Cigar Case From Davis

A leather hide Cigar Case with vesta envelope.

The case is of a common form with one sleeve fitting inside another to allow the user to extend the length of the case to fit the cigars. It does stand out for its vestas or matches envelope to the side of the case. This envelope is made of a much thinner leather with a gusset to expand to take the vesta. A steel strike pad is fixed to the bottom of the inner sleeve The inner sleeve also has a leather covered metal bar to its interior to keep the cigars in place when not full.

Both sleeves are stamped with the details of the retailer 'Davis 84 Quadrant'. Aley Davis was a Tobacconist with premises at the Quadrant part of Regent Street in London. Regent Street was designed by Nash in 1810 to rival Bond Street. The designer insisted that only high quality shops be allowed. It is likely that Davis opened his Tobacconists in 1828. He is not listed in the London Directory of that year but it listed as a Rates payer. He remained at the same premises until his death in February 1854.

The invention of the vesta or Lucifer was in 1827 by John Walker with Samuel Jones copying his idea is 1829. With Davis' death, this gives us a date of between 1828 and 1854 for this cigar case.

It is well made and the leather has taken on a good colour. Circa 1845.

The second case is sold separately.