San Alto Perfectos Cigar Box with E.M. Priest Chicago Photo Letter Archive

This San Alto Perfectos cigar box holds an untouched group of photographs, negatives, correspondence, handwritten cards, envelopes, and other Chicago paper ephemera connected to E.M. Priest.

I left the contents together as found rather than separating the photographs and papers. Dated pieces visible in the group range from 1912 through 1951, with a large portion of the material falling in the 1930s and 1940s.

Details

• Item: Cigar box with original found paper and photographic archive
• Brand: San Alto
• Box Marking: SAN ALTO PERFECTOS
• Archive Name: E.M. Priest of Chicago, according to the provided notes
• Location: Chicago, Illinois
• Age: Early to mid 20th century. Visible dated material ranges from 1912 through 1951.
• Materials: Paper covered cigar box, paper correspondence, photographic prints, negatives, envelopes, and handwritten cards
• Included: Client correspondence, handwritten letters and notes, black and white photographs, photographic negatives, photo processing envelopes, and additional papers
• Named Material: Snow, Church & Co. correspondence is visible among the papers
• Photo Processing Material: Walgreens Studio packets dated July 26, 1943 are included according to the provided notes
• Other Dated Material: A handwritten piece dated August 7, 1942 is visible inside the box
• Dimensions: 9 inches x 2 3/4 inches x 5 3/4 inches

Condition Grade: Good

Positives

• The archive remains grouped inside the San Alto box rather than having been broken apart.
• Numerous handwritten and typed pieces remain present, along with photographs, negatives, envelopes, and photo processing packets.
• The cigar box graphics remain strong and readable, including the San Alto crest and Perfectos name.
• Several dated pieces and Chicago addresses remain readable and give the group useful historical context.

Issues / Wear

• The box shows edge wear, surface marks, scuffing, staining, and age related wear.
• The papers show yellowing, toning, folds, edge wear, handling marks, stains, and other signs of long storage.
• Some photographs and negatives curl from age and storage.
• The contents have a musty storage scent.
• I have not counted every individual photograph, negative, letter, card, or envelope. Contents are sold together as shown.

Collector's Notes

The dated correspondence reaches back to 1912. That gives the group a longer timeline than a typical single decade paper lot.

The papers repeatedly point back to Chicago people and businesses. Keeping those connections together is more useful than separating the individual pieces.

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Disclaimer

All items are vintage and may show signs of age, wear, or use consistent with their history. Photos show the exact condition of each piece, please review them carefully, as they are part of the description.

I do my best to capture colors accurately, but your monitor or device screen may display colors slightly differently from the actual item.

Please Note:
These pieces come from estate collections and have been surface cleaned. You may wish to perform additional cleaning depending on your preference.

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