Automobile mileage reminder advertising premium used to track oil changes. Brass. 1930's(?)
Ben Bey Cigars
Robert Bacon (San Telmo Cigar Mfg. Co.)
Cortez
Pastora
La Resta
La Superia
El Salero
Flor De Mendel
Las Vegas (F. Vega & Co.)
Don Sebastian (Poncho Arango)
American Maid
Mi Hogar
Cuesta Rey
In contrast, Nathan Elson appears to have been more committed to manufacturing. When Grommes and Elson dissolved their partnership, John Grommes continued to serve as a "jobber" for a number of brands, most notably Robert Bacon. In contrast, Nathan Elson & Co devoted its resources entirely to the manufacture of cigars and did not represent any other manufacturer's brands as a distributor.
The images below illustrate the brands other than Ben Bey that the company either manufactured or distributed under their name. Click on any image to enlarge it and read the captions for further information. Then you can click on the arrows to easily move through the images.
Ben Bey was not the only brand of cigar produced and distributed by Grommes & Kennedy, Grommes & Elson and Nathan Elson & Co. Crown was a brand that was apparently produced by Grommes & Kennedy between 1900 and 1908. An unused label has surfaced but no complete boxes are known. Robert Bacon was a popular brand that Grommes and Elson created in 1915 to help satisfy the market demand for "shade grown" wrapped cigars. They manufactured this line until 1921, when they sold the brand and trademark to the San Telmo Cigar Mfg Co, Detroit. Grommes & Elson continued as jobbers (distributors) of the brand with John Grommes at the helm once Elson and Grommes dissolved their partnership in 1921 or 1922. Written accounts suggest that Grommes & Elson also manufactured the Cinder, Pony and Bolano brands, with Cinder and Pony packaged in tin containers. However, examples of tins/boxes or labels of these brands have not surfaced.
Nathan Elson & Co established the Iliad brand in 1922 and the Rosa Vista and El Parcial lines some time later (They are mentioned in 1932 Nathan Elson & Co correspondence). Evidence indicates that during this time frame, some other brands were also considered, such as El Cubo, and Highland. Examples of labels bearing these names with Nathan Elson & Co as the manufacturer have surfaced but no complete boxes with the Elson name are known.
Based on the available evidence, John Grommes appears to have had more of an affinity for "jobbing" (distribution) than manufacturing. In the trade publications of the day, John Grommes' name was always the one associated with announcements in the trade press about new distribution agreements or visits to those companies. During the Grommes & Elson years, a number of brands of other manufacturers were actively distributed, including the following:
Other Brands