Changes for the New Year

As you can tell, I made some changes to the blog's look. I really wanted columns on both sides with the posts down the middle. After experimenting with a bunch of free downloaded templates, I have settled on this one. I might change it again, but for now I am going to work with this one. Notice the Archive has moved to the left side. I also added a right side column with a photo to show off the new additions to my collection. Hope to keep this image changing for you all to see what I am buying - mainly UK stuff. I do sell billheads on ebay so if I find a particularly neat one I might also show it off too. I am also going back and attaching labels to my posts for easier searching. For example, if you like biscuit billheads, you can click on Biscuits and see all the posts with these kinds of billheads.

Starting next month I am going to be doing a post dubbed "Billhead of the Month." Since my favorite thing to do when I get new billheads is to research them to death, this is my way of being able to focus on one billhead a month to show off my research skills.

I have oodles of billhead classifications that I have not yet touched on: farm, shipping, railroads, art, Canada etc. I am constantly coming up with new classifications. I might try to focus on geography some this year too. Finally, I might revisit some themes where I have found new billhead examples.

Fun stuff ahead. Thanks for reading my blog and I hope you enjoy it as much as I love writing it.

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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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