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Original period 1890's Cigar Store Indian not a reproduction. As seen in Artists in Wood by Frederick Fried Fig. 171 Squaw. Attributed to Samuel Robb. Carver 195 Canal Street N.Y. c. 1881. The face is not Indian and may be that of his deceased wife Emma Jane. 65 INCHES IN HEIGHT There are no renovations or repairs that we know of please see photos for greater details.
The Art Of Controvesy

In many people's opinion, the wooden cigar store Indian is a stereotypically demeaning portrayal of the Native American. Since the 20 th century the cigar store Indian has become less common for a variety of reasons. Such as sidewalk-obstruction laws, higher manufacturing costs, restrictions on tobacco advertising, and increased racial sensitivity. Committing many of these hand-carved figures to museums and antique shops.

The cigar store Indian can still be found outside and inside some cigar stores or tobacconists shops. There are people who equate this wooden figure as racially offensive and insensitive. In fact many view the cigar store Indian as offensive, and as vulgar as another ornament; the African American lawn jockey. Yes, it's true, both of these figures are still being made and for sale to puchase.

...But Why A Wooden Indian?

Scholars have long debated how tobacco became such an important crop to the indigenous people of the Americas and eventually to the world. All that is known for certain is... The Native people introduced tobacco to the early explorers. In 1561 Jean Nicot ( namesake of nicotine ) gave the tobacco plant the name, Nicotiana. Man talk about an ego. In 1586 Sir Walter Raleigh began to make pipe smoking popular in Great Britain. The cultivation and consumption of tobacco spread with each voyage of discovery from Europe to the new world.This period of discovery was not only exciting for adventurers, but for commerce and trade. With commerce and trade... along follows art. With art, came the birth of the three-dimensional wood carvings that would evolve from the two-dimensional style hanging signs, into the statues more commonly seen today.

Wood carvings, and wood sculptures, are one of the oldest and most widespread forms of natural art . Mainly because of the plentiful abundence of materials, ease to work with, the simplicity of tools, and let's face it... wood is durable. Wood carving has been practiced in almost every culture from practically the beginning of time. It's no surpise that developing agriculture and woodcarving almost go hand in hand.

It wasn't really until 1617 when small wooden figures called "Virginie Men" were placed on tobacconist's countertops to represent various tobacco companies. These "Virginie Men" would be the archetypes to what would be the traditional Native American styled Cigar Store Indians. These wooden Cigar Indians were called "Virginians," which was the local English term for Indians. Since the majority of the Brittish carftsmen were unsure what an indigenous person in the Americas looked like... Original wooden "Virginians" were depicted as black men wearing headdresses and kilts made of tobacco leaves.

Here in America the model used for creating these wooden statues was quite the opposite from the folks across the Atlantic. Most of the early Cigar Store Indians that were carved in the Eastern seaboard or in the Midwest by North American artists , were white men in "Native" regalia. More than likely this was due to many of the craftsmen in these areas probably never encountered a Native American.

The Heart Of American Consumerism

As time went by, so did the growth of the entrepreneurial spirit of the American small business owner. Some innovative tobacco sellers sought an unconventional image for their trade to set them apart from more established merchants. Just like the striped barber pole, and the three gold balls symbolized the pawnbroker... a new market icon sprang up, Cigar Store Indian. Artisan woodcarvers for the business of tobacconists. The craftsmen attempted a wide range of Cigar Store Indians. Man...

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