Prints of this painting are available from the artist at CatherineMarchandArt.com

hese are photographs of some 19th-century cigar labels and a ring that were sold at auction on the World Wide Web in 2015. All of them are from the antique brand "La Legitimidad," purveyors of fine cigars to the British royal family. This was the brand of cigars Spurgeon was smoking at the end of his life.

A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE ROYAL CIGAR FACTORY "LA LEGITIMIDAD."

he brand "La Legitimidad" was thrown to the market in 1880 by Mr. Antonio Rivero Martinez, proprietor of the cigar factory "Por Larranaga," located in 58 San Miguel Street, Havana.

     In 1881 the brand was sold to Mr. Francisco Perez del Rio, who used it as name for the industrial unit he had settled down on 28 Figuras Street, also in Havana. In 1882 he started to print his name on labels, as the proprietor of the Royal Cigar Factory "La Legitimidad."  The "Havana Cigar and Tobacco Company," settled in Cuba with English capitals, bought the factory in 1898. Then the name "Francisco Perez del Rio" disappeared from labels. In 1910 "La Legitimidad" was bought by the company "Morris & Morris," 100 San Miguel Street—then in 1952, it was bought again by "Cifuentes y Compania," owner of "Partagas" cigar factory.