Original Aronow Cary Cigarette scale model
 

Hi All,

I've seen a few posts over the years about the few scale The Cigarette models that Don had made. I was returning a rental car to MIA in 1990 and saw a nautical junk yard with a small sign that said "Stone Age Antiques". I had to stop and found lots of old rigging and boat parts and some instruments and lots of cool stuff. the more precious stuff inside the warehouse. Perched on a pile of junk inside was one of these models. Being a Donzi owner and Aronow fan I recognized it immediately. The shop owner said he had purchased that, some publicity photos of Don, and some fine art from the Aronow estate. I bought the model and the photos. After displaying it on my mantel since '91 we are downsizing and going to travel. Does anyone know what the market might be for that model?

Sorry, but it looks like I haven't posted enough to load any photos. I'd be happy to email them to anyone who would want to post them.

thanks, Matt

What are you hopping it’s worth?

I wish I could post a picture of dr Evil as I say one million dollars. They are more rare and cooler than a faberge egg so one million is probably a little light.

Hey Smoke eater, is that the answer you were hoping for?
I'm either struggling with the OP's sarcasm or I'm on a different planet.

RR

Edit: No offense intended but is that really what you're hoping for? Sounds like a very cool piece which many would be keen to own but.....

Of course not. I know it is a unique piece of history that I have treasured over the years. I could put it at a garage sale over the weekend and not sell it for $20. I thought this group might be able to give me a serious answer. If it’s not worth much I’ll just keep it. If it is worth more than I value it right now I’ll look for a new home for it.

the first answer was my attempt at humor to what seemed to me like an irrelevant question. I’m sorry if that sounded too sarcastic.

Great, I am still on planet Earth, just that my sense of humor is still sleeping. (It's early morning after a late night out, in my part of the world).

Make a few frivolous posts and get your count up then post a couple of pics. Without pics, I'm not sure too many here would be familiar with the item.
GLWS.

RR

The original ones, like this one might be, were made in Italy for Don. About a dozen of them. One changed hands on eBay in 2004 for $430. That was considered a steal then. Don's daughter Claudia(in the photo) has one and a Doctor Santiago used to own one. A few photos of the one Harry bought on eBay in 2004 and a link to the OSO thread about it.

Thread link: https://www.offshoreonly.com/forums/...cigarette.html

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Thanks Lars (research guru), I should have picked it straight away, it's been pictured so many times over the years. Good link to the other OSO thread, I'm keen to see what she's worth.

RR

didn’t mean for it to seem like a irrelevant question. I was more so getting at what your ballpark or what your idea had hoped to be. To see if it was anything you would sell or if you thought you were sitting on a goldmine. No offense meant. I think like the others had said pictures would help. So make some quick posts and let’s see this beauty. And good lick with what ever route you decide to go. Have you thought about different avenues of going about and selling this item? It’s one of those items that would do better selling to a crowd knowing what it is and not just a large group of people that just think it’s a toy boat. Which could’ve been why the other one on eBay sold cheaper then expected. Just my thoughts

I bought two scale Cigarette hulls in Miami in 1984. They were fiberglass with baby blue gelcoat and 48" long. No proof of provenance but Orange Blossum Hobbies in Miami at that time said that were made for Cigarette Racing Team. I sold one to a friend and still have mine 36 years later. It was the model for the 73" hull that I designed and sold for a while 20 years ago. I will get some pictures if anyone is interested. I have battery powered scale Merc stern drives from Germany on it. Matt, if your's is the Italian model, I would put it on ebay with a reserve that you are satisfied with and see what the market thinks it's worth. It is really impossible to put an accurate value on these. Bob.

Thanks for the insights. The way I understand it I have to contribute to 10 posts before I can post pictures. I hate to post frivolously and waste people’s time. If someone would be willing to post them for me I could email the pictures. I would enjoy sharing them knowing it might give you a tiny fraction of the joy I felt when I first saw it.

Incidentally I don’t remember exactly what I paid for mine but coincidentally it was $400 and something.

I sent you a pm ( private message )

what happened to Santiago’s custom gun zero cavity McManus redid? That thing was bad ass back in the day. Then the wife got it in the divorce and it sat for a while. Haven’t heard of it on 5-8 years now.

I’ve received a number of folks interested in purchasing it Thank you. Is there anyone out there willing to post pictures to the thread?

if so please pm me.

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Thank you Speedy!

The Cigarette scale models, made in Italy, U.K., U.S.A. & everywhere.
 

Can't edit my previous post any more, but want to make clear that the boat Harry bought on eBay in 2004 was not one of the about dozen original boats commissioned by Don Aronow, supposedly from Italy. Harry's boat was made in the U.K. My guess is that Matt's boat might also be from the same manufacturer, though with a few different details of self-assembly.

Dr. Gérardo Santiago aquired one of the original dozen from Cigarette, (photo of Dr. Santiago's model at Cigarette Racing in 2000). Don's son Michael has the one that Don displayed at his office back in the day. Don's daughter Claudia's model is supposedly also one of the original dozen.

The H.O.R.B.A. re-creation of the original dozen where a collaboration between Charlie McCarthy and Michael Aronow. Having Michael's original model and the professional model building executed by Christian Del Collo, with team, they turned out really nice. They started selling in 2006 for $2,500.00 and have sold well more than 20 boats. 2nd photo with wood stand, signed and numbered plaque.

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Dr. Gérardo Santiago's Cig TG Zero Cavity.
 

I don't even know who bought it and if Doc kept his 31 Bertram? Really liked Zero Cavity though and that Doc gave rides to all those kids for several years. Well, with the recognition of being a World Champion comes some responsibility and he sure gave a lot of smiles back to the coming generations of boaters.

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Does anyone know where I could purchase one of these? Or something similar?
 

My dad had one in his office for years when I was young but unfortunately his business burned down about 20 years ago and this went down with it. He still, to this day, says that this piece of art and history is what he misses most from the lose. His 60th birthday is coming up and my siblings and I really want to get him something special. And, of course, we can't think of anything that would put a bigger smile on his face than this. So if you happen to know where we would be able to purchase this or something similar please email me at [email protected]. Thank you so much for you time (: