THE EPHEMERA OF BUSINESS

Here are some goodies. 1841 promise to pay Philadelphia nice left side border graphic with partial shield. 18__ Tradesmen's Bank check of New York with nice graphics. 1859 billhead Stephen Brown & Sons stock and exchange brokers and auctioneers for Boston & Providence Railroad stock. This is the second billhead in my collection of a Boston stock broker. See the Joseph Henshaw billhead January 2009 blog

George Washington Bank interest check with left side Washington vignette and right side revenue stamp. I collect paper that has Washington's likeness on it pre-1900. This was an exciting buy for me! 1842 billhead that has a stenciled header. I have wanted one of these checks for awhile. I love the Neptune graphic on the left and has a nice printed revenue stamp at center, Add caption

A very popular subject that sells well on ebay. 1828 billhead top London - Taylor fishing tackle maker 1831 billhead top London - AR Jacobs  1868 billhead C. Bradburn & Co. Cleveland OH  1874 billhead Moore & Son Ellenville NY 1875 billhead Barton & Co. New York NY 1881 billhead Bradford & Anthony Boston MA 1881 billhead Gilbert Bailey Portland ME 1881 letterhead George A. Graves Springfield MA 1885 billhead Andrew Hendryx New Haven CT 1895 billhead Tracey, Wells & Co. Columbus OH 1899 billhead Sidney R. Baxter & Co. Boston MA 1899 billhead JW Tuttle & Co. Plattsburgh NY 1899 letterhead Miller, Sloss & Scott San Francisco CA 1903 billhead JC Schmidt & Son Memphis TN 1903 letterhead Marshall Wells Hardware Co. Duluth MN 1904 billhead Dame, Stoddard & Co.  Boston MA 1904 billhead Abbey & Imbrie New York NY 1905 billhead Wm Frank Hardware C...

1869 Bliss & Perkins gas fixtures 1887 Maurice Goggin pieced tin ware. 1869 Baxter & Vinal masons.

In 1774 and the Spring of 1775 Paul Revere was employed by the Boston Committee of Correspondence and the Massachusetts Committee of Safety as an express rider to carry news, messages, and copies of resolutions as far away as New York and Philadelphia.  On the evening of April 18, 1775, Paul Revere was sent for by Dr. Joseph Warren and instructed to ride to Lexington, Massachusetts, to warn Samuel Adams and John Hancock that British troops were marching to arrest them. After being rowed across the Charles River to Charlestown by two associates, Paul Revere borrowed a horse from his friend Deacon John Larkin. While in Charlestown, he verified that the local "Sons of Liberty" committee had seen his pre-arranged signals. (Two lanterns had been hung briefly in the bell-tower of Christ Church in Boston, indicating that troops would row "by sea" across the Charles River to Cambridge, rather than marching "by land" out Boston Neck. Revere had arranged fo...

I originally had this group of billheads categorized as "banners" but after looking at all of the banner group I realized that there was a distinct difference. I have decided to label these billheads as ribbons. I know, a sideways award ribbon, but a ribbon nonetheless. I will show off the banners - which typically are wavy and lack the circle top of the ribbon. Notice too that all of these examples are very artistic too.

To carry on the plate mark theme I discussed in a post in March, the billhead for April is one for Kilham & Mears of Boston dated 1817. Obvious plate mark at the header. Also nice decorative printed header. Jonathan Kilham was a tailor. He was born in Wenham in 1775 and served his apprenticeship in Beverly. In 1796, he went to Boston and four years later formed a partnership with Elijah Mears under the firm name Kilham & Mears. The merchant tailors carried on business for forty years. At some point the firm name changed to Kilham, Mears & Co. Kilham died in 1855.