[New (to me) in 2020: 1964 Epiphone FT-45 Cortez]

I have a 1963 (or 1964) FT45 Cortez looks like yours with tobacco burst; bought it for $50 in 1965. Best 50 bucks I ever spent. Been playing it ever since; it's aged beautifully in tone and appearance.

Here's a recent sample of my best friend in action:

 

[ft-45 cortez]

... wipe them down occasionally with cheesecloth slightly dampened with distilled water ...

 

 

I'd be careful with water. I learned the hard way that Epiphone used some kind of special lacquer finish back then that doesn't respond well to water. After I did a lot of damage, a luthier showed me the only safe cleaning fluid he trusts not to damage this kind of finish: Meguiar's Mirror Glaze #7 (used for show cars). Gibson Guitar Polish is also safe.

It took a lot of Meguiar's and elbow grease to repair the damage I did with water on a cloth.

[ft-45 cortez]

First guitar I ever bought was a '63 Cortez, and I'm still playing it regularly. It aged beautifully in tone and appearance, and it always gets compliments.

 

Congrats on recognizing the value there.

But regarding the case, my original was cardboard (with fake alligator skin) with a very cheap and unreliable clasp, so you might want to save the case for future sale to collector (I also have that little booklet) but I wouldn't trust that case at all; your Cortez is worth investing $100 for a hard shell case.

 

I loved it so much I bought 2 more along the way (used for alternate tunings). Original is on the right in the photo.