ROBB cigar store indian statue antique tobacco sign vtg buffalo bill circus art

Samuel Anderson Robb (1851–1928)
Indian Warrior ~ Circa 1885
Life-size Cigar Store Indian Countertop Store Display


Pictured here next to a standard size 19th century tobacco humidor.

Early American folk art at it's very finest. 19th century lifelike tobacco store prop. He was designed to sit on the counter and interact with customers, giving them a menacing glance as they nervously made their purchases! We are attributing the carving to Samuel A. Robb of New York City who is best known for his cigar store indian & circus carvings.

His red, white & blue, circusy and cigar-shaped braids identify him as American Plains Indian. Chief Sitting Bull was one of the most photographed people in the World. Those photos (always with both braids forward) were most certainly the inspiration for this bust: Sitting Bull, the fierce young warrior, as he would have appeared at the battle of Little Bighorn. Because of Little Bighorn, Sitting Bull went on to become the Star of a circus, "Buffalo Bill's Wild West". The bigger-than-life, cigar smoking, Buffalo Bill Cody was the ultimate entrepreneur and boxes of Buffalo Bill, Col. Cody, Gen. Custer and Sitting Bull cigars were sold under numerous cowboy & indian brand names. Most notably through New York City's Foster-Hilson & Co., located on the same island and just 3miles from the workshop of Samuel A. Robb.

$1,500,000.00 US ($1.5mil)

Original paint, as it left the artist's studio. Online you can view close-ups of Robb's Lord Dundreary and it's a close match to this carving, the hair, etc, though ours, with his eyes full of life, menacing scowl and carved hairy eyebrows is far superior. But what most separates this carving from his Lord Dundreary, and all other trade carvings, is that they were given fresh coats of paint each year, losing the detailed carving. The original studio paint sets ours apart from all others (*Santa aside).

 A tobacciana /circus crossover and true historic figure, superior carving and original paint: surely one of finest & most important Cigar Store Indians ever to reach a public market. Remarkable condition with minor dings and minor wear to the paint. Measures about 16 1/2" tall. The stash box/humidor is shallow at about 1 1/2" deep. Shipping will be $14.95 to any U.S. zipcode ($45.00 foreign).

NOTE: our asking price reflects what Robb carvings (or better) bring at the major auction houses: Indian Princess ($750,000.00) ~ Santa ($875,000.00). Arrangements can be made if, prior to purchase, you, or your appraiser, would like to examine the piece in person. We can meet anywhere in the greater Puget Sound area.

There were a small number of late 19th century, 2nd generation, trade-figure carvers that could have carved this bust. Of those carvers, Robb stands out as the most logical choice. Original paint is unheard-of, Robb's *Santa is a rare exception. Online, a major auction site lets you magnify his Santa carving and when comparing the detailed hair lines in Santa's beard to the hair lines on our carving, most would agree, our carving stands out as far superior. And again, around the eyes our piece is far superior. So, while almost certainly circa 1885 (Sitting Bull's circus period), the superior carving would suggest that our bust could-well-have-been carved by a 1st generation master ship-carver such as Thomas V. Brooks (d.1895) or Wilhelm C. Demuth (d.1911). Robb apprenticed under both.

Another possibility is Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Sitting Bull toured with Buffalo Bill in 1885 but, out of respect for Custer's widow, Buffalo Bill didn't start reenacting the Battle of Little Bighorn (the death of Custer scene) until 1888. The Mercer Museum holds a weathered-outdoor Buffalo Bill 'cigar store indian' and that carving very-much resembles our bust in that it is also 'lifelike' (were they carved as a set?). The Mercer believes their carving stood in front of a Philadelphia tobacco shop during Buffalo Bill's Wild West Pennsylvania tour in 1899 and are attributing the carving to one of three carvers: Samuel H. Sailor, James Brown or Francis Jacob Deker. Did our carving sit on the interior counter of that same store?



The 19th century Yellowstone geyser painting seen in the photo above is not included in this sale. It was painted in 1885 by an early American explorer on a very large & rarest cigar box lid. The painting is also for sale so be sure to visit our eBay store where we are currently offering a nice selection of several other hugely important and historically significant pieces of Art. A five pound sterling silver "Bug Basket" from Buckingham Palace, the most-prized possession of the last reigning monarch of The Kingdom of Hawai'i, an artifact from The White House and Porcellian Club (the birthplace of Facebook), the first man to the moon's 1st appearance in Space and an authentic Witch coven's serving charger are but a few of our most interesting pieces.