Custom 4-String Cigar Box Guitar – Antique Pre-WWII Mahogany Box – As Found

An authentic, locally crafted piece of functional American roots folk art. This 4-string fretless cigar box guitar was individually handmade in Lenox, Massachusetts by independent builder Hervé Bourassa. It is clearly inscribed on the reverse as Custom Build #21 and dated 2016.

The instrument features an incredible balance of historic character and modern components:

• The Body: A genuine antique, finger-jointed solid wood cigar box from the historical "AUTO" brand. The side panels feature the crisp, stamped vintage tax assessment indicating it was manufactured to retail at "more than Eight Cents each and not more than Fifteen Cents each," placing the box's origin around the 1930s–1940s. The wood features a beautiful, honest dark patina and rich grain.
• Construction & Hardware: Designed primarily for slide performance, the smooth hardwood neck features clear wood-burned/inked marker lines in lieu of traditional raised metal frets. The face is fitted with clean brass soundhole grommets, a fixed wooden bridge with standard screw accents, secure chrome geared tuners at the headstock, and unique decorative additions including a vintage metal skeleton key on the upper flank.
• Condition: Offered in beautiful, stable, hand-picked "as found" condition. The box itself bears natural minor scuffs, faint ink marks, and edge wear from its past life as a functional tobacco container, which underscores its genuine antique folk art appeal. The construction is solid, tight, and completely intact.

Perfect for delta blues slide players, multi-instrumentalists, or collectors looking for a highly distinct, localized artisan display piece.