Box Label, 1900s Cuban Gentleman at Plantation, Antique Outer Label, NOS, Ephemera

Gold leaf. Embossing. Full color lithography — as evocative as it is beautiful.

• Brand: Cuban
• Printer: Cole Lithographing Co., Chicago, Illinois
• Materials: Paper, lithograph, embossed and gilded
• Origin: Chicago, Illinois, USA
• Era: Antique, 1903–1922
• Dimensions: 4.75" square
• Condition: New Old Stock (NOS) — unused, pristine condition. Please review photos closely before purchasing, as all sales are final.

This original outer box label is an antique chromolithograph from 1903–1922, produced by Cole Lithographing Co. of Chicago. The scene is as evocative as it is beautiful: a Cuban gentleman in the foreground, holding a cigar with the quiet satisfaction of a man who knows exactly what he's doing, an agricultural landscape stretching behind him in the background. The message — that these cigars come from the source, from the hands of the people who grew the tobacco — is delivered with elegance and conviction. One available.

Frame it for a study, a library, a bar, a Cuban history display, or anywhere that appreciates extraordinary early 20th century commercial art. At 4.75 inches square it fits a standard 5x5 or 6x6 frame.

A wonderful gift for a tobacciana collector, a Cuban history enthusiast, or anyone who appreciates the golden age of American commercial lithography.

Cole Lithographing Co. operated in Chicago from 1903 to 1922, producing fine paper items including certificates, bonds, and commercial labels. Like many Chicago firms of this era, they were part of what has been called the Chicago Hub — a thriving center for commercial art, fine art prints, and color lithography. Many smaller Chicago firms from this period eventually merged into larger companies, making original Cole Litho pieces increasingly rare.

Browse our shop for more antique ephemera to round out your collection.