Cuban Cigars Are Cuban Cigars in the USA Legal or not ? Regardless of the rumours you might have heard, "Only persons returning directly from Cuba after a licensed visit there are permitted to bring Cuban cigars into the United States, provided the domestic value of such cigars does not exceed 100 U.S. dollars and the cigars are for the person's personal use and not for resale. Inasmuch as all other importations of Cuban cigars are illegal, you must assume that all offers to buy or sell such cigars in the United States involve cigars that are imported illegally. Contrary to what many people believe, it is also illegal for travelers to bring into the United States cigars acquired in third countries (such as Canada, England, or Mexico)." "It is illegal for U.S. persons to buy, sell, trade, give away, or otherwise engage in (or offer to engage in) transactions involving illegally imported Cuban cigars. The penalties for doing so include, in addition to confiscation of the cigars, civil fines of up to $50,000 per violation and, in appropriate cases, criminal prosecution which may result in imprisonment." "We recognize that the prohibitions that apply to Cuban cigars may deprive many consumers of a sought-after product. However, these prohibitions apply to all goods of Cuban origin and are an important element of the comprehensive program of economic sanctions against the Cuban government which have been in place since 1963. These sanctions have had the full support of the past seven Administrations and were further tightened by President Clinton in August 1994." The above text has been taken directly from a letter sent to the members of the Retail Tobacco Dealers of America, Inc. from the Director of the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the Department of the Treasury. While very definitive, keep in mind that this letter was dated June 1, 1995 History of Cuban Cigar Labels Cigar labels, tell a story of a time long gone. Every label was a work of art, and you don't have to enjoy a good smoke to take delight in these pieces. For decades these pieces have captured the interest of collectors, and several books are available on this very topic. Even the art world has taken notice and museums are now setting up exhibitions on cigar and cigarette labels. The Tobacco industry flourished in the 19th century throughout Florida and Cuba, and with this increase in productivity a new marketing ploy was created to attract customers to specific brands: Exquisitely designed cigar and cigarette labels became the perfect tool to catch the eye of any tobacco lover. Today as we look at them, we see that they depicted much of the folklore and heritage of those golden years. Cigar and cigarette manufacturers commissioned printing companies to make labels, and the artists and printers used "state-of-the-art" technology to produce lithographs and chromolithographs (photo mechanical prints replaced the lithograph method in the 1920s). Lithography, was introduced to Cuba in 1822 - three years prior to its appearance in the United States! . Chromo lithography which became available in 1861 is a complex process and involved using a different plate for each "field color". The same sheet of paper had to go through as many printings as there are different colors on the image. Printing some of the finest colored lithographs meant using as many as 25 different plates. Lithographs were extraordinarily popular and widely collected in their time. Aware of this, the labels and cigar wrappings - which were sometimes embossed in gold, bronze or silver - covered a wide variety of subjects. Men interested in the military could collect uniforms of the Austrian, French and Spanish armies, among others. There were zoological collections, flowers and butterflies designed with women in mind. There were also collections of maps, flags, nations, and others of sensual nature, with figures of naked women reclining on cushions. Labels also had a practical side. Because many customers were illiterate, they identified the brand by a specific design, rather than a name. And for the international clientele, the labels guaranteed a Cuban product, and not an imitation. With the introduction of photo mechanical printing, the beauty of the labels subsequently declined, and even the older pieces were discarded by many who thought they were worthless. Their beauty is once again being appreciated, and those who through an exhibition may have the opportunity to see them up close will certainly understand why. History of Cuban Cigar Labels Cigar labels, tell a story of a time long gone. Every label was a work of art, and you don't have to enjoy a good smoke to take delight in these pieces. For decades these pieces have captured the interest of collectors, and several books are available on this very topic. Even the art world has taken notice and museums are now setting up exhibitions on cigar and cigarette labels. The Tobacco industry flourished in the 19th century throughout Florida and Cuba, and with this increase in productivity a new marketing ploy was created to attract customers to specific brands: Exquisitely designed cigar and cigarette labels became the perfect tool to catch the eye of any tobacco lover. Today as we look at them, we see that they depicted much of the folklore and heritage of those golden years. Cigar and cigarette manufacturers commissioned printing companies to make labels, and the artists and printers used "state-of-the-art" technology to produce lithographs and chromolithographs (photo mechanical prints replaced the lithograph method in the 1920s). Lithography, was introduced to Cuba in 1822 - three years prior to its appearance in the United States! . Chromo lithography which became available in 1861 is a complex process and involved using a different plate for each "field color". The same sheet of paper had to go through as many printings as there are different colors on the image. Printing some of the finest colored lithographs meant using as many as 25 different plates. Lithographs were extraordinarily popular and widely collected in their time. Aware of this, the labels and cigar wrappings - which were sometimes embossed in gold, bronze or silver - covered a wide variety of subjects. Men interested in the military could collect uniforms of the Austrian, French and Spanish armies, among others. There were zoological collections, flowers and butterflies designed with women in mind. There were also collections of maps, flags, nations, and others of sensual nature, with figures of naked women reclining on cushions. Labels also had a practical side. Because many customers were illiterate, they identified the brand by a specific design, rather than a name. And for the international clientele, the labels guaranteed a Cuban product, and not an imitation. With the introduction of photo mechanical printing, the beauty of the labels subsequently declined, and even the older pieces were discarded by many who thought they were worthless. Their beauty is once again being appreciated, and those who through an exhibition may have the opportunity to see them up close will certainly understand why. http://members.aol.com/gato1996/srfs/cigars1.htm#History return to http://cubanmadecigars.com/ |
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