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A well-built tramp art box with a pedestal base, showing the classic layered construction and notched carving associated with early twentieth century cigar-box work.
The lid features an eight-layer pyramid top that ends in a heart-shaped medallion. All four sides of the box are decorated with carved medallions, giving the piece a balanced and consistent pattern. Inside, the original stamp reads: “Protection. Clear Havana Tobacco. Strictly Handmade. Manufactured by Levy Bros.,” confirming its origins as a repurposed cigar box. The pedestal raises the form and adds stability, making the box read more like a small architectural object. Dimensions: 7 x 7.5 x 8 inches
Tramp art was popular from roughly the 1870s through the 1940s. No one knows for sure how the practice got started, but the materials used to make it, especially wooden cigar boxes, had become standard around the 1850s. Cigar smoking was very popular at the time, and by law, the boxes couldn't be reused by cigar manufacturers, so there were plenty of them around. The people who made tramp art weren't trained artists. They taught themselves how to chip the wood and assemble objects. Some sources suggest that tramp art was made by itinerant workers and tradesmen, which means they traveled from place to place selling goods and services. But not all tramp art was made by wanderers or people without permanent homes. It took time and patience to assemble tramp art objects.
Very good, vintage condition with wear consistent with age / use.