Miller, DuBrul & Peters Manufacturing Company Cigar Mold, 1882-1897

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, some cigar manufacturers began to use wooden molds to help reduce labor costs and increase production. Cigars made exclusively by hand took time and needed skilled -- and highly paid -- workers. Lower-paid workers with fewer skills could place tobacco leaves into a mold to quickly shape cigars before a skilled worker applied the final wrapper. This process made cigars less expensive.