature and humidity were controlled in the past, say pre 1950, before all of the technology we are familiar with today allowed for precise conditions. Were these older cigars that are smoking great kept under precise conditions their entire lifetime. And if actively controlled, how was it accomplished years ago?

[Ritch]

I have read that Churchill used to keep some 4000 cigars in Tupperware boxes?

[Islandboy]

Great question, I was actually wondering the exact same thing a few days ago. I doubt any of the storage techniques of yore yielded anywhere near the precision at our fingertips today. 

[koosh]

22 minutes ago, Ritch said:

I have read that Churchill used to keep some 4000 cigars in Tupperware boxes?

And he would smoke them all in what, just over a year? 

[Ritch]

Apparently smoked 12 a day. Personally I dont see how he had the time. Certainly not 12 large cigars a day.

[Shelby07]

16 minutes ago, Ritch said:

Apparently smoked 12 a day. Personally I dont see how he had the time. Certainly not 12 large cigars a day.

I would guess he smoked from the time he got up to the time he went to sleep. No restrictions back then. I don’t think I ever saw a photo of him without a cigar. 

[JGD]

I know that copper lined boxes were used by some people. If I had to guess, I would say that the typical person wasn't keeping many cigars around. They would just buy a box as needed, and would smoke through that box quick enough that the cigars didn't deteriorate too much. 

[amberleaf]

8 minutes ago, Shelby07 said:

I would guess he smoked from the time he got up to the time he went to sleep. No restrictions back then. I don’t think I ever saw a photo of him without a cigar. 

Here is the great man being carried out of a hospital into the back of an ambulance ..with a cigar in his mouth of course.

 

 

[CaptainQuintero]

  I think like today it probably depended on the level of enthusiasm and size of collection. We've all seen the big cabinets that came shipped from Cuba, I'm guessing they were probably stored in the wine cellars, or were mostly self contained with high quality joinery. Cigars being being multiple levels of woodwork; cigars in draws, which were inside mini cabinets which were in turn behind the main cabinet door.

 Every day humidors, I think I recall reading, used to have small containers for a small amount of liquid, water or spirits, and I've read slices of orange peel/apple etc which is still used by pipe tobacco enthusiasts today.

  I think the dipping of cigars into brandies etc came about when cigars became dry? 

  Tobacconists back then had to store cigars, sometimes over years, to get the ammonia out before they went on sale. The stores were also much more abundant. So maybe many people simply had a well made desktop and only kept a box inside, larger stores also had private lockers for long term customer storage. I'm assuming wine cellar type areas. If cigars were also more readily available straight from the shop there might not have been the need to store anything more than a box at home either.

[peteando]

41 minutes ago, JGD said:

I know that copper lined boxes were used by some people. If I had to guess, I would say that the typical person wasn't keeping many cigars around. They would just buy a box as needed, and would smoke through that box quick enough that the cigars didn't deteriorate too much. 

My grandfather smoked large cigars and I can recall he usually had 2 or 3 with him in his shirt pocket, but no large humidor or anything like that.  I think that he bought one box at a time, smoked those, and only then bought another.  I can remember vaguely he and my grandmother lighting up at a fancy restaurant, back when you could basically smoke  anywhere.  

[Hutch]

Most of the very old decent sized collections, that I am familiar with, were stored in basements. Some of the old shops in NY & London kept their major stock “downstairs”. A few still do, but probably with active humidification now. Or maybe not

[Ritch]

19 hours ago, Shelby07 said:

I would guess he smoked from the time he got up to the time he went to sleep. No restrictions back then. I don’t think I ever saw a photo of him without a cigar. 

I believe he would get up about 10, have breakfast with a glass of champagne, lunch at about one with a glass of champagne, dinner at 7ish with more champagne and finished up with cigars and brandy. Then eventually bed at 2ish or 3.

[bpm32]

2 hours ago, Ritch said:

I believe he would get up about 10, have breakfast with a glass of champagne, lunch at about one with a glass of champagne, dinner at 7ish with more champagne and finished up with cigars and brandy. Then eventually bed at 2ish or 3.

And he lived to be 90....

[Ritch]

28 minutes ago, bpm32 said:

And he lived to be 90....

And the French do seem to charge an extortionate amount for Champagne... perhaps they know something we can only suspect?

[bpm32]

7 minutes ago, Ritch said:

And the French do seem to charge an extortionate amount for Champagne... perhaps they know something we can only suspect?

I’d like to think that all booze has life extending properties: my Japanese grand dad got most of his calories from George Dickel, refined carbs, and animal fat. And I literally mean fat: I once saw him consume just the gristle from a 20 lb prime rib and he routinely ate ALL the rendered fat from the Thanksgiving/Christmas turkey on nasty Hawaiian rolls. He lived to be 90 too.

Of course, in order to mimic his lifespan I suspect I would have to accept everything that went with it, including storing my cigars in random toolboxes with spare screws, loose ammo, and loaded revolvers.

[Shelby07]

30 minutes ago, bpm32 said:

 

Of course, in order to mimic his lifespan I suspect I would have to accept everything that went with it, including storing my cigars in random toolboxes with spare screws, loose ammo, and loaded revolvers.

But at what RH and temperature? ?

[Colt45]

I don't know about storage over the years. But while I do think cigars can be kept in "perfect condition" I guess forever, I'm inclined to believe that they have a finite lifespan flavor-wise.