Repurpose. Recycle. Reuse. Words that are music to our ears.
What a treat to learn that the “Sweet Burley” cigar tin we sold to an entrepreneur from Indiana a few years ago, would find new life as a cigar box banjo.
This wonderful example of upcycling began in the 1840s when Civil War soldiers fashioned guitars, banjos and fiddles from cigar boxes and tins. Those handmade instruments, coupled with washboards, broomsticks & harmonicas, gave rise to the jug bands in what is known as the “era of the blues”.
You can buy these instruments ready-made on sites like The Cigar Box Guitar Store, but if you are interested in building your own, you can find lots of good DIY information online. Check out sites like DIY Guitars and Cigar Box Guitar. Who knows when Bono might need a new jamming partner?
Music and antiquing are two of our loves. It was fun to play a small part in helping a talented craftsman do what he does best.
2 comments
This is fantastic!
Thanks, Jenni. Wasn’t it great that the buyer sent me the pic and an explanation of what he’d done with the tin? I love a story with a happy ending, especially when “vintage” is involved.