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InStone's History
InStone, Inc. was born out of
our love for vintage cigar label art. We were first
introduced to cigar labels at the
Long Beach Coin & Collectibles Show. We were
impressed with the beauty, intricacy and detail
of the artwork which made vintage
cigar label art stand out from the
assortment of other vintage paper and advertising
art at the show. Not surprisingly we learned that many famous artists of their
day
were responsible for creating these beautiful works of art.
Please admire these
labels as the mini-masterpieces that they are.
Learning of the painstaking process
(stone lithography) used
to make these labels
only added more interest. To think that they printed these
labels with giant Bavarian
stone carvings (using one stone for
each color) is amazing! That arduous and
costly process surely could not be duplicated today.
That alone makes them a truly
unique collectible.
The haphazard, almost accidental way
that various image titles have survived over
these many years is a mystery.
Finding people who have them stashed in an attic,
in an old
warehouse or tucked away in the family bible is like a treasure hunt.
Labels
from the 1800s that have managed to survive and maintain their beauty are
indeed
rare.
These labels come from an exciting
period of this country’s history, 1870-1930.
Many of the labels depict the rich history and flamboyance of America at
that time.
The diversity of the subject matter is remarkable; there are labels
for every collector!
Many
people collect them just as cigar labels. Some collect them to frame as works
of
art. Still others find ways to
integrate them into their own creative endeavors.
Whatever your interest, we hope that you will find a label that you’re
looking for.
InStone's buyer travels extensively looking for
cigar label art. We are always
buying!
We are always looking for
more beautiful and interesting labels to add to our inventory.
Since stone lithographic cigar label
art is an under-appreciated art form, it offers
both quality and value for the long
term collector. Because as the market for these
mini-masterpieces grows their rarity
and beauty will be fully-realized and prices will
likely rise.
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