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Butte City MT. Leader Cigar Sign Early 1900's

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles Start Price:50.00 USD Estimated At:200.00 - 400.00 USD
Butte City MT. Leader Cigar Sign Early 1900's
This sign is advertising for union made 5¢ cigars manufactured by Butte City. Showing a yellow cigar on a black background. The sign measures 35 1/2" X 12". This sign most likley came from the M&M Cigar Store. The M&M was opened in 1890 by Sam Martin and William F. Mosby. Miners with a flair for cutting to the chase and coining a nickname, quickly labeled it "The M&M." Like other all-night establishments in Butte, the doors of the M&M have never been locked. Owners either stripped the locks off the doors on opening day or they ceremoniously flushed the keys down the toilet. The term "cigar store" was a discreet but superficial deference to Prohibition. The same customers who had patronized these establishments before Prohibition continued to come to enjoy cigars and the other libations that continued to flow despite the laws against them. With Butte Montana being a mining town the "Union Made" part of this sign was very important. The edges of the sign show some damage, please see photos for accurate assessment.