Souvenir Cigar Box Appraisal

Vintage Souvenir Cigar Box for Hotel Hershey

This is a vintage, rectangular souvenir or promotional box, likely originally intended for cigars or high-end confectionery, featuring branding for the historic Hotel Hershey in Hershey, Pennsylvania. The box is constructed from stiff cardboard or lightweight wood, featuring a sepia-toned or muted polychrome lithographed illustration on the lid. The scene depicts a fashionable couple in early 20th-century attire standing in front of the iconic Mediterranean-style architecture of Hotel Hershey, with vintage automobiles parked nearby. A decorative cartouche contains descriptive text identifying the location. The color palette is dominated by tan, brown, and muted greens, typical of pre-war decorative printing. Structurally, the box shows signs of significant age and handling, including scuffing along the edges, light foxing, and visible wear at the corners where the paper covering has begun to fray. The printing quality suggests a mid-20th-century origin, likely between 1933 (the year the hotel opened) and the 1950s. The craftsmanship indicates a mass-produced but high-quality promotional item designed to be kept as a memento of a stay at the luxury resort.