THE EPHEMERA OF BUSINESS

I recently purchased a large lot of ephemera which included an 1844 newspaper entitled The People's Organ printed in St. Louis Missouri. I am totally enamored with the graphic advertisements in the paper. I soon started researching some of the firms hoping to find a letterhead, billhead, receipt, check or trade card to couple with the ads. One of the ads in the paper is for James M. Kershaw - engraver and copperplate printer: bills of exchange, heads of bills, diplomas, business, address and visiting cards, notarial, consular and counting-house seals, silverware, door plates, wood cuts neatly engraver. Research into Kershaw revealed that he designed and printed the St. Louis "Bears" provisional stamps in 1845. Kershaw was a well-known engraver in St. Louis and proprietor of the Western Card and Seal Engraving Co. Kershaw engraved the designs on a small copper plate, with an area sufficient to contain six subjects in three rows of two. Not having any means of mechanical ...

Julius W. Orr was born in Ireland in 1815. He was brought to the U.S. as a child. He studied word engraver in New York and later established his own engraving business.

The Green Bay Packers were founded on August 11, 1919 by Curly Lambeau and Ted Olson. Lambeau solicited funds for uniforms from his employer, the Indian Packing Company. He was given $250 for uniforms and equipment, on the condition that the team be named for its sponsor. Today, "Green Bay Packers" is the oldest team name still in use in the NFL. Looking through the packers billhead I have shown below, note that most have graphics and the graphics fall into two categories – factories or pigs.

Augustus Fay and Stephen Cox were the firm partners. I was not able to find out much about the pair. Jay Last's The Color Explosion lists the firm operating from 1871-1872 and making calendars and book illustrations. One engraving was that of Grand Central Station.

Livery stables were essential businesses in towns prior the combustion engine. They were places to rent a horse or board one. They offered delivery services for customers. A lot of livery owners got involved in the undertaking business as they traditionally moved the caskets. The livery was also a source of hay, grain, coal and wood. The stable attracted men and usually was the scene of nightlife which included gambling, animal fighting and other vices. Add to that the smell and varmin the stable attracted, and while an essential business, the stable wasn’t always welcome in certain parts of town.