Brown & Dawson, Druggists

Posted on May 22, 2016 by Annieoakley

Trade Card, circa 1887. Syracuse, New York.

Price: $15.00 Size: About 2 and 5/8 x 4 and 3/8″

“I use Toilet No. 13 Cologne. Made by Brown & Dawson, Druggists, No. 13 South Salina Street, Syracuse, N. Y. Fragrant! Delicious!”

Yikes, delicious?! Not how we would describe perfume or cologne today, I don’t think. Wonder if they named it number 13 after their address? In any case this is the second Bufford trade card of the same design (see prior post) and we’ll see what we can find for Brown & Dawson.

The 1879 city directory shows W. L. Brown and E. S. Dawson, Jr., Druggists.

W. L. was living at 223 Genesee Street in Syracuse in 1880, per the Federal Census, occupation Druggist. He was born in New York, about 1845. Married to Gertrude F., about five years his junior. Their children on this census are Garrett, Mabel and Guy, ages ten to three. Also in the household are Minnie Carey, domestic servant, and James Burrell, boarder.

The 1870 Federal Census for Syracuse reveals that W. L.’s given name is Willet (spelled with two t’s here). He’s there with wife Gertie, other family members Rebecca and Frank, and a Sarah Elmendorf, maybe a servant or border.

We also see Find A Grave has an entry for him, and this shows his wife’s maiden name was Garrett. And the 1910 Federal Census shows that Willet Brown is still operating as a druggist.

So, who was E. S. Dawson, Jr?

We went to Google eBooks to find that he was Edward S. Dawson, Jr. and how nice to find a biography and a photo. Edward was born September 29, 1852 in Syracuse and got into the pharmacy business as a bottle washer at age 16, eventually partnering with Willet Brown in 1887. See The Pharmaceutical Era, Vol. 35 for the full account.

Sources: Boyd’s Syracuse City Directory, 1879 – 1880. p. 92. Ancestry.com. U.S. City Directories, 1822-1995.

Year: 1880; Census Place: Syracuse, Onondaga, New York; Roll: 908; Family History Film: 1254908; Page: 496A; Enumeration District: 222; Image: 0292. (Ancestry.com)

Year: 1870; Census Place: Syracuse Ward 6, Onondaga, New York; Roll: M593_1063; Page: 364A; Image: 118471; Family History Library Film: 552562. (Ancestry.com)

Find A Grave Memorial #74337313. (findagrave.com). Web accessed May 22, 2016.

Year: 1910; Census Place: Syracuse Ward 12, Onondaga, New York; Roll: T624_1057; Page: 5B; Enumeration District: 0152; FHL microfilm: 1375070. (Ancestry.com)

Kennedy, Ezra J., Ph. C. (ed.). (1906) The Pharmaceutical Era, Vol. XXXV. p. 417. (Google eBook).

Page & Nunn, Brockton, Mass

Posted on May 22, 2016 by Annieoakley

Trade Card, circa 1882, Brockton, Massachusetts.

Price: $15.00 Size: About 2 and 5/8 x 4 and 3/8″

“Page & Nunn, Manufacturers of the Purest and Finest Confectionery, 427 Main St., Brockton, Mass. D. L. Page. F. T. Nunn.”

A trade card in what we like to call the “Breakthrough” style (see category under this name for more) and we couldn’t resist putting this one up after the Lupe Patton post because of the hairstyle and angle of the pose (he he). This was done by the well-known lithography firm Bufford of Boston, Mass. This particular design of the beautiful child with the soulful brown eyes may have been a popular choice back in the day: We have another that will go up next, advertising a different company.

Dudley and Frederick

Page & Nunn were Dudley L. Page and Frederick T. Nunn according to the 1886 Lowell, Mass. city directory. Dudley was living in a house located on Humphrey “near Dracut line” and Fred was rooming at the shop, which was located at 46 Merrimack in Lowell. They appear in the 1888 Lowell directory, as well.

1882 in Brockton

But per our trade card Page & Nunn were found in the Brockton city directory 1882 with the business address same as on the card. There was supposed to be an ad for them on page 456, but evidently it never got submitted. The 1882 shows Dudley was living in a house in Lowell, and Fred was rooming at the Star Building on Main St. in Brockton.

A little more on Dudley

Dudley L. Page was found on the 1880 Federal Census for Lowell, living with his widowed mother, Ann Page, at 42 Church St. Dudley is listed as married, born in New Hampshire about 1846. Also in the household are grandchildren of Ann: Lucien, Lena and Archie McLoon.

Sources: John Henry Bufford. n.d https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Henry_Bufford (accessed May 22, 2016).

Sampson, Murdock & Co.’s The Lowell Directory, 1886, No. XXXV. p. 460, 473, 828. Ancestry.com. U.S. City Directories, 1822-1995.

C. F. Copeland’s, The Brockton City Directory, 1882. pp. 155 and 161. Ancestry.com. U.S. City Directories, 1822-1995.

Year: 1880; Census Place: Lowell, Middlesex, Massachusetts; Roll: 545; Family History Film: 1254545; Page: 563D; Enumeration District: 469; Image: 0628. (Ancestry.com)

Ushering In Easter

Posted on March 26, 2016 by Annieoakley

Trade card, lithograph for The Fleischmann Co., Form No. 910A. Made in Germany. Circa mid-1880s – 1890s.

Price: $10.00 Size: 3 and 1/2 x 5 and 1/2″

There’s the Easter Bunny and one Easter egg behind the young gentleman in the flared double-breasted coat with the wide lapels, checkered pants, top hat and walking cane, with gloves in hand. It’s a spring day, the lilies of the valley are in bloom, and the flowing red lines appearing from “underneath” the scene, as well as the flowing lines of the lilies of the valley, are very Art Nouveau; a beautiful advertising piece from the Fleischmann Company. A “Handsome Banner Picture” could be obtained in exchange for 50 Yellow Labels taken from the cakes of their Compressed Yeast.

Exactly what is meant by “banner picture” is not quite clear. And an internet search did not illuminate the answer.

As to the time-frame for the card, perhaps mid-1880s to 1890s. An entry in New York City directories in 1886 shows, “Fleischmann Maximilian, yeast, 701 Washn. & 219 E. 23d, h. 115 Madison av.” which half-way matches the address given on the back of the card as 699-701 Washington St. The exact address given is proving hard to find in online sources, surprisingly. Newspaper ads show the 701 Washington address at least into the late 1920s. And numerous entries in various years show both “Fleischmann & Co.” and “The Fleischmann Co.”

Source: Trow’s New York City Directory, Vol. XCIX, for year ending May 1,1886. p. 606. (Ancestry.com. U.S. City Directories, 1822-1995).

W. L. S. A. Choice Groceries

Posted on March 2, 2016 by Annieoakley

Trade card for the W. L. S. A. grocery, Lynn, Massachusetts. Publisher unknown. No. 2500. Circa 1880s – 1890s.

Price: $15.00

A dream of spring?

Here’s an unusual trade card for a couple of reasons: the design – a spring scene of two ladies bundled up for the weather, one holding a tree branch that is budding with red flowers; she seems to be offering it to a seated gentleman, he even more bundled up in overcoat, hat and fur collar (really is this a woman or man?) On his lap he holds a basket with a goose (ready to be cooked for dinner). The tableau takes place inside a large shell, a crescent moon appears in the sky and a couple of rustic houses in the background. The shell is nestled atop a low-growing bush, not yet leafed out for spring, and there are a few birds lost in their own world, hunting for food, one in a branch and the other two at the base of the bush. The colors showing the iridescence of the shell are beautiful: pink, yellow, orange, a little blue and purple. Wow, all in all, is this an artist’s daydream of spring? The fowl certainly is appropriate for the business the card was advertising, though. Which leads us to the second unusual thing about this card: The W. L. S. A. grocery at 26 Market Square in Lynn, Mass was not located in online records. There are a couple of other trade cards for this business presently for sale online, but like ours, nothing shows on the back. And the lithographer name does not appear on any of the cards.

One hundred ninety-something grocers…

This card’s date is given a broad range of 1880s to 1890s, just a typical estimate for a trade card. In searching for the 26 Market Sq. address, nothing came up related to groceries. In the year 1895 (just a random year in the general time frame) there were almost 200 persons or businesses listed under the heading of Grocers. That seemed like a lot at first but maybe not, as the population five years later was over 68 thousand. In any case, one gets the impression that the grocery business for many, might have been short-lived. It would seem this was likely the case for the W. L. S. A., unless it was just the name that was short-term.

Sources: Sampson, Murdock & Co.’s The Lynn Directory, 1895, Vol. XXX. pp. 715 – 716. Ancestry.com. U.S. City Directories, 1822-1995.

Timeline of Lynn, Massachusetts. n.d. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_Lynn,_Massachusetts. (accessed March 2, 2016).

Glenwood Stoves And Ranges

Posted on February 28, 2016 by Annieoakley

Trade Card for Glenwood Stoves and Ranges. Sold by L. L. Crosby. Circa 1890s. Lithographer: J. Ottmann Lithography Company, New York.

Price: $7.00

This is the second stove trade card that we have so far; there are sure to be more. The front of the card is a beautiful lithograph by the J. Ottman Co. of a lovely smiling brunette wrapped in a large blue head scarf (makes you think warmth) and states “Perfect with a faultless record.” On the back:

“Glenwood Stoves and Ranges! The Glenwood is indispensible to progress in cookery as well as comfort and convenience in modern housekeeping.

Sold by L. L. Crosby, Putney, VT.”

Tinsmith, Leslie L. Crosby

The seller is Leslie L. Crosby, and we find his marriage record online: On September 19, 1889, he married Jessie R. Underwood in Putney, Vermont. Leslie was born in Waltham, Mass to Ariel Crosby and Marion Weston. His occupation at the time was Tinsmith, his age 25, so he was born about 1864.

Waltham, Mass city directories for 1884 and 1886 list Leslie L. Crosby, Tinsmith, at address Bacon corner of School, and “bds do” is “boards ditto” so presumably working and living at the same address. Surprisingly, not much else came up on Leslie in online searches. So, on to Glenwood…

We see a very similar to ours, Glenwood stove model at Sarah’s Antique Stoves. Scroll down to their 063 Glenwood H 1893 entry. (Wow, one could instantly fall in love with antique stoves. Such beauty!)

Glenwood stoves and ranges were made by the Weir Stove Company of Taunton, Mass. See the Good Time Stove Co.

Always looking in ads…

In newspaper advertisements “Glenwood Ranges” are starting to be mentioned around 1883 but “Glenwood Stoves and Ranges” not mentioned as such till around 1887. Here’s one of the latter that appeared in the Sacramento, California Union-Record July 8th.

Jumping ahead about thirty years, a Kingston, New York ad that appeared February 13th 1917 in The Kingston Daily Freeman. With that caption you’d wonder if the temperature had dropped to negative 16 degrees that winter.

Last but not least, for more on Wier see the Wikipedia article Old Weir Stove Building. The old Weir building later housed the Rogers Silver Company. Photo (public domain) by Marcbela (Marc N. Belanger). This building is on the U. S. National Register of Historic Places.

_______________________________________________

Sources: Original data: State of Vermont. Vermont Vital Records through 1870. New England Historic Genealogical Society, Boston, Massachusetts. (Ancestry.com)

W. A. Greenough & Co.’s The Waltham and Watertown Directory, 1884. p. 54. (Ancestry.com. U.S. City Directories, 1822-1995).

W. A. Greenough & Co.’s The Waltham and Watertown Directory, 1886. p. 73. (Ancestry.com. U.S. City Directories, 1822-1995).

“Stoves For Sale – 063 Glenwood H 1893.” (sarahsantiquestoves.com) Web accessed February 28, 2016.

Good Time Stove Co. (stoveprincess@goodtimesstove.com) Web accessed February 28, 2016.

Santa Ana Register. Sacramento, California. Friday, July 8, 1887. p. 2. (Newspapers.com)

The Kingston Daily Freeman. Kingston, New York. Tuesday, February 13, 1917. p. 3. (Newspapers.com)

Old Weir Stove Building. n.d. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Weir_Stove_Building. (accessed February 28, 2016).

Soapine Trade Card

Posted on February 20, 2016 by Annieoakley

Soapine Trade Card, Circa 1880s. Lithographer: William Karle, Rochester, New York.

Price: $15.00. Condition: Very good, lays flat, no water damage or tears (click trade card images to see condition.) Size: About 5 and 1/4 x 3 and 1/2″

Beauty, eh? Et elle montre un Québécois sans doute! This trade card shows a man tobogganing (I like his style) wearing a white wool coat with blue and red stripes. (One might recall the Hudson’s Bay Company blankets. I see a vintage blanket at the time of this post on Etsy, with the red, blue and yellow stripe, though the yellow in our man’s coat appears as part of the barely visible lining.) And there’s his ceinture or sash, as in the days of the voyageurs. This card looks to have been one of a set of five, per a current eBay offering which includes another with the toboggan and three with a snowshoe theme.

Whale Oil?

There are hundreds of Soapine trade cards online, many, like the portion below from Google images, show the trademark whale, which personally I find hard to look at, but it was a different day and age back then, when whale oil was used for a variety of things, including in the making of soap and margarine.

A short article from an 1881 Boston trade journal described someone’s analysis of Soapine in comparing it’s components to that of “good Castile soap.”

Predating the above, an ad was found dated July 11, 1879 in the Bangor Daily Whig and Courier.

Jumping back to the trade card…Can you find the lithographer name on the back?

Barely noticeable is the stamp from the lithographer that appears on the back of the card, just under Kendall Mfg. Co. which reads: W. Karle, Rochester, N.Y, deciphered thanks to the eBay set of five, mentioned up top, where the name is much more discernible.

W. Karle is identified from the 1880 Federal Census for Rochester as William Karle, born in New York, occupation Lithographer; age 25; married to Mary (Eyer) Karle, born in Bavaria, age 28; their daughter, nine-month old Emila; and head of household on this census, Mary’s mother, Mary Eyer.

Below, an entry from the University of Rochester Library Bulletin, Vol. XXXV, 1982 regarding Rochester fruit and flower plates, by Karl Sanford Kabelac:

Karle & Co.; Karle & Reichenbach
William Karle (Rochester, September 19, 1854-Rochester, December 4, 1932) began his own lithographic company in Rochester in 1879. Anton Rahn was his partner for the first several years, and an 1881 guide to Rochester industries noted that Rahn & Karle had nine experienced employees, with Rahn responsible for the art work and Karle the engraving. From 1881 to 1883, according to the city directories, William F. Reichenbach was his partner. The firm was called Karle & Co. and then (1883) Karle & Reichenbach. Beginning in 1884, Karle is listed without a partner. Karle & Co. continued until 1932, when it merged with Stecher Lithographic (q.v.).

Looking very much like a business card, an 1879 city directory ad for William Karle.

And back to Soapine again….

From an October 18, 1896 Boston Post article about Kendall Manufacturing, which mentioned a great company line that was seen at their exhibit at a food fair: “Rain makes mud, mud makes dust and dust makes soap – necessary.”

Below, a nostalgically humorous by today’s standards, 1947 advertisement from the Troy Record.

According to Kevin MacDonnell (MacDonnell Rare Books) Kendall Manufacturing lasted into the late 1950s, quite a long run from their established date of 1827! See his research regarding trade card artist Charlotte Perkins Gilman, Soapine and Kendall Manufacturing.

Sources: “5 Fabulous Vict. Trade cards- Soapine- Snow shoe and Toboggan- 1880s.” eBay. Web accessed February 20, 2016.

Nichols, M.D., James R., ed. “Analysis of Soapine,” The Boston Journal of Chemistry, Journal of Chemistry Company. Vol. XV. (1881): pp. 136 – 137. (Google eBooks).

Bangor Daily Whig and Courier. Bangor, Maine. Fri, Jul 11, 1879 – Page 2. (Newspapers.com)

Year: 1880; Census Place: Rochester, Monroe, New York; Roll: 863; Family History Film: 1254863; Page: 57B; Enumeration District: 094; Image: 0701. (Ancestry.com)

Kabelac, Karl Sanford. “University of Rochester Library Bulletin: Nineteenth-Century Rochester Fruit and Flower Plates.” Vol. XXXV. (1982). River Campus Libraries. (http://rbscp.lib.rochester.edu/2397). Web accessed February 20, 2016.

Drew, Allis & Company’s Rochester City Directory, 1879. Vol. XXX p. 526. Ancestry.com. U.S. City Directories, 1822-1995.

Boston Post. Boston, Massachusetts. Sun, Oct 18, 1896 – Page 21. (Newspapers.com)

The Troy Record. 27 Feb 1947. Thurs. p. 7. (Newspapers.com.)

MacDonnell, Kevin “Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s Trade Card Designs.” The New Antiquarian, Blog of the ABAA. Web accessed February 20, 2016.

J. I. Case Threshing Machine Co.

Posted on February 2, 2016 by Annieoakley

“Compliments of J. I. Case Threshing Machine Co. Racine Wis. Send for Catalogue.”

Two travelers crossing a stone bridge in wintertime. The lithography company is Bufford, whose name shows halfway cutoff at the bottom left. This trade card is probably from the 1880s or ’90s. This is one of those posts that, in particular, could lead to hours of fascinating reading, if one has the time. According to the company’s ad in the 1929 city directory, the J. I. Case T. M. Co. was founded in 1842. It continued through many incarnations till the 1990s when it merged with CNH Global.

Founder Jerome Increase Case (1819 – 1891)

A full page ad from the 1929 Racine, Wisconsin city directory. There’s Old Abe’s likeness in the center; she was the famous eagle from the Wisconsin 8th Volunteer Infantry.

The real Old Abe with her color guard in Vicksburg, 1863.

Our trade card at top, though not in the best of shape is, at the time this post was put up, the only one in it’s particular style, showing online. Although there are a few others that can be found, that are even more to the point, as they advertise some of the J. I. Case farm equipment being sold at the time. The “stone bridge” is a pretty common fixture in old trade cards, postcards and other ephemera. Our card was likely one of a set of winter scenes.

Trade card, J. I. Case Threshing Co. Circa 1880s – 1890s.

Price: $25.00 Size: 3 x 4 and 1/4″

Sources: Case Corporation. n.d. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Case_Corporation (accessed February 4, 2016).

John Henry Bufford. n.d https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Henry_Bufford (accessed February 4, 2016).

CNH Industrial. n.d. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CNH_Industrial (accessed February 4, 2016).

Jerome Case. n.d. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerome_Case (accessed February 4, 2016).

Wright’s Racine (Wisconsin) City Directory, 1929, Vol. XXXI. p. 3. Ancestry.com. U.S. City Directories, 1822-1995.

Old Abe. n.d. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Abe (accessed February 4, 2016).

Postcard Days

Posted on December 13, 2015 by Annieoakley

Here’s an interesting article from a 1912 Geyer’s Stationer publication talking about postcards as a means of attracting new people and new business to an area, with thousands of cards sent out by individuals, and City Chamber of Commerce. Mentioned specifically is Iowa Falls, Iowa’s success; Oskaloosa, Kansas’ plan; and Fresno, California’s campaign with help from the Santa Fe Railroad, that is believed to have brought in many new settlers to the San Joaquin Valley.

Source: Geyer’s Stationer. May 9, 1912, Vol. 53, no. 1331. p. 34. (Google eBook).

Acorn Stoves & Ranges

Posted on November 22, 2015 by Annieoakley

Trade Card for Rathbone, Sard & Co. and Acorn Stoves & Ranges. Circa 1886. Lithograph company: J. Ottmann, New York.

Price: $20.00 Size: About 3 and 7/8 x 4 and 1/2″

A white veil or a goof-up?

You’ll notice the “waves” in this trade card – it’s not laying completely flat, but still an exceptional card: showing an image of a Victorian Era auburn-haired beauty, in a sumptuous red gown trimmed with white lace and beads (or faux pearls?) wearing a long, large-beaded necklace, draped several times over, and with a cross pendant. (I keep thinking Madonna in the eighties). One of the best things is her headdress of oak leaves and acorns (love it!) She appears on a pale background of green leaves and acorns over red. But wait – what is the white part flowing from her left ear to shoulder? How funny – did the artist change his design and forget to fix it, or could it be meant to represent a veil flowing from the headdress? Hmmmm.

Almost a century

Acorn was a popular brand of stoves and ranges manufactured by Rathbone, Sard & Co., a very successful firm that had gone through a couple of name changes in it’s earlier decades; the company appears to have lasted until around 1925. It was started by Joel Rathbone, between about 1827 and 1830 in Albany, New York, appearing under the name of Heermans, Rathbone & Co. in newspaper ads for 1830. According to A. T. Andreas’ History of Chicago, Vol. 3, the partner, Mr. (John) Heermans died in 1830. Although, an online Ancestry.com tree includes a biography of Joel Rathbone (1806 – 1863) that indicates Hermans (Heermans) died in 1829, and provides further background information – that Joel started as a clerk for his brother Valentine Rathbone in the grocery business, and as early as 1827 was in business under Heermans, Rathbone & Co. Below is an 1830 ad from The Onondaga Standard. (Newspapers.com)

Firm name Rathbone, Sard & Co. established in 1873

In February of 1873, an ad ran in the Chicago Daily Tribune (Newspapers.com) showing the dissolution of the co-partnership, John F. Rathbone & Co. to the formation of co-partnership Rathbone, Sard & Co. According to the ad, this change took place in Albany, January 1, 1873.

The brand Acorn was not found in any ads prior to (the officially-named in 1873) Rathbone, Sard & Co. And there are a number of different trade cards for the company currently found online; our particular beauty above, is extolling the virtues of “The Eastern Acorn for 1886” advertising it as, “The most Successful and Deservedly Popular Surface Burning Revertible Flue Stove on the Market.” Design-engineered for cleanliness, comfort, ease of use, and efficiency; the description includes details like the fact that the body of the stove was constructed from the best Russia sheet iron.

Sources: Russia iron. n.d. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russia_iron (accessed November 22, 2015).

“Joel Rathbone” and “Hudson-Mohawk genealogical and family memoirs.” Ancestry.com Public Family Trees. (accessed November 22, 2015).

The Onondaga Standard. 15 Sep, 1830: Wednesday, p.1 (Newspapers.com)

Andreas, Alfred T. History of Chicago, Vol. 3. pp. 483-484. Chicago: A.T. Andreas Co. 1886. (Google eBook).

Chicago Daily Tribune. 22 Feb, 1873: Saturday, p. 1 (Newspapers.com)

Torrance, Pat. History Cast in Iron at the Old Stove Works. Sept. 12, 2011. (Patch.com). Web accessed November 22, 2015.

Corey & Stewart, Newark, NJ

Posted on November 20, 2015 by Annieoakley

“Corey & Stewart, Fashionable Hatters and Furriers. 711 & 713 Broad Street. Newark, N. J.”

As of the date of this post, no other trade cards were found online for Corey & Stewart, which is a little surprising because they were a very successful firm. It’s another lithograph print by Bufford (new category going up) and a great design, in black on pale green, of the Roman ruins of Pompeii in the moonlight with an insert of a very fashionable couple on horseback.

The wonderfully detailed description below (we expect nothing less from the time period it was written, but thank you) is from William F. Ford’s The Industrial Interests of Newark, N. J….(1874) and reveals that Corey & Stewart was established in 1852 by James W. Corey, who was joined by James H. Stewart in 1863.

An 1870 city directory showing the “magnificent iron front building” described above.

1868 and 1869 directories show they were located at 232 Broad Street, and by 1870 at 711 – 713 Broad St. The old address is also noted in the above directory ad. Listings were found for Corey & Stewart through the year 1896.

Trade Card for Corey & Stewart, Newark, NJ. Circa 1870 – 1896.

Price: $25.00 Size: About 5 and 1/4 x 3 and 1/8″

Sources: Ford, William F. The Industrial Interests of Newark, N. J., Containing an Historical Sketch of the City…New York: Van Arsdale & Co., 1874. p.242. (Google eBook).

A. Stephen Holbrook’s Holbrook’s Newark City Directory, 1869. p. 155. (Ancestry.com. U.S. City Directories, 1822-1989).

A. Stephen Holbrook’s Holbrook’s Newark City Directory, 1870. p. 169. (Ancestry.com. U.S. City Directories, 1822-1989).

A. Stephen Holbrook’s Holbrook’s Newark City Directory, 1896. p. 330. (Ancestry.com. U.S. City Directories, 1822-1989).

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