Let's see your humidors...12 1/2" tall c1890 Figural Bicycle Rider

[CarltonHendricks]

c1890 Tobacco Humidor, also referred to as a Victorian figural tobacco jar
12 1/2" tall - Likely Austrian - Medium: Terracotta



I spotted this bicycle rider humidor at the Hillsborough Antiques Show last weekend...I didn't want to spend the money so went home without it....Then Sunday I walked Alameda Point show last till I dropped and found fat zero...called the dealer back at Hillsborough show....still had it...made an offer...he took it..drove back across bay to the show and got it....It's one of those pieces I was so burned out when I picked it up....but when I got it home....phew! right decision! Initially when the dealer was trying to sell me on it he was showing me a glossy figural tobacco jar book it's in...and the rareity rating in the back...that it was one of the rarest. Which I basically already knew. I think I saw one in a European auction catalog once.

It has a black tinge on his face and elswhere I've surmised to be from tobacco smoke...imagine that...I wouldn't mind if it wasn't like that but then again I think it sort of makes it cool...hundred years of patina...I can't see cleaning it. I'm hoping to connect with someone who specializes in collecting them to see what the procedure would be to clean it...or if they just leave as is. These Victorian figural tobacco jars were made in a ton of themes...but this is the only sports one in terracotta that was in the book..besides a couple lame german bowling ones. The dealer I got it from had bought a collection of them...all exceptional art, all Austrain...black boy eating watermellon, fanciful amimals, etc.



I recall about maybe 20 years ago an actual football mounted on a wood base turned into a humidor....lifted up top half the ball to store the tobacco. Anyone else have a sports humidor to share?