A little bit of cigar history: What's in a Picture

[El Presidente]

 

 

Unlike global giants of the era like Partagás or H. Upmann, Símbolo operated on a highly targeted export model. Historic lithographs and vintage box labels archived by Cuba Collectibles show that Símbolo produced premium, embossed packaging specifically for T. Pérez Peyer, who served as the brand's exclusive sales agent in Caracas, Venezuela

During the pre-revolution era, wealthy South American capitals were booming markets for Cuban tobacco. Havana factories frequently registered distinct "marques" (brands) dedicated entirely to a single foreign distributor or region.

This image is a magnificent, well-preserved inner cigar box lithograph (vista) for the Símbolo brand. It brings together all the historical elements discussed previously, providing concrete visual evidence of the pre-embargo Cuban-Venezuelan tobacco trade.

The visual elements breakdown and explain the hidden history in this print (above) 

The imagery is packed with late-19th and early-20th-century geopolitical symbolism:

• The Two Figures: On the left is Columbia (representing the United States), identifiable by the liberty-style crown, leaning on a fasces (a bundle of rods bound around an axe, a classical Roman symbol of authority and unity). On the right is an Indigenous/Native American princess holding a banner reading "Pax et Justitia" (Peace and Justice).
• The Global Harmony Motif: Between them is a globe showcasing the Americas, wrapped in the United States national motto "E Pluribus Unum" (Out of many, one). In the background, ships sail on open waters, framing the entire scene as a celebration of peaceful, lucrative Pan-American trade.
• The Lithographer Credit: Look very closely at the bottom-right corner of the image. You can see the tiny signature: Cía. Litog. Habana (Compañía Litográfica de la Habana). This was one of Cuba's premier stone-plate printing houses, famous for its high-quality gold embossing.

The typography at the bottom gives us the exact, localized commercial blueprint for this brand:

• "Pidalos a: T. Perez Peyer" (Order them from: T. Perez Peyer).
• "Agente Exclusivo Para Venezuela" (Exclusive Agent for Venezuela).
• The Address: Hoyo a Santa Rosalia No. 11, Edificio "Joselito" in Caracas.

Old Telecom Details: It lists two 5-digit telephone numbers (82075 and 81987) alongside a Post Office Box (Apartado de Correos No. 984). This short telephone format firmly roots the print to the mid-20th century (likely the late 1930s to the 1950s) before phone networks expanded into 6 or 7 digits.

The gold circles on the lower left and right represent medals of excellence, a marketing technique Cuban factories used to show off awards won at global expositions.