RyJ Glass Jar

[jrfoxx]

Got this along with a bunch of well aged Fuentes and Newmans and snacks from a very good and generous friend.

Think its really cool, and the details in the paint of the iconic RyJ scene is just amazing. Surprisingly seems to seal quite well so far, but will be monitoring with my Boveda Butler for a while until I learn how it acts since its my first glass jar humidor ever, and a fine example at that. Did some Googling and they seem to go for roughly what I expected, which is WELL above the $5 he paid at a yard sale for it as a prop for his photography business.

Held 30, 50 to 60rg, 5 to 7" smokes. Filled it with all different singles from cigars he sent, plus from my big monthly order of almost all samplers of 1 or 2, of all different marcas and vitolas, that arrived yesterday.

No idea on age, but based on some photos online of them, the tarnish on the metal clips seems to indicate a fair bit of age. Hard to tell just from pictures though.

If anyone knows anything about these specifically or glass or ceramic jars in general I would love to hear your knowledge.

Thought it was worth sharing with everyone.


ETA:
So far have found that they may have been made in the Dominican Republic, and originally held Churchill En Tubos.

Made for the non-Cuban RyJ brand or outsourced production by Cuba?

The nc RyJ does make an 1875 Churchill En Tubo, but Cuba also has a tubo Churchill. So the mystery deepens...

The brass is heavily tarnished indicating some decent age, but the thin leather carry strap is very soft and no cracking, like would happen with significant age.

Found a Cuban H.Upmann version that is similar with leather strap and same brass clips, listed as 1960's pre-embargo.

I'm leaning towards it being at least a little bit vintage Cuban humidor/jar based on what I'm seeing online but not finding any specifically described as either Cuban or non-Cuban for the same RyJ jars, only the similar Upmann has any date attached which doesn't really help very much.

A search on cubancigarwebsite.com for RyJ 25 and 50ct glass jars came up empty though.

It measures 6.75" outside diameter, 7.25" height without the lid, and 9.5" with the lid, so its decent sized and quite heavy as the glass is so thick, so the leather carry strap perplexes me. I can't imagine lugging it around as a travel humidor, lol




I friggin love cigars

[chain_gang]

Looks good.

[jrfoxx]

Looks good.

Yeah, i love antiques of any kind, plus this one is fully functional too, so a double win.

A trusted person who collects antique tobbaciana on another forum estimates that it's definitely pre-embargo at a minimum, but based on the style, says it is in line with the 1940's, so that's really cool.

I absolutely love it, and it seems to hold a good, steady rh as all 3 brass clips are still fully functional and I have my Boveda Butler in it just to monitor for a while until I'm comfortable it is air tight, like i do with any new containers I get.

My entire room at the veterans home is all full of tobacco related items from vintage looking posters, tin signs, and a couple modern boxes.

I do have a small amount of Navy items, but almost entirely tobbaciana.

Feels much more homey and less institutional than it was with the bare walls i had for about a year.

I friggin love cigars

[Ljutic]

I believe the name of these are Amatista Cigar Jars. Here's a quick link to a google image search. Who knows where all the image links will lead. https://www.google.com/search?source...ista+cigar+jar

I do know that Lew Rothman brought these back into circulation many years ago and is probably the source of the newer Amatista jars floating around. Key difference in the newer production is the jar art is a large label sticker vs. painted on the jar as you describe.

The reason I know a bit about them is I have one of Lew's jars. H. Upmann branded. It came to me with a bundle of H. Upmann Vintage Cameroon Director Royale lonsdale cigars inside. I put the bundle of cigars in the walk in and have had the jar on display over the bar. I've never used it as a humi-jar, but imagine it would work well in that capacity.

Too lazy to pull the jar down so picture isn't great.

[jrfoxx]

Yup, ran across the Upmann jars during my search for information about mine.

Basically the same aside from the marca and you still have the cedar sleeve for yours.

I actually don't mind that mine is missing is, as i like to see the cigars in it. Makes it look better to me.

I now know for sure that it is pre-embargo at least, and a very knowledgeable tobbaciana collector on another forum said he thinks it is 1940's due to how it looks, having the same basic style of other types of glass jars from that period.

Its also quite heavy as the glass is very thick. I can't imagine carrying it around with the strap as a travel humidor that's for sure.

Regardless, its a gorgeous tobbaciana item to add to my rooms all cigar decor aside from a few Navy items. I'm very grateful to my good friend who was willing to part with it and send it too me as part of a care package.


The glass jars seem to be quite rare compared to ceramic ones that i see tons of when googling

Mine also doesn't have the "Churchill En Tubo" etched into the front of the brass ring, which makes me think its older than most i find for sale or sold.

I friggin love cigars

[Ciro]

Very interesting!!

[jrfoxx]

Very interesting!!

Definitely, and I've been using it as my daily smokes singles cigars since I got it and according to my calibrated Boveda Butler, its holding dead on at 65% with 2, 60gr Bovedas.

Amazing how well it seals after so many years, and with only 3 small brass band clips. Likely the serious weight of the lid is a big part of why it seals so well. That sucker is thick and heavy, as is the rest of the jar.

Just measured with my caliper, and the jar is .4 inches thick at a height of 7 inches and inside diameter of 5.85 inches, and the lid is 1 inch thick, not counting the "handle" on top, so its seriously durable with glass that thick, and the thickness and diameter (same as the jar obviously )of the lid probably gives you an idea of how heavy it is.

I totally suck at estimating any kind measurements, so no idea of the total weight, but its heavy for sure, yet has a skinny, thin leather strap obviously intended for lifting or even carrying. I will never test it out, as its just a whole lot of weight for such a thin little strap, even though its leather, which surprisingly isnt dry or cracked like you would expect after so many years and being so tin. I suspect that it has been properly taken care of over the years, or at least has spent most of its life in humid conditions.

I'm also amazed that the seal isn't dried out either and that it holds rh just as good as my tupperdors.

Its an awesome, functional, display piece, especially being keep pretty full of cigars that can be seen inside looking at it, so as mentioned, not having the cedar sleeve is fine by me as i like how it looks full of cigars like it was intended to be.

It hold about 35 various size cigars comfortably without having to pack them in.

Not sure where he found it, but my friend said he paid $5 for it!

I suspect a yard sale and the owner had no idea what they had.

The newer made ones seem to go for around $125 , so I'm sure (if accurate) a 1940's one would easily be double that.

Incredibly generous and awesome gift from a very good friend.

I friggin love cigars