(Skaneateles, New York)
Have you ever seen a "real" cigar store Indian? Weren't they often seen in days of yore?
The cigar store Indian was an advertisement figure, in the likeness of a Native American, used to represent tobacconists. The figures were often three-dimensional wooden sculptures measuring several feet tall. They are still used for their original advertising purpose but today are more often seen as decorations or advertising collectibles.
Why wooden Indians to sell tobacco??? Because of general illiteracy of the populace, early store owners used descriptive emblems of figures to advertise their shops' wares; for example, barber poles advertise barber shops and the three gold balls represent pawn shops. American Indians and tobacco had always been associated because American Indians introduced tobacco to Europeans. As early as the 17th century, European tobacconists used figures of American Indians to advertise their shops.
Don't we still today look for advertising images??? The Golden Arches? The Starbucks mermaid? The Nike swoosh?
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