8th Habanos Festival Humidors Auction
Lot 1
H. Upmann Humidor
The H. Upmann trademark was created in 1844 by Hermann and August H. Upmann brothers, and has since then enjoyed tremendous international recognition, a condition that made the brand grab a number of gold medals in world fairs held in the 19th century.
Featuring a varied assortment of cigar vitolas that meet the expectations of its loyal smokers, H. Upmann is no doubt a world-class trademark. In 2005, Habanos S.A. inserted it in the group of global brands. It ‘s highly coveted in the world market and amazingly attractive for smokers who seek mildly strong Habanos like Sir. Winston, Magnum 46, Coronas Mayor and others.
Item Features
Humidor-and-case combo that harmoniously recreates the trademark ‘s attributes: a mighty brand and an image that have pro ven their values through time and a traditional recognition that has always made it amass major prizes and a wards since its creation back in 1844. Completely handmade in solid cedar, this item boasts shapes and forms that are very much in sync with the brand’s nitty-gritty aspects, featuring simple decorative elements that guarantee the traditional soberness of this brand.
It contains 120 Habanos broken down in 20 Sir. Winston, 20 Upmann No. 2, 20 Magnum 46, 20 Petit Coronas, 20 Connoisseur No. 1 and 20 Coronas Junior.
Author Information
Humidor designed by artist Julio Cesar Garrido Correa and crafted by artists Marlene Silvera Segura and Moises Gonzalez Acosta. Julio Cesar Garrido Correa, a native of Pinar del Rio, has mounted a good deal of personal exhibits in countries like Spain, France and Belgium. His works are now scattered in several priva te collections around the world. He ‘s the author of the Cuaba Humidor auctioned off during the Millennium Dinner of the 1st and 3rd Habano Festivals. His works have also been put up for auction in the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th Habano Festivals.
Marlene Segura, a sculptor with six years of experience in woodcarving, is a graduate of the San Alejandro School of Arts and the Institute of Design. She ‘s a member of the Cuban Cultural Asset Fund and mounted a number of personal and collective collections in Cuba and overseas.
Moisés González A costa, a self-taught artist with a dozen years of experience, is a member of the Artisan and Artist Association. He ‘s taken part in personal and collective exhibits on his native island nation and such countries as Colombia, Mexico and Spain.
The two of them took part in the auctions held at the 3rd, 4th and 5th Habano Festivals.
Lot 2
Romeo y Julieta Humidor
Romeo y Julieta, one of the world’s most prestigious cigar brands that ‘s turning 131 years old in 2006, was named after English writer William Shakespeare ‘s homonymous tragedy. The brand saw the daylight in 1875 and has since then been shining down on the whole wide world, offering one of the most extensive assortments of vitolas ever made.
Its well-balanced and aromatic mixture, based on tobacco lea ves handpicked from the Vuelta Abajo region in Pinar del Río, makes Romeo y Julieta a mild¬flavor cigar.
Item Features
This humidor oozes out passion and romanticism galore. The trademark brand in the front is a standout, and so are the sleek-sliding crooks that resemble the world-known Shakespearian balcony in the bottom, sides and upper side of the piece.
Its case made of red-dyed precious wood, the well-wrought carpentry, woodcarving and precious-metal details, let alone its massive size, are efforts to rescue the tradition and splendor of the colonial times, and manage to blend detailed handicraft endeavors with decorative elements that melt into one another. In the same breath, these elements convey both the elegance and romanticism this brand has always be en known for and made this item a valuable must-have for any collector.
It contains 130 Habanos broken down in 20 Churchills, 20 Exhibición No. 3, 20 Belicosos, 20 Exhibición No. 4. 20 Petit Pyramids (2004 Limited Edition) and 20 Short Churchills, the brand ‘s new vitola launched in February 2006.
Author Information
Artisan and writer J. L. Milan Dominguez is the author of this item. Since 1995, Dominguez has worked on a number of projects, events and researches linked to the Habanos culture. His works have made exhibits in a dozen international fairs and belong to valuable collections.
He’s a usual collaborator of Habanos S.A. for the development of new products labelled as special series. He ‘s also a member of the DECUBA Handicraft Maker Group that produces collection humidors: Montecristo, Compay Segundo 95, Vegas Robaina 83; for Habano collections from such trademarks as Partagás, Hoyo de Monterrey, Romeo y Julieta, and Montecristo and Vegas Robaina humidors and cases licensed by Habanos S.A. Corporation.
Lot 3
Partagás Humidor
This brand was created in 1845 by Don Jaime Partagás and has since then been delighting its faithful smokers. Partagás is immediately recognized by its rich and in tense flavor, as well as by a personality of its own. Its many vitolas are fit to meet the most demanding needs of any Habanos smoker, living them a chance to revel in a variety of shades that each and every of its excellent vitolas has to offer, like the mystical Lusitania, the traditional Series D No. 4 and the brand-new Pyramid Series P No.2, among others.
The features of its mixture made up of tobacco leaves hailing from the region of Vuelta Abajo- pro vide unmatchable richness and aroma.
Item Features
This humidor made of cedar is a classic-style, massive and robust piece of furniture that catches the spirit and character of Partagás brand. It’s covered with wide moldings and spruced up with the trademark ‘s logo and image.
It contains 160 Habanos broken down in 25 Lusitanias, 25 Churchills Deluxe, 25 8-9-8, 25 Presidentes, 25 Series D No. 4, 25 Series P No. 2 and 10 Culebras, the brand ‘s latest Premium outing.
Authors Information
This item was built by artisans Armando Cotalero Prieto and Neurys Alberto Santana Ges, members of Cuba ‘s Artist and Attisan Association. They both nabbed the 1997 FIART Prize and their works are now part of several priva te collections around the world. Their pieces and works have also been sold under the gavel at the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th Habano Festivals.
Lot 4
Montecristo Humidor
Montecristo is by and large one of the world’s best-known Habano trademarks. It was named after French writer Alejandro Dumas ‘s The Count of Montecristo.
The Montecristo offering reaches out to the most demanding smokers. Its exquisite mixture is made up of exclusive tobacco leaves picked up from the Vuelta Abajo region the land of the world’s finest tobacco. Its mild-to-strong flavor and peerless aroma keep capturing the hearts of both the most experienced smokers and beginners of Habanos world.
Item Features
Both the design and building of this piece are inspired in the famous legend of the Count of Montecristo. The piece of furniture represents a bookcase made of cedar and mahogany, rigged with two glass doors with wooden edges and girths. The bookcase ends show a couple of books that appear to be held by two silver sculptures mounted on a marble pedestal. The sliding doors carry the trademark logo. The entire decoration of the piece of furniture and the table the bookcase rests on is made of silver and bronze.
This solid one-piece item made of cedar, mahogany, bronze, silver and glass rests on a table with 150cm long and 90cm high, making up a harmonious whole.
It contains 200 Habanos broken down in 25 Montecristo A, 25 Montecristo No.2, 25 Montecristo Especial No.2, 25 Montecristo No. 3., 25 Montecristo Edmundo, 25 Montecristo No.4, 25 Montecristo D and 25 Montecristo C. The last two vitolas do not belong to the brand ‘s portfolio.
Author Information
José Ernesto Aguilera Reina is a self-taught Cuban artisan, designer and silversmith. However, he has ample experience under his belt and has been awarded in different fairs, personal exhibits and collective expositions both in Cuba and overseas.
His work decorates and embellishes quite a number of halls, libraries, restaurants and murals in Havana hotels. In 1995, Cuba ‘s Ministry of Construction granted him the title of Master Builder.
Since 1994, his works have been sold in different art galleries, especially two major exports of humidors to France, as well as others to Italy, U. S.A., Russia, Germany and Mexico. He took part in the VII Habanos Festival’s auction.
Lot 5
Cohiba Humidor
The name Cohiba was suggested by Celia Sanchez in 1966 and rapid/y caught on as soon as the trademark was registered. When they finally hit the market, these cigars were already the world’s best-known Habanos.
It ‘s the most prestigious Habanos brand all over the world. Since it ‘s an ancient term used by Taino islanders, it ‘s considered the first name tobacco ever got in Cuba. For many years, the brand was so/e/y reserved for official gifts to world statesmen and national personalities. /n 1982, the brand got its big break in the international market. It’s a/ways been produced at the prestigious El Laguito cigar factory in Havana.
Tobacco leaves used for hand-rolling Cohiba cigars are simply the “cream of the crop, ” hailing from the top premium-quality tobacco plantations in the regions of San Juan y Martinez and San Luis, in Pinar del Rio ‘s Vuelta Abajo.
Cohiba is the only Habano which two out of three tobacco leaves used in making the filler – seco and ligero – endure a third fermentation process in barreIs. This special treatment renders in unmatchable aroma and flavor that only this particular brand can offer.
Item Features
This item built by well-known artist Raúl Valladares is a majestic blend of humidor and inspirational sculpture. Made of gold, titanium, silver, bronze, marble, mahogany and cedar, the piece symbolizes the brand’s 40 years of existence.
The sculpture shows off the 3-D image of an Indian whose skin resembles the texture of Cuban tobacco lea ves. He can be pictured in a tobacco plantation that serves as a universal backdrop while his hands hold the traditional accessories and tools any cigar hand-roller uses. The work also portrays a real-size replica of the Lanceros cigar band cast in gold and silver, as well as a chaveta (jackknife) made of gold and titanium. The whole thing rests on a traditional chipboard plank, thus giving this work of art a clear-cut surrealist touch and conceptual style that make the harvester and the cigar maker go hand in hand in perfect harmony. The cedar-and-mahogany humidor is the base of the sculpture. The design underscores the exquisiteness, elegance, modernity of the Cohiba, the most elitist of all Habanos brands.
Sizes: 2.40m long X 0.90m wide X 0.50m high.
It contains 265 Habanos broken down in 40 Lanceros, 25 Esplendidos, 25 Coronas especiales, 25 Exquisitos, 25 Siglo 1, 25 Siglo 11, 25 Siglo 111. 25 Siglo IV, 25 Siglo V, 25 Siglo VI.
Author Information
Raúl Valladares Valdés was born in Havana back in 1960. This self-taught Cuban sculptor and silversmith has taken part in several personal and collective expositions in Cuba and overseas. Well known in the realm of Habanos for his fancy humidors and his staunch defense of Cohiba humidors in past auctions, he’s penciled in as one of the most prestigious figures in the history of Cuba’s sculpture and silversmith works. He has taught and trained a good deal of Cuban sculptors and goldsmiths, has played a major role in community culture, and has sponsored events and fairs for the advance of the island nation ‘s culture. He has won several national and international awards, including the 2003 Best Sculptor. Award bestowed by the BT Design Art Gallery magazine.