Garcia y Vega Cigar Box Featuring Painting of Clipper Ship SEA SERPENT

cigar box

Garcia y Vega cigar box made of tin featuring painting of the clipper ship SEA SERPENT; copyright date 1997. Tin in two parts, lid is removeable from the base. Lid features painting 1962.477 of SEA SERPENT Passing South Head, San Francisco; above painting reads 'The Promise of Extraordinary Taste / GARCIA Y VEGA' with the latter against a black stripe, manufacturer's name framed by company crest. Printed along the right and left sides of the base, 'NATURAL LEAF WRAPPER / ELEGANTES / 50 Fine Cigars'. Image of a woman carving a heart into a birch tree printed on top and bottom with "Garcia y Vega" printed below in script; warning about harm from smoking cigars printed along the bottom edge of the top side of the base. Information printed across the bottom of the tin relating to the painting, craftsmanship of Garcia y Vega cigars, and quality; description of painting reads, '"Clipper Ship SEA SERPENT passing South Head, San Francisco / Anonymous American artist / The SEA SERPENT, 194'6" length x 39'3" breadth x 20'8" depth of hold, 1337 tons, was built by George Raynes at Portsmouth, New Hampshire, and launched in December, 1850, for Grinnell, Minturn & Co. of New York, who operated her in the California and China Trade until her sale to Norwegian parties in 1874. Renamed PROGRESS, she operated out of Tonsberg, Norway. She was still listed in registers as late as 1890. / Courtesy Mystic Seaport Museum, Inc., Mystic, Connecticut.' Cigar packaing intact inside tin. Overall excellent condition; light scratches to the bottom surface, bottom left side dented. Overall: 1 3/4 x 9 x 6 1/2 in.