Advertising & Tobacco
Condition & Presentation:
Antique 1880's Quiet Smile Cigar Label Salesman Sample, A. Ward Phelps NY/ Chicago ~ New Old Stock
$64.99
Rare 19th-Century "Quiet Smile" Cigar Label Salesman Sample Proof Sheet
Rare 19th-Century "Quiet Smile" Cigar Label Salesman Sample Proof Sheet
Up for auction is a beautifully preserved, original piece of American tobacciana and advertising history. This is an authentic New Old Stock (NOS) salesman sample proof sheet for the "Quiet Smile" cigar brand, produced by the renowned 19th-century New York lithographer A. Ward Phelps.
Unlike standard box-cut labels, this rare salesman sample retains the complete wholesale price structure and printing details intended for cigar manufacturers.
Key Features & Historical Text:
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Vibrant Graphics: High-quality stone lithography depicting a classic scene of a man relaxing at a table, smoking a cigar with a wine glass.
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Lithographer Markings: Inscribed directly beneath the wine glass graphic: "A. Ward Phelps, Litho 53, 55, 57 Park Place NY."
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Historical Transition Text: The bottom text explicitly notes, "Successor to Heffron & Phelps — 53 - 55 - 57 Park Place New York," firmly dating this piece to the mid-to-late 1880s transition era in New York's famous printing district.
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Wholesale Price Details: Features original wholesale options: "No. 687 Insides - $25.00 per 1000" and "No. 698 Outsides - $12.50 per 1000."
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Branch Office: Explicitly lists the expansion office: "Western Branch 35 S. Clark St. Chicago Ill."
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Dimensions: Approximately 8" x 6"
Condition & Presentation:
This item measures 8" x 6" and is in NOS (New Old Stock) condition with vibrant colors and sharp details. For maximum preservation, it has been carefully mounted on foam board without the use of glue and protected under a secure shrink-wrap layer. It is fully protected against edge wear and dust, making it ready for immediate display or archival storage.
An exceptional cross-market collectible perfect for collectors of antique ephemera, stone lithography, Chicago/NYC history, and vintage tobacciana.
Historical Overview & Markings: Offered here is an incredibly scarce, authentic 1880s chromolithograph salesman sample sheet for "Quiet Smile" brand cigars. Because this was part of a traveling salesman’s sales kit rather than an item applied to a retail box, it features fascinating production data, layout codes, and original bulk pricing models printed right into the design margins.
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Vibrant Stone Lithography: Features a beautifully detailed, crisp graphic of a gentleman relaxing at a table, smoking a cigar with a wine glass.
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Artist/Litho Credit: Inscribed directly beneath the wine glass graphic: "A. Ward Phelps, Litho 53, 55, 57 Park Place NY."
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The Transition Imprint: The bottom text explicitly notes, "Successor to Heffron & Phelps — 53 - 55 - 57 Park Place New York." This text firmly anchors the piece to the mid-to-late 1880s transition era of Manhattan’s famous printing district.
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Wholesale Price Structure: Features the highly collectible printer’s data:
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"No. 687 Insides - $25.00 per 1000"
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"No. 698 Outsides - $12.50 per 1000"
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Midwest Expansion: Explicitly lists the secondary location: "Western Branch 35 S. Clark St. Chicago Ill."
CONDITION & ARCHIVAL PRESENTATION
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Condition: New Old Stock (NOS). Excellent preservation with highly vibrant colors, deep blacks, and sharp edges. Look at Description for area of paper wrinkle.
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Current Mount: This 8" x 6" piece is currently mounted on a professional foam board backing and protected with a tight, clear shrink-wrap layer.
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Important Note: NO GLUE or permanent adhesives have been used. The item is held securely by the shrink wrap alone, ensuring the reverse side of the paper remains completely undamaged and unblemished for future archival framing.
SHIPPING & HANDLING TERMS
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Secure Archival Packaging: We understand the fragile nature of 140-year-old ephemera. This item will be shipped flat, securely sandwiched between multiple sheets of heavy-duty, rigid corrugated cardboard to ensure zero bending or folding during transit.
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Tracking Included: Fully tracked and insured shipping to protect your investment.
Perfect for serious collectors of antique ephemera, stone lithography, NYC/Chicago commercial history, and premium vintage tobacciana.
This piece is New Old Stock (NOS) New Condition.
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NO folds or corner dings.
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There is some paper wrinkle.
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The colors remain incredibly bright, and the gold leaf embossing is sharp and un-faded.
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It is currently shrink-wrapped on a clean foam board backing for absolute protection and flat preservation. It will ship to you in this exact protected state.
📦 Shipping & Handling:
This item will be packed with professional care. It will be sandwiched securely between thick, heavy cardboard layers to ensure it does not bend, flex, or experience any edge damage during transit. Full tracking and insurance will be provided.
We specialize in high-end antique toy shipping. The original cardboard box will be isolated in protective film, heavily bubble-wrapped, and shipped inside a rigid, oversized master shipping box to eliminate any risk of crushing or transit wear. Fully tracked and insured delivery.
Unlike standard individual cigar labels that were trimmed and glued directly onto wooden boxes, this rare artifact survived as an uncut, complete salesman's catalog sheet. It retains all of its original wholesale ordering data, production numbers, and regional branch office text.
Deminsions: 8" Wide x 6" Tall
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& Vintage toys are expected to have age-related imperfections that add
character.
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This toy is old. It is being offered as a collector’s item. We have done our best to identify and describe this item, but we may have used an incorrect name or term in our attempt to do so. There may be dust, dirt, scratching, missing parts, paint chips, dents or other minor imperfections present.
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Antique & Vintage toys are expected to have imperfections from age that just add character. I will try to describe the item the best possible way. Any major defect will be stated and pictured also to show the extent. View photos, ask questions, and bid accordingly as there is no return on this vintage item unless it was describer incorrectly. Thanks for looking and please review my eBay Store, Wishes and Dreams Vintage Toys! We will be listing quite a variety of items including more vintage Items over the next few days and weeks.
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