The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1899-09-21
THE DECEPTIVE CIGAR LABELS.
They Don't Indicate the Quality Of
the Article.

They Don't Indicate the Quality of
the Article.
brand or label or mark put upon an
article Is commonly supposed to indicate to
the purchaser, actual or possible the ma
ture of the article itself, says the New York
Tribune. In regard to cigars this suppo-
sition has only basis of truth. Most con-
sumers of cigars know their "favorite
brands, as they call them, and feel pretty
confident about the quality of these brands
II they buy their cigars at counters where
they have always obtained good ones. But
few consumers can tell even approximately
what will be the size and shape of the cigar
contained in a box marked, for instance
"Conchas Regalias."
brand" of cigars and label" "A good
brand is very often taken to mean "a good
quality" Very likely that was the original
intention OF cigar brands, as it still is of
whisky brands. But by the actual present
custom OF the trade, the name which is
burned or branded on the wood of the cigar
box-the brand properly so called-has
no necessary connection with the quality
OF the cigar but only accidentally, so far
as some particular make, peculiar to one
factory may be for the time exclusively
applied to the manufacture of good tobacco.
The brand tells the cigar seller some
thing about the size and shape Of the cigar.
AS years go on, the application of these
brands becomes more and more loose and ir-
regular. Until recent years there used to
be regular graduation in size in about this
order, beginning with the largest: (1) Per-
fecto, (2) Puritano, (3) Concha, and a.
Conchita. Even this arrangement was not
by any means the earliest "Regalia" was
known to the trade as a designation Of large
size long before anybody ever heard Of
"Perfecto." "Henry Clay" was once a brand
indicative Of both size and quality, brand
and label in one, when the cigar was
made in only one Havana factory. And
later results Of competition, as we'll as of
Cuban Disturbances, are seen in the actually
prevailing scale Of brands. AS brand diff
length, 1t would take much complicated
mathematical research to place the brands
in the exact order Of the volume of tobacco
indicated by each.
Roughly speaking, however, they run, be-
ginning with the largest, as follows: "a
Perfecto Elegante. (2) Perfecto Elmo, (3)
Puritano Fino--a thick cigar, a. Puritano
Extra, (5) Breva-thick and blunt, (6)
Breva Chica. Cd Concha Regalia, (S) Con-
cha Especial, (9) Conchita, (1O) Reina Fina,
(1D Petit Due, Q2) Opera and (13) Chiquita.
About all this matter Of brands nothing
ia so certain as that the whole business is
In a shifting and revolutionary condition.
Thus, the Panetela, not mentioned above
would be placed by some after the Perfecto
because it is about as long and by others
i
1t was much easier to maintain hard and
fast rule when the whole cigar making in |
dustry was ostensibly confined to. Havana
and all cigars, even If made elsewhere, had
to pretend to Havana origin and conform
to Havana customs in order to maintain
the illusion. ~f-S'f
1t Is curious to note, however, that fac |
tories all over the world still stick to Span
ish words and traditions in branding and |
labelling their output. II a Rhode Island |
cigarmaker wishes to say that this box /
ls something really uncommonly fine he /
makes it "Deliciosos." The colors of Spain !
still rule in the ribbons that tie bum |
lles of cigars-yellow and red, the LITTER |
very rare. When Cuba has become Amer |
canized. red. white and blue ribbons may |
make their appearance In cigar boxes, but
that sign Of the times has not yet been |
Observed.
No less curious Is the persistently glar- |
ng Spanish character Of the labels and all I