Object Record
Images
Metadata
Catalog Number |
2024.FIC.030 |
Object Name |
Holder, Cigar |
Title |
John A. Roebling's Sons Company Cigar Holder |
Description |
The cigar holder is white and circular, with an elevated rim. Three indentations are spaced around the rim, likely intended for placing cigars. At the center of the front is a gold logo for John A. Roebling's Sons Company. The logo features the inscription "JAR ROEBLING," enclosed in a circle, with lines above and below the word "ROEBLING." The back of the cigar holder has a slight rim separating the base from the rest of the holder. At the center of the base, a gold inscription reads: "AMERICAN DECORATORS, INC. 15 COATES STREET TRENTON 10, NJ." According to the Trenton City Museum, John A. Roebling founded the John A. Roebling's Sons Company in 1841. Initially based in Saxonburg, Pennsylvania, the company moved to Trenton, New Jersey, in 1848 and later opened an additional factory in Roebling, New Jersey, in 1905. The company became widely known for its manufacturing of wire rope, which was used in suspension bridges, elevators, cable cars, tramways, airplanes, shipping, mining, construction, ski lifts, electrical lines, telegraphs and telephones, wire cloth and screens, and pre-stressed concrete. Roebling's wire rope was integral to the construction of famous bridges such as the Brooklyn Bridge, the George Washington Bridge, and the Golden Gate Bridge. For many years, the Roebling family business was one of the largest employers in the city of Trenton. In 1953, the family sold the plants to the Colorado Fuel and Iron Company. The Trenton plant closed in 1973, and the Roebling plant followed shortly after in 1974. John Roebling, born June 12, 1806, in Muehlhausen, Prussia, immigrated to America in 1831. He initially joined a farming colony in Saxonburg, Pennsylvania, but, realizing he was ill-suited for farming, he transitioned to part-time surveying and construction work. By the late 1840s, Roebling had achieved considerable success, allowing him to move his operation to Trenton. His international reputation grew with the construction of the Niagara Bridge in 1855. After the American Civil War, Roebling expanded his operations and brought his sons into the business. Towards the end of his life, he began drafting plans for the Brooklyn Bridge, though he passed away in 1869 before its completion. The Brooklyn Bridge would go on to become the longest suspension bridge of its time. Citations: John A. Roebling’s Sons Company - Trenton City Museum. Trenton City Museum . (2016, May 6). https://ellarslie.org/john-a-roebling-sons-company/ John Augustus Roebling. American Society of Civil Engineers. (n.d.). https://www.asce.org/about-civil-engineering/history-and-heritage/notable-civil-engineers/john-augustus-roebling |
Year Range from |
1841 |
Year Range to |
1973 |
Material |
Ceramic |
Artist |
American Decorators Inc. |
Height (in) |
1.500 |
Diameter (in) |
5.500 |
Condition |
Good |
Condition Notes |
Overall: A few accretions throughout. Front: There are a few black accretions around the edges. Back: There is wear around the inner rim. There is a large abrasion on top of the base near the left side. And finally, there are a few black accretions on the base. |
Inscription Type |
Manufacturer's Mark |
Inscription Location |
Front, Center, Middle |
Inscription Technique |
Stamped |
Inscription Text |
"JAR" Line 1 "REOBLING" Line 2 Manufacturer's Mark Stamped Back, Center, Middle "AMERICAN" Line 1 "DECORATORS, INC." Line 2 "15 COATES STREET" Line 3 "TRENTON 10, N.J." Line 4 |
People |
John Roebling Ferdinand Roebling |
Classification |
Business & Commerce Domestic Life/Household Goods |
Subjects |
Brides Metals Metalwork Metalworkers Metalworking Ceramic industry Cigar industry Cigars |
Search Terms |
John Roebling 1841 1873 19th Century 20th Century White Gold JAR Coates Street 15 Trenton 10 NJ New Jersey American Decorators Inc. Ceramic Metal Bridges Wire Cigars Cigar Holder John A. Roebling's Sons Company Cigar Holder John A. Roebling's Sons Company |
Provenance |
Found in collection |