[lenguamor]

Originally Posted by lenguamor

I tend to think that you are on the right track at least; I had the same thought.

There is a small chance, however, that they may have used Cuban tobacco; back then, it wasn't as big a deal as it is to us today, being "the forbidden fruit" and all.

Also, Cuba used to supply many of the American cigar makers with leaf and many either chose not to acknowledge provenance, or might have been forbidden from doing so by contract; after all, Cuba was selling leaf to practically anyone who could pay, not like now that they don't export any leaf at all nor private-label any brands. They may not have been eager to announce that they were providing tobacco to makers who sold their goods for 3-5¢ a pop, when they were trying to get more for branded Cuban cigars.

Cuba also had contracts to provide leaf to make Bonded Havanas, which were sold and advertised as using Cuban leaf, and cost twice as much or more as Clears. Those makers (Garcia-Vega was one in the 1940s) may have had either tacit or explicit agreement with Cuba not to let others state provenance and undercut their prices as well.

So, there's a chance, however convoluted.

Here are some Garcia y Vega Bonded Havanas from 1943; note that even though they were marketed 8 years before the Natividad, they were 2 for 25¢: