Category Archives: Leaves

Norwich CT Roller Skating Rink Trade Card

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Trade Card, Norwich, Connecticut, 1877.

Price:  $50.00           Size:  About 2 and 5/8 x 4″

On the front, by an unknown artist, an illustration based on the popular fictional story of Paul and Virginia (Paul et Virginie), by author Bernardin de Saint-Pierre, published in 1838, which takes place on the tropical island of Mauritius.

On the reverse:   “Norwich Roller Skating Rink, Burdick’s Hall. Grand Skating Exhibition, Friday Evening, March 2nd, by Miss Minnie Claflin, of Worcester, Mass. Music by Tubbs’ Brass Band. Admission, 20 Cts. Skates, 10 Cts. Exhibition at 9 o’clock. C. A. Dunn, Manager.”

Roller skater, Minnie E. Claflin, was born October 1864 in E. Greenwich, Connecticut, and was the daughter of George H. Claflin and Hannah (Hill) Claflin. She married Waldo S. Babcock on October 19, 1882. Minnie died at age 35 of tuberculosis. (So sad to hear). But as a skater, she’s mentioned in an article appearing in The Boston Globe, dated August 2, 1882. Here’s a portion of the article:

Minnie’s marriage date, along with the calendars for the years when March 2nd fell on a Friday, date this card back to year 1877. (The next time March 2nd fell on a Friday was 1883, when Minnie was no longer a Miss.) And it seems to be a rare trade card – no others have been found online for this Norwich, CT skating rink.

Burdick’s Hall – According to some pages from an old document, “Norwich Skating Rink Archive Indentures,” viewable online at Antiques Atlas, this building was actually St. Giles Hall, built 1870 – 1873, designed by the architectural firm Burdick & Arnold. In 1876, the structure and premises were sold to a Mr. Warner Wright who then developed the location into an indoor roller skating and outdoor ice skating rink, under the company name, The Norwich Skating Rink Co., Ltd. So, our trade card indicates the hall was, at least for a time, known locally as Burdick’s Hall (after local architect, Evan Burdick). How nice that the building is still in use today as Norwich City Hall and is on the National Register of Historic Places:

Tubbs’ Brass Band – Charles W. Tubbs, obituary below, was a well-known and respected musician and the band leader for Tubbs’ Brass Band for many years. From the Norwich Bulletin, August 30, 1912:

Last, but not least, C. A. Dunn, listed as manager at the bottom of our trade card, was possibly Charles A. Dunn, who shows up in Norwich city directories for 1881 – 1883 as a clerk, working at the Union Square Hotel.

Sources:  Paul and Virginia. Library of Congress. (https://www.loc.gov/item/2021666976/).

New England Historic Genealogical Society; Boston, Massachusetts; Massachusetts Vital Records, 1840???1911. (Ancestry.com).

Ancestry.com. Massachusetts, U.S., Town and Vital Records, 1620-1988.

“Children’s Reception.” The Boston Globe, August 2, 1882. Wednesday, p. 4. (Newspapers.com).

“Norwich Skating Rink Archive Indentures.” Antiques Atlas. (https://www.antiques-atlas.com/antique/norwich_skating_rink_archive_indentures_a370/as167a370). Accessed April 16, 2024.

Norwich City Hall (Connecticut). n.d. Wikipedia. (Accessed April 16, 2024).

“Obituary. Charles W. Tubbs.” Norwich Bulletin, August 30, 1912. Friday, p. 7. (Newspapers.com).

“Evan Burdick”. Year: 1870; Census Place: Norwich, New London, Connecticut; Roll: M593_114; Page: 460A. (Ancestry.com).

Stedman’s Directory, Norwich 1881. Vol. 21, p. 70. Ancestry.com. U.S., City Directories, 1822-1995.

Stedman’s Directory, Norwich 1881. Vol. 23, p. 74. Ancestry.com. U.S., City Directories, 1822-1995.

L. F. Abbott Groceries and Provisions, Boston

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Trade cards, set of 4. Louis F. Abbott, Groceries and Provisions, Boston, Massachusetts. Copyrighted 1885 by F. C. Bryon, New York. Series 313.

Price for the set:  $40.00           Size for each:  About 5 x 3 and 3/4″

“A Merry Christmas To You., L. F. Abbott, Groceries and Provisions, 181 Eliot St., Boston.”

We’re not finding any other trade cards online for grocer, L. F. Abbott in Boston, and that’s surprising, given the size of these cards, which are larger than most – leading us to think he was doing pretty well. And these are absolute beauties, each showing a scene within a sparkling snow-rimmed leaf. (Sorry you can’t see the sparkle.) Enlarge the images and get lost in them a little – note also the flowery embellishments in the holiday message.

L. F. was Louis Frederick Abbott, born October 2, 1852 in Ossipee, New Hampshire, the son of Henry G. Abbott and Phoebe Abbott, her maiden name unknown.

On October 5, 1881 in Cambridge, Mass, occupation grocer, he married Myra W. Sherman. She was age 27, born in Rockland, Maine, the daughter of Alden Thomas Sherman and Bethiah (Glover) Sherman. Myra died in 1892, and the following year Louis married Myra’s younger sister, Julia. The 1900 Federal Census shows five children: the oldest, Sarah and Lulu would have been Louis’ daughters with Myra; the younger, Bertha, Henry and Fred, his children with Julia. By the 1910 census, the family has increased with sons Warren and Robert.

The business address on the cards of 181 Eliot St. in Boston, shows up in city directories from 1886 through 1890. In 1886 we find the short ad, below:

The store in question may or may not have been the same one our trade cards were advertising; as from this and a couple of other ads, Louis was also in the real estate business. By the 1900 Federal Census taken in Boston, his occupation is listed as real estate, rather than grocer.

Some Years Later……A Helpful Owl

If you’ll indulge the pretentiousness below:  Regarding “Mr. and Mrs.” Jean Martin (in French I always must use the “et” for “and”, otherwise it sounds absurd.)

It’s unclear how long Louis owned the 181 Eliot Street address but we did find a funny article in The Boston Globe, March of 1910:  The residents at that time were M et Mme Jean Martin, who kept a barn owl in the basement. The good owl had eliminated the rat problem that had come about (let’s presume) after the butcher shop moved out, the property perhaps having stood vacant for a time. (The article went on to explain that the rats are gone, so the residents feed the owl with meat.) Here’s an excerpt:

Sources:  Town and City Clerks of Massachusetts. Massachusetts Vital and Town Records. Provo, UT: Holbrook Research Institute (Jay and Delene Holbrook). (Ancestry.com).

New England Historic Genealogical Society; Boston, Massachusetts; Massachusetts Vital Records, 1840???1911. (Ancestry.com).

Massachusetts Grand Lodge of Masons Membership Cards 1733–1990. New England Historic Genealogical Society, Boston, Massachusetts. (Ancestry.com).

Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/176768573/louis-frederick-abbott: accessed 25 December 2023), memorial page for Louis Frederick Abbott (2 Oct 1862–13 Oct 1937), Find a Grave Memorial ID 176768573, citing Seaview Cemetery, Rockland, Knox County, Maine, USA; Maintained by Sally – Midcoast Maine (contributor 48138595).

Year: 1900; Census Place: Boston Ward 21, Suffolk, Massachusetts; Roll: 686; Page: 14; Enumeration District: 1479. (Ancestry.com).

Year: 1910; Census Place: Boston Ward 21, Suffolk, Massachusetts; Roll: T624_623; Page: 11a; Enumeration District: 1587; FHL microfilm: 1374636. (Ancestry.com).

Boston City Directory, 1890. Boston, MA, USA: Sampson, Murdock and Co., 1890.

Ancestry.com. U.S., City Directories, 1822-1995.

The Boston Globe, August 18, 1886. Wednesday, p. 7. (Newspapers.com).

“No Rats Where It Has Its Home.” The Boston Globe, March 5, 1910. Saturday, p. 10. (Newspapers.com).

Wanamaker & Brown, Philadelphia, Trade Card

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Trade Card, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania for Wanamaker & Brown. Circa

Price:  $10.00            Size:  3 and 1/4 x 1 and 1/2″

Taking a very short respite from all the black and white photos and cards, here’s a bit of color, nicely appropriate for autumn. The front shows some turning leaves with the following printed message:

“Buy your Winter Overcoat and Suit at Oak Hall. We sell the best goods for the least money, and refund the cash if you are displeased with your purchase. Wanamaker & Brown. S. E. cor. Sixth & Market Sts.” 

Founded in 1861, the Wanamaker & Brown clothing company became an institution in Philadelphia, lasting for over a century. Much has been written about them, and plenty of online photos and other trade cards can be found. See Wikipedia’s post, “Wanamaker’s” for more information. Below, an early ad from The Philadelphia Enquirer, dated January 25, 1862:

The title in the ad above is interesting, referring to pickling something in salt water, though in this case the salt would be used to melt snow and ice on the streets.

On the back of our trade card, the holder (for a time) of this card, has written her name:  Hattie B. Francis (or Hattie A. Frances).

Sources:  The Philadelphia Enquirer, January 25, 1862. Saturday, p. 5. (Newspapers.com).

Wanamaker’s. n.d. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wanamaker%27s (accessed September 30, 2022).

Picking Flower, Near Mississippi Headwaters, Minnesota

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Divided back, unused, Real Photo Postcard. Circa 1950s.

Price:  $15.00

This Real Photo Postcard is one of (at least) four that we see that had been taken, circa 1950s, of an Indian woman named Picking Flower. The other three vintage cards are currently on ebay:  One shows a very similar view to the photo taken for this card, and the other two show Picking Flower standing at the Headwaters of the Mississippi River, Minnesota, with captions. My guess is that she’s Chippewa, a.k.a. Ojibwe or Ojibwa, and it’s possible she might have been a member of the Mississippi River Band Chippewas, but of course, that is mere speculation. The artwork of flowers and leaves that she’s working on (or more likely it was some finished work that was used for the photo shoot) and that which adorns her dress, is very distinctive to Chippewa beadwork design (not to mention stunningly beautiful). Here’s a quick screen shot of a Google search for examples (note the similarity in the top right design to that in the postcard.)

And, if you enlarge the postcard image, you’ll notice the little pair of moccasins that’s attached to the dress (on her left) and the shells interspersed in the shoulder areas. Always the case, we get to wondering about the circumstances surrounding a photo session, about the person themselves, how they felt at the time, what the rest of their life was like. I think Picking Flower is maybe in her 50s, from the graying hair we note, and she looks like she was squinting a little from the sun, when the photo was taken.

Sources:  Mississippi River Band of Chippewa Indians. n.d. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mississippi_River_Band_of_Chippewa_Indians (accessed May 21, 2017).

“Images of Chippewa beadwork”  Google.com search. (accessed May 21, 2017).

Kids In Leaf

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kids-in-leaf-pc1kids-in-leaf-pc2

Divided back, Real Photo Postcard, unused. Circa 1914 – 1917.

Price:  $5.00

A good one for a new category, which really should not be new (eee gads, will have to backtrack and see which ones I missed in the past) anyway…under the title Shaped Borders. This one looks like it could be a group of seven school kids, with a young school mistress in the back, or possibly just family members or a group of friends. The date is estimated from Playle’s for this particular style on the reverse, of unknown manufacturers with no stamp box. Check out the doorway:  That’s an odd-looking door, we don’t see a handle, just wooden slats running horizontally, but maybe it was boarded up.

Source:  Real Photo Postcard Stamp Backs, Unknown Manufacturer’s. playle.com. (accessed October 23, 2016).

The Leaf – White Sewing Machine Trade Card

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Leaf tc

Trade card in leaf shape for White Sewing Machines. Circa 1886.

Price:  $20.00        Size:  About 3 x 4″

Beautiful leaf trade card in shades of green, red and gold, for White Sewing Machines. This is the second trade card for White appearing on this website. The wonder of it though, is how this paper leaf survived this amazingly well through the years, only showing a small fold on the right-hand side. (The card is the leaf itself; the yellow background was just for scanning purposes.) The White was immensely popular, with it’s factory in Cleveland at 10 and 40 Canal St. and sales office at 57 and 59 Euclid Ave. The company shipped not only all over the United States and Canada, but also had a large overseas market. The statement here of 100,000 machines being sold yearly would be the best clue as to this card’s date. A couple of old publications help to somewhat define the time-period. An 1879 issue on Cleveland Industry states “from July 1876 to the eve of 1878, the demand for the White Sewing Machine has increased from ten or twelve per day to one hundred and fifty or two hundred per day…”  An 1886 publication on Cleveland manufacturers and merchants states that the factory on Canal St. was a “substantial building, nearly 500 feet long, 50 feet wide, and four to six stories high, with a capacity of manufacture of three hundred sewing-machines per day.”  So, perhaps this card was printed somewhere around year 1886.

Sources:  Industries of Cleveland:  Trade, Commerce and Manufactures for the Year 1878. Published by Richard Edwards, Cleveland, 1879. Pages 107-108. (Google eBooks)

Leading Manufacturers and Merchants of the City of Cleveland and Environs. A Half Century’s Progress. 1836-1886. International Publishing Co., 102 Chambers St., New York, Boston, Cincinnati and Chicago. Page 76. (Google eBooks)