Part II - Wetherill Billhead - The Eagle Graphic

A close look at the wonderful eagle graphic on this billhead says a alot about Wetherill. As mentioned in yesterday's post, Wetherill became one of the promoters and managers of the United Company of Philadelphia for the Establishment of American Manufactures. On the graphic, the eagle is holding a banner in its beak which reads, “Encourage Your Own Manufactures !!!” What a fitting motto.

The graphic also is signed by the engraver. The engraver of this billhead was Kneass S.C. The only Kneass I can find a reference to is rather famous himself. Kneass worked as an engraver in Philadelphia from 1805 to 1840, and became the second chief engraver of the United States Mint on January 29, 1824.

He was born at Lancaster, Pennsylvania, educated in Philadelphia, and became a copper and steel-plate engraver and an artist of considerable repute. In 1824 he was appointed engraver and die-sinker of the United States Mint, in Philadelphia. Prior to that time he was a member of the firms of Kneass and Dellaker, and of Kneass, Young and Co. His engraving office in Fourth Street above Chestnut was a rendezvous for the leading wits and men of letters of that day. He engraved a number of pictures and did good work on illustrated books. Married, first, in 1804, Mary Turner, daughter of William Honey- man, by his wife Jane nee Davison (1785-1826), and, secondly, Jane Kramer (d. 1854). He had six children by his first wife.

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Baking Powder Billheads

In 1843 the first modern version of baking powder was discovered and manufactured by Alfred Bird, a British chemist. In 1846, Justus Von Liebig in Germany experiments with yeast made from sodium bicarbonate and hydrochloric acid with explosive results. In 1885, Eben Horsford and George Wilson manufacture chemicals which eventually became the Rumford Chemical Works. Horsford formulated and patented Rumford Baking Powder, the first calcium phopshate baking powder. In 1889, William Wright and chemist George Rew developed a double-action baking powder marketed under the name Calumet Baking Powder. Below find some examples of baking powder billheads.

Billhead of the Month: Schmit Bros trunks Oshkosh WI

I picked up this Schmit Brothers billhead recently in Eau Claire. I currently have it for sale on ebay right now. It is a nice triple graphic billhead. Here is my ebay write up: 1895 billhead for The Schmit Brothers Trunk Company manufacturers of trunks, traveling bags and valises of Oshkosh Wisconsin. Great header graphics with three images. Left side is the firm’s mill at Summit Lake, middle is the firm’s factory and left side is the firm’s warehouse. Billhead has creases. Peter Schmit was born in 1840 in Prussia. He emigrated to the U.S. in June 1854 and located inRacine WI. He was engaged in farming until 1861 when he enlisted in Company D, 6th Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry. He engaged in the battles at Chancellorsville, Fredericksburg, Mine Run, Bull Run, Gettysburg, Atlanta, Macon, and Savannah. He was mustered out in June 1865. He came back to Racine and kept a hotel until 1866 when he joined his brother Henry’s trunk business. Henry had established the bus...

Newest edition to my collection - Widdicomb Furniture Co.

Lately, I can't help but buy some U.S. letterheads and billheads. I have an affinity for billheads / letterheads / receipts from the 1870s. Here is a recent purchase for the Widdicomb Furniture Co. of Grand Rapids Michigan. For 145 years, the Widdicomb name has been recognized in the furniture world. The earliest Widdicomb company was organized in 1857, by George Widdicomb, a British trained cabinet maker, employing 12 men, plus his four sons Harry, William, George Jr., and John. Except during the Civil War, a Widdicomb furniture firm was run by the family until 1916. The John Widdicomb Co. was founded in 1897 when John left the parent company to form his own firm. Though he died in 1910, that firm continued under his name until the 1990’s, and purchased the title of the original company in the 1970’s.

THE EPHEMERA OF BUSINESS

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