Photo Credit: Antiques-Uncommon-Treasure
French Mother of Pearl and 18K Gold Antique Cigar Holder
Buy It Now Price: $206.25 (price as of 2017; item no longer available)
Pros:
-This stunning French antique cigar or cheroot holder from the Victorian era is made from opulent mother of pearl and rich 18 karat gold. A cheroot is a type of cigar that is untapered and cut at both ends.
-This antique cigar holder measures 2.38 inches (60 mm) long by 0.5 inches (13 mm) in diameter. This is a typical size for cigar holders from this era.
-Cigar or cheroot holders were extremely popular among refined gentlemen smokers in the late 19th and early 20th century. It is easy to imagine this antique cigar holder gracing the lips of a cosmopolitan British, French or German man in a bar, coffeehouse or salon in turn-of-the-century London, Paris or Berlin.
-In this period, before the widespread adoption of synthetic plastics, many high-end antique cigar holders were made from luxury organic materials such as amber, mother of pearl or tortoiseshell and then accented with solid gold or silver trim.
-Considering it is between 100 and 140 years old, this antique cigar holder is in superb condition.
-This French antique cigar holder is absolutely imbued with Continental European Fin de siècle spirit. Fin de siècle translates from the French as “end of the century”. It was a movement around the year 1900 characterized by material decadence along with a cynical, fatalistic belief in impending social upheaval.
–Tobacciana is one of the great sleeper niches of the investment grade antiques market. This could translate into enhanced future appreciation potential for our antique cigar holder.
-It is amazing that this 120 year old French objet d’art, expertly crafted from premium materials, is available for just over $200. To put this into perspective, as of July 2017 this antique cigar holder costs about the same as 1/5 of a share of Amazon, 3/5 of a share of Tesla or 1 and 1/10 Netflix shares. I know which one I would rather own as a long-term investment.
Cons:
-The mother of pearl body of this antique cigar holder has a very minor hairline crack running partway along its length. However, it does not detract structurally or visually from the item, and I think it has very little impact on its value. Antique mother of pearl items frequently have these kinds of tiny flaws because, as the material ages, it becomes more sensitive to dramatic changes in relative humidity and temperature.
-The seller has acid tested the gold trim and determined that it is 18 karats (75%) fine. France had a well developed precious metals hallmarking system at the turn of the 19th century. Therefore, we would expect the piece to be hallmarked with an eagle’s head indicating solid gold construction. One of the photos shows what may be a hallmark on the gold band at the tip of the cigar holder, but the photo is at the wrong angle to make a definitive determination. Nonetheless, every aspect of this antique cigar holder screams high-end; I would be shocked if it wasn’t solid gold.
-The affixed gold plaque has an elaborate monogram that is contemporary with the vintage of the piece. Some collectors dislike antique items that are monogrammed, believing that it “brands” them. However, I feel that monograms are part of the history of a piece and should have a neutral impact on value.
