L. B. Brown Makes Cigar Box Fiddle in 1914, Gets Story in Louisville KY Newspaper

cigar box fiddle newspaper

This little newspaper clipping proves that even the smallest mention of cigar box instruments can give us a glimpse into the past.  Lige B. Brown (possibly “Elijah” B. Brown?), a musician who created his own cigar box fiddle, was so proud of his creation that he had to visit the local newspaper office to show off his axe.  Now that’s a cool little glimpse.

For even more historical info, check out these archived plans from 1928 on how to build your own cigar box violin.

This piece of history is part of the bigger C. B. Gitty/Cigar Box Nation Historical Research and Preservation Initiative, a movement to explore and document the history of cigar box guitars and related instruments.

Archived by Shane Speal, Feb 24, 2016