935~Rare 1890s A Ward Phelps Hide & Seek Cigar Label Salesman Sample Chicago NOS For Sale

Pristine c. 1890 A. Ward Phelps "Hide & Seek" Stock Cigar Label – Rare Salesman Sample Sheet with Chicago "Western Branch" Address
Up for sale is an incredibly rare, museum-quality 19th-century salesman sample cigar label proof sheet for the "Hide and Seek" cigar box design, produced by renowned New York lithographer A. Ward Phelps. This is a spectacular piece of American tobacco ephemera and advertising history, preserved in flawless New Old Stock (NOS) Pristine Condition.
Unlike standard production labels that were glued inside cigar boxes, this is a complete, un-cut traveling salesman proof sheet. It was carried in sample books to pitch stock designs to tobacco manufacturers, retaining all of its original wholesale printer notations, pricing matrices, and regional office stamps.
Vibrant Graphic Narrative & Design Elements:

• Left Vignette: A beautifully detailed Victorian girl wearing a scarf, sitting down as the "seeker."

• Right Vignette: Two boys hiding out of sight in the tall grass. Underneath this scene is a beautiful, rare cursive signature reading: "A. Ward Phelps Litho 53-55-57 Park Place New York."

Historical Pricing & Location Text Marks:

• Wholesale Notation Stamps: Clearly printed with production codes and historical wholesale pricing matrices: "No 629 Insides $2.25 Per 100" and "No 630 Outsides $1.25 per 100".

• The "Blanks" Stamp: Explicitly includes the notation stamp for "Blanks", verifying its status as an unbranded stock sample template.
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• The Corporate Transition: Stamped with "Successor to Heffron & Phelps, Litho 53, 55, 57 Park Place New York", perfectly dating the piece to the late 1880s / early 1890s pivot point when Phelps assumed sole control of the firm.
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• The Chicago "Western Branch" Rarity: Printed along the bottom middle is the highly sought-after expansion text: "Western Branch 35 S. Clark St. Chicago, Ill." Finding this dual-city Midwestern imprint is exceptionally rare, as most surviving Phelps ephemera only carries the New York address.

Condition Details:

• Grade: Choice NOS / Pristine. Vibrant original stone lithograph colors, crisp lines, and sharp edges. No fading, foxing, tears, or glue This item has been safely shrink-wrapped against a rigid foam board backing to guarantee total protection from bending, dust, and moisture. It will ship exactly as pictured in heavy-duty, crush-proof packaging.

This is an investment-grade "crossover" piece that appeals equally to collectors of vintage tobacco advertising, Chicago/Midwest regional history, Victorian lifestyle art, and fine 19th-century stone lithography.

Pleaseview all the pictures to be sure you are buying what you expect. Antique &Vintage toys are expected to have age-related imperfections that add character.

8/1/26 - USPS increased postal ratesfor Ground Shipping, AGAIN!!!

Thenew rules are: any package that is delivered to a rural area (such as wheremost of us live) and is less than 1 pound will be charged the Rate for a 1Pound package. That is the reason for the minimum USPS package deliveryis now $7.90!

Asa curtesy to my customers, I do not charge for materials to package or labor topackage,they only pay for the actual shipping charges!
Wespecialize in high-end antique toy shipping. The original cardboard box will beisolated in protective film, heavily bubble-wrapped, and shipped inside arigid, oversized master shipping box to eliminate any risk of crushing ortransit wear. Fully tracked and insured delivery.

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Thistoy is old. It is being offered as acollector’s item. We have done our bestto identify and describe this item, but we may have used an incorrect name orterm in our attempt to do so. There maybe dust, dirt, scratching, missing parts, paint chips, dents or other minorimperfections present.

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Antique& Vintage toys are expected to have imperfections from age that just addcharacter. I will try to describe the item the best possible way. Anymajor defect will be stated and pictured also to show the extent. View photos, ask questions, and offeraccordingly as there is no return on this vintage item unless it was describerincorrectly. Thanks for looking andplease review my store, Wishes and Dreams Vintage Toys! We will be listing quite a variety of itemsincluding more vintage Items over the next few days and weeks.

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