Cubans Going on Block at Christie`s
Next week, a group of Cuban cigars is going on the auction block at Christie's.
Christie's has salesrooms around the world, including New York, Paris, Dubai and Geneva, where this particular sale will take place. Centered around fine wines, the May 14 and 15 auction features several lots of cigars, with some signed by former Cuban president Fidel Castro.
One item of particular interest is a Trinidad Humidor containing 124 cigars, signed in 2001 by Castro. The humidor was originally auctioned at the 2001 Habanos Festival in Cuba, and it was sold to Mary Balli of Greece who paid $90,000 for the lot, according to a Cigar Insider story about the 2001 Festival.
The humidor, made of cedar and mahogany with silver decorations, includes 33 Trinidad Laguito No. 1 cigars, lanceros measuring 7 1/2 inches by 38 ring gauge. These lanceros are the same dimensions as the old Diplomatic Trinidads, which were given as gifts by the Castro government, and were made especially for the 2001 auction.
Christie's has placed a pre-sale estimate of 66,000 euro to 99,000 euro ($85,000 to $128,000) on the box.
Other lots at the sale include several boxes of Cuban Davidoffs, several jars of Montecristo Millennium Robustos and a variety of Cohiba, Montecristo and various other Cubans cigars of unspecified age.
Friday, May 10, 2013
Source: Cigar Aficionado