Skip to main content

An Antique Tobacco Sorter

I came across an antique tobacco sorter, also known as a tobacco sizing box, that I could not pass up.  Little did I know that such tools have been used for about two centuries in this country by tobacco farmers to size the leaves of the tobacco plant upon harvesting.  After a lengthy discussion with a good friend of mine who has gone tobacco picking on a farm in Massachusetts, I was surprised at what an ingenious tool this wooden frame really was for farmers.  


At first glance, you might come to the conclusion that it is a spice rack, much like the one that I own (click here).   Did you know that a tobacco sorter such as the one above was the actual inspiration for my Martha by Mail spice rack?



The first time I saw a tobacco sorter was on the set of Martha Stewart Living Television several decades ago.  I assumed it was a spice rack or a spice shelf, because that is how Martha was using it on the set (above).  Little did I know I was completely wrong.

It wasn't until years later that I noticed in her book, 'New Old House', that Martha referred to this wooden rack as being a tobacco sorter.  She was repurposing it in the Adams House kitchen.



My guess is that she probably found her sorter in the tobacco barn that she purchased for her Turkey Hill property.  Tobacco barns such as the one at Turkey Hill, have been in use for a good part of this country's history.  


Tobacco farmers who would harvest the tobacco plant would tie up the leaves onto wooden laths.  These wooden laths would then be suspended from the barn rafters so that the leaves could dry unimpeded. 

Once dried sufficiently and striped of the bitter stems, it was up to the farm hands to divide the tobacco leaves and group them according to size. 

My good friend Jeffrey tells me that many tobacco barns that are still being used can be found throughout the state of Massachusetts, as well as in Connecticut and even here in Pennsylvania.  It goes without saying that many other states have them as well.  


My particular shelf comes from a tobacco barn in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.  This is one or two counties over from where we reside.  The former owner of the shelf tells me that his family discovered two of these sizing boxes in the tobacco barn on their property.  During childhood, they repurposed the sorters as shelves for knickknacks in the bedrooms.  


The former owners of the tobacco sorter gave it a clear coating to seal and preserve the wood.  Although this particular one is over one hundred years old, it is very sturdy.  


The first thing that I noticed about the sizing box is that it actually has a closed back.  Most of the examples I've come across have an open back.  

I absolutely love the wooden planks on the back of this one because they are all cut differently.  Isn't it fantastic how the wood grains differ from one another?


This is how one would use a tobacco sorter.  The sizing box would get placed on a table in order to lie flat.  Farm hands would then gather the tobacco leaves stripped from the stems, and place the leaves in the cubby corresponding to its length.  The longer the leaf, the better the quality.

Outer leaves are used as cigar wrappers, while the shorter leaves get used for the insides of cigars.

An Antique Tobacco Sorter

Needless to say, these antique tobacco sorters are no longer used today.  They are relics of a bygone era, but they are very much collectible if you like antiques like I do.  

If you're fortunate enough to own one or if you ever come across a tobacco sorter while antiquing, repurpose it.  Whether you hang it up on a wall and use it as a shelf for spices, custard cups or a collection of salt and pepper shakers, or you have it on your desk lying flat to hold photographs, stationery or other office material, give it a prominent place in your home.  Once used as ingenious tools by tobacco farmers, an antique tobacco sorter or sizing box can get a second life by gracing one's home. 

Comments

  1. What an amazing post David! Thank you so much, we learn so much from you and all of our friends on your blog, your Martha by Mail FB page and the posts you share on Martha Moments ~

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you for saying that. At the end of the day, it really is all about sharing. Sharing knowledge, information and really, the love that we have for what we do.

      Delete

Post a Comment

Thank You for Posting!

Popular posts from this blog

Antique Salt Cellars

There was a time when salt cellars played an important role on the dining table for the host or hostess.  As a result of it being such an expensive commodity several hundred years ago, salt was seen as a luxury and it was the well to do that made salt cellars quite fashionable & a status symbol for the home.  A single salt cellar usually sat at the head of the table and was passed around throughout the meal.  The closer one sat to the salt cellar, the more important one was deemed by the head of the household.  Smaller cellars that were more accessible and with an open top became a part of Victorian table settings.  Fast forward to the 20th century when salt was no longer a luxury and when anti caking agents were added to make salt free-flowing, and one begins to see salt cellars fall out of fashion.  Luckily for the collector and for those of us who like to set a table with Good Things , this can prove to be a boon. Salt cellars for the table come in silver, porcelain, cut glass

How to Paint a Chair

If you have ever felt the need to spruce up a set of chairs or give them a new look, why not try a little bit of paint?  Our tastes in decor and color will probably alter throughout our lives, and at some point, we may find ourselves wanting to change the look of our furniture without having to spend a lot of money.  That's where a few handy tips, some tools from the hardware store, and good-quality paint come in handy.   I know I'm not alone in paying visits to local antique shops, antique fairs and flea markets, and falling in love with pieces of furniture that would be perfect if they were just a different color.  You don't have to walk away from a good purchase simply because it's the wrong color.   My dear friend, Jeffrey, is forever enhancing his home with collectibles from flea markets and tag sales.  However, certain items aren't always up to Jeffrey's tastes when he brings them home.  He is the type of person who won't hesitate to chang

Vintage Wilton Wedding Cakes

Wedding cakes have certainly evolved over the decades just as tastes and styles have in our American way of life.  There was a time when elaborate & very formal towering feats of sweetness were the standard for every bride & groom.  Growing up in a household where I witnessed several wedding cakes take shape from start to finish, I can tell you  that every single one of these was a true labor of love.  For mom, Wilton was the go-to supplier in every aspect of cake baking, including the wedding cakes which flew out of our house every single year for friends & family.   Vintage Wedding Cake Toppers It’s fun going back and looking at Wilton’s methods and styles for wedding cakes during the 1960s and 1970s.  Back then, the shapely cakes were not simply stacked and covered in perfect fondant the way they are these days, but were iced and decorated with real buttercream, along with a multitude of accessories.  There was even a working fountain available that could b