Anyone Know the History of Tobacco Cellering?

[cosmicfolklore]

I'm from rural peoples, tobacco farmers, where the pipe smokers all bought the OTC tobaccos (Imagine having a barn full of drying tobacco and buying PA). These were poor rural farmers and middle class businessmen that I knew in the pipe world. And, the closest thing to cellaring I ever knew about (or heard about) was to buy the big tin of tobacco and poor it into the ceramic jar on the pipe stand. The general store was the tobacconist and the smoke room was a store's porch with rocking chairs and a bucket for spit.
When I hear about 50 year old Escudo, I have to wonder... was this a big city or wealth society thing? I know the bigger metropolitan areas had real tobacco stores, but how prevalent was purposefully aging tobacco? Does it go back pre-WW1 or are these cans surfacing just anomalies? Forgotten treasures that were discovered?
And if so, when did modern notions of jarring bulk and storing tins purposefully begin?
Mostly my inquiry is for curiosity. I know that in the world of pipes that I knew, pipes were tools, hand carved (whittled), used up, and tossed, or the wealthier folks bought drug store pipes. The whole world of collecting Dunhills and Petersons was probably never realized in the world that I came from, except maybe amongst the wealthiest bankers and doctors in town. So, since getting into the hobby myself, I am trying to fit what is going on with some sort of relevance of where we've been.

 

[jkenp]

There were these Cro-Magnon sitting in this nicely decorated cave in France when one turn over this rock and... (Sorry, back on my meds now.)
I believe it started with the sailing ships bring back hogsheads of tobacco. They'd smoke it before and after and notice a difference. From there it was just a progression.

 

[jgriff]

I know some of the old nobility used to have absurd collections of pipes and tobacco. There was an old post that rmbittner posted here before about the Duke of Sussex.

I've been reading a history of tobacco and came across this report regarding an auction in June 1843 for the pipes, cigars, and tobaccos of the recently deceased Duke of Sussex.
The auction lasted three days. When it was all said and done, the auctioneers had moved:
220 pipes (none of which were briars, as this was before the invention of the briar pipe)

480 pounds of pipe tobacco (and all of this was various straight leaf; there were no "mixtures" or "blends" at this point in history)

More than 50,000 cigars

If you have 480 pounds in your cellar, you must start to get a sense of when one improves or not (and/or you're Harris or Peck).

 

[cosmicfolklore]

So, was it common for people to store tobacco to age, or would it have been an occupation for tobacco specialist/ blenders in bigger cities? And, maybe the home cellar is a recent phenomena of the modern hobbyist? Maybe sparked by a retaliation to the anti-tobacco movement?
This all just fascinates me.

 

[piperl12]

This is a really interesting topic. I lean toward human nature being hunter gatherers and it makes sense when you find something you like you would hoard it, in case it becomes unavailable. People pass away and wives not knowing anything about it might sell or give it away years later. I had a tin of early 90's Bengal Slices. I opened the tin and smoked it and it was good but not stellar. The truth is I just plain misplaced the tin in the bottom of a box many years ago and rediscovered it in a move. Perhaps accidental cellaring?

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Whoops, I didn't realize that you had posted, jgriff, before I posted. Yes, I forget about royalty and folks like Vanderbilts.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Ha ha, I once found an old pack of Camels in my coat pocket from the previous year. I wasn't impressed :D

 

[misterlowercase]

The earliest reference I've come across is from the late 1700's in relation to landed gentry or aristocrats in England laying down snuff...
found here:

W. D. and H. O. Wills and the Development of the UK Tobacco Industry: 1786-1965

By B. W. E. Alford
I think as for more recently here in the States, there were perhaps a fairly good number of folks, but still a relatively small group, who had the foresight and vision to cellar tobacco, perhaps even against ridicule, i know for me although I have a small cellar that family members like to rib me for it...but it's amazing how much of the old stuff, especially the highly sought-after and extremely expensive UK made stuff, is floating around out there now, it's all coming out of the woodwork because it commands such high prices, but back then they paid like $2 or something for it...
...one of my favorite tales of such is by Fred Hanna about how he found some of his beloved long-out-of-production Marcovitch that some astute pipeman had piled in his closet long ago....

http://pipesandtobaccosmagazine.com/2011/04/marvelous-marcovitch/
It's a very interesting topic you've brought up!

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Thanks for the links misterlowercase. Good stuff.

 

[jkenp]

I certainly could have been more thorough. I believe the change tobacco undergoes from aging was documented early on by the transit of shipping the early tobacco. Deck cargo would have been exposed to differing conditions and that would have been noted.
At that point it entered the world or commerce who always seek to differentiate their products and noted the differences. They progressed the aging, treating, etc. to produce a more marketable product. The consumer isn't dumb and then noted that tobacco they might have stored in a sealed vessel improved. The whole thing is just a simple human progression. Less trained monkeys didn't figure it out. At the top of the food and pipe smoking chain, we do.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Yes, I imagine the Native Americans in what we know as the Saint James area also knew about aging, as they innovated perique before we started trading real-estate here. But, I recall people talking about storing grain alcohols and maybe I could see someone in town aging wine (maybe a special bottle or two), but it has really only been recent that I've ever heard of anyone storing tobacco at home. But, I can't see into every household, so maybe it has been going on, just not discussed much.

 

[jgriff]

I'm sure a few decades ago the majority of smokers probably bought a pouch or tub, smoked it until it was gone, and then went to the corner tobacco shop or drug store and bought another. I'm sure only the eccentrics bought large quantities at a time and cellared it.

 

[nscoyote]

Back when baccy was cheap and plentyfull there likely wasn't a need to celler it beyond seasonal demand like in the winter etc but now that tobacco is so damned expensive its better for most to buy in bulk when its found cheap to weather the storm of anti smoking taxes till the revolution begins

 

[kashmir]

I think early on, during tobacco's five hundred year history in Europe, it was noticed that aging improves tobacco, much as aging of wine improves the vintage. To a point. Also, many plugs, ropes, and flakes underwent extensive fermentation under the weight of presses, and it was noted that these techniques improved the flavor. So it's a natural extension to assume aging tobacco in private cellars would also improve its quality. I think this how it all started. Of course, it goes without saying, the richer the man the more extensive the cellar.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Also, the Native Americans who were making perique were aging it in old logs before we ever sent Columbus to sail. But, I was thinking of more recent history, like what was going on during the development of home cellars? It was touched on a bit, by the mention of royalty possibly keeping cellars (but with no evidence, like casks or the like). But, by looking at antique jars for tobacco, they seem relatively bad for long term storage, and probably all used for just holding the tobacco while dipping into it regularly.
I am curious as to whether it has been recent threats concerning taxes and prohibitions that has set off the whole concept of Mason jar cellars. Or, if there has been a quiet subculture of pipe smokers who have been keeping a cellar for centuries. And, were all of these 50 year old tins hitting the market done purposefully, or just serendipitous accidents of hide and find?
Me just puffin' and thinkin' ::

 

[jeepnewbie]

I never heard of cellering until I started reading the forums here. My first big batch of tobacco I put in a ceramic jar I found on eBay, and still have some of it. It hasn't dried out I will drop a tablet that helps keep the moisture just right. It smokes great after having it for over 8 years, and the taste has aged well.
I plan on doing some real cellering soon and building a supply,.

 

[bigmick]

I really think cellaring tobacco is still just a isolated phenomenon, practiced by eccentrics and hobbyists. Like us. I believe most pipe smokers have little to no stored tobacco. Although those paying attention may be doing more of it with prices going the way they are.

I had cousins and 2 grandfathers that smoked pipes. One cousin was a teacher and smoked upper end pipes he had dozens when he passed away and goodness knows how many he used up over the years. Even he had only a couple pounds of tobacco at a time. The rest of my family had maybe a months worth of tobacco or less. My grandfather that still smoked late in life had 7 pipes in one rack when he died. All of which said Falcon or Dr. Grabow on them. We found a bunch of re-purposed tins of PA and SWR in the garage and barn. The time period they smoked would have been from the early 40's up through the late 80's. I do wish I had some of those grand gentlemens pipes on my rack, but I wasn't into pipes when they were done with them and wasn't thinking a stinky old pipe would be a nice way to remember them. Lesson learned to late.

 

[latbomber]

I think its a form of the survivalist mentality.

 

[mikestanley]

I suspect cellaring spawned from the British and the "laying down" cigars for aging. I don't think it's origins are about cost or future availability at all. Prior to Dunhill and Rattray shifting tobacco production to McConnell, I've heard no mention of blends changing or falling out of production. Prices were relatively steay according to Loring for the most part. I suspect from what I've read that sealed tins became more of a function of shipping tobacco to the troops and maintaining freshness more than anything else. Rattray prepared tobacco in tins for shipment overseas and for tropical climates according to their early catalogs I've seen reprints of. Otherwise, they weren't air tight. I don't think there was any thought to future availability or price increases until fairly recently. I suspect that aging tobacco was something a small number of pipe smokers got involved in strictly for the benefits of the aging.There isn't any talk of aging or cellaring in old issues 1940's publications that I can remember. I don't even recall much talk in newer publications like The Compleat Smoker or PCI's magazine.
Mike S.

Mike S

 

[nachman]

I think one reasons Americans in the twentieth century didn't cellar tobacco is that they smoked mostly burley and later aromatics, neither of which cellar well.