“Established in 1852. I. Rice Sons, Dealers in Men’s and Boys’ Ready-Made Clothing, Cloths, Cassimeres, Vestings, &c., 29 East Main Street, Rochester, N. Y.”

At first glance, you might wonder if the  “I. Rice Sons”  without “&” printed on this trade card was a printing error, but not so, as we will see:  In browsing city directories we find that I. Rice was Israel Rice. His son Leopold worked with him for awhile, as the 1870 finds them under I. Rice & Son. By 1875, if not earlier, sons Henry and Seligman ran the business, hence the name I. Rice Sons appearing on this trade card.

A not all-inclusive directory timeline…

1864 – Israel Rice, clothier, 15 Main, home 8 Pleasant.

1870 – Israel Rice & Son (L. Rice)  “clothers” (clothiers) 15 Main, house 12 Pleasant.  Leopold Rice (I. Rice & Son), h. 11 Pleasant.

1874 – Israel Rice & Son. 15 Main St.

1875 – Israel Rice, 15 W. Main, house 12 Pleasant.   I. Rice Sons (L. H. and S. Rice) clothiers, 15 E. Main.

1878 – Henry Rice (Rice & Wolff) and (I. Rice Sons) house 4 Clinton Place. Israel Rice (I. Rice Sons) house 12 Pleasant. Seligman Rice (I. Rice Sons) 29 East Main.

1882 – I. Rice Sons (H. and S. Rice) clothiers, 29 E. Main.    Henry Rice & Co. (M. H. Lempert) hats and caps, 54 Mill and (I. Rice Sons) house 23 William.     Israel Rice, house 12 Pleasant.     Seligman Rice (I. Rice Sons) 29 East Main, house 1 Rome.

1884 – Henry Rice & Co. (M. H. Lempert) hats and caps, 110 Mill and (I. Rice Sons) house 28 William.   Israel Rice, 94 E. Main, house 13 (or 12) Pleasant.    I. Rice Sons (H. and S. Rice) clothiers, 94 E. Main.

The Litho company

“Bufford Boston”  that appears in small lettering at the bottom left of the trade card refers to John Henry Bufford (1810 – 1870) lithographer. By the time this card was printed the business was being run by his sons, Frank and John, Jr. We have another trade card by Bufford, Laurel Cottage’s very first post (!) entitled Princess Louise.

What’s on the back?

The back has an intriguing scrap of paper glued to it, maybe it was by accident or maybe the original collector was trying to make the card sturdier. Anyway, it appears that the trade card must have been laying on top of the classified section of a newspaper and the partial ad transferred over – in reverse. You have to hold it to a mirror to read it easily. The wording is:

“White Steamer, 20 h.p tour…top, shield, speedometer and…cost 3,000.00 reasonable price.”  And above that something about Chicago – maybe it was listed in a Chicago paper….Ahhh, a car – the White Steamer!

Trade Card, I Rice Sons. Rochester, NY. Circa 1878 – 1882.     

Price:  $15.00        Size:  About 2 and 5/8 x 4 and 1/2″

Sources:  Andrew Boyd’s Boyd’s Rochester and Brockport Directory, 1864-5. p.182. (Ancestry.com. U.S. City Directories, 1822-1989.)

C. C. Drew’s Rochester Directory, 1870. No. 21. p. 177. (Ancestry.com. U.S. City Directories, 1822-1989.)

Sampson, Davenport & Co.’s New York State Business Directory, 1874. p. 532. (Ancestry.com. U.S. City Directories, 1822-1989.)

Drew, Allis & Company’s Rochester Directory, 1875. No. 25. p. 265. (Ancestry.com. U.S. City Directories, 1822-1989.)

Drew, Allis & Company’s Rochester Directory, 1878. No. 29. p. 277. (Ancestry.com. U.S. City Directories, 1822-1989.)

Drew, Allis & Company’s Rochester Directory, 1882. No. 33. pp. 359-359. (Ancestry.com. U.S. City Directories, 1822-1989.)

Drew, Allis & Company’s Rochester Directory, 1884. No. 35. p. 428. (Ancestry.com. U.S. City Directories, 1822-1989.)

John Henry Bufford. n.d. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Henry_Bufford. (accessed November 14, 2015).