THE EPHEMERA OF BUSINESS

August and Leopold Gast came to St Louis in 1852 from the principality of Lippe Detmold and had trained to become lithographers. In 1848 they emigrated to America to New York and eventually to Pittsburgh then on to St Louis . Leopold brought a lithography press with him and the brothers opened a small business on Fourth Street . In 1866, Leopold sold his share of the business to August and the firm became August Gast & Co. In 1876, EF Wittler and LJW Wall became partners in the firm and increased the firm’s customer base. In 1878, Gast bought up the lithographic equipment of the John McKittrick & Co. In 1880, fire destroyed the whole firm. In 1885 August withdrew from the business selling his share to Wittler and Wall. In 1886, Wittler also withdrew selling his share. Wittler moved to Seattle and became a street railway magnate. (From the German Element in St Louis - translation.)

John McKittrick started in the printing business in 1858 working in St. Louis in conjunction with Hart & Mapother out Louisville Kentucky. By 1860, McKittrick started is own firm J. McKittrick & Company. McKittrick printed city views and sheet music covers. He also printed billheads and medical literature. He also printed lithographed letterheads for Nebraska's senate and house representatives in 1877 for which he was paid $15.00. I only have two examples to show of McKittrick's work. You will notice they are similar in that they both have decoratively printed headers. Very pretty to look at. McKittrick ceased printing in 1880 with the increased competition from the Gast brothers. More the Gasts in another post.

Robert Edwin Dietz was born in 1818 at New York . His grandfather kept a tannery in the city and also was the first manufacturer of glue in the city. At age 15 he was apprenticed to learn the carpenter trade with Cornelius McLean. Dietz did not like the work and after a few months left Dietz to work for Cr Taylor a fishing tackle and sporting goods dealer. He remained employed with Taylor until the business failed. He then found a position with the hardware firm Cornell, Althause & Co. In 1834 he became acquainted with Mr. Jennings who had discovered a process of mixing equal parts spirits of turpentine and pure alcohol to produce a bright light called spirit gas. Dietz became very interested this new artificial light. In 1836, Dietz purchased a German lamp and began experimenting with artificial light. In 1837, Dietz soon entered employment with the Adam W. Spies & Co. and became volunteer fireman in the city. In 1839, Dietz booked passage to Mobile Ala...

I recently became interested in private die proprietary medicine stamps as I have handled a lot of ephemera (billheads and letterheads) related to companies that issued these stamps. The stamps are colorful and the pull to start collecting the stamps is pulling at me hard. We'll see where it leads ;) The U.S. imposed a medicine tax stamp on October 1, 1862 to raise revenue to meet the expenses of the Civil War. The U.S. government granted the privilege of preparing the private die stamps to firms who were willing to pay for the die charges. Approximately 277 companies issued their own private stamps prior to the repeal of the stamp tax on March 3, 1883. Here are some examples with accompanying CENTAU R LINIMENT G.G. Green Reuben P. Hall Dr. Harter Dr. D. Jayne & Son J.C. Ayer & Co. John F. Henry & Co. Rumford Chemical Works A.B. Sands Seabury & Johnson S.R. Van Duzer Weeks & Potter

1834 billhead for Lumsden & Elsmie teas dealers and grocers, wine, spirit and fruit merchants of 95 Union Street Aberdeen Scotland . Double scrolls which list more products the firm sells: pickles, fish, sauces, spiceries, wax and sperm candles, curious old brandy, French liqueurs, segars, and fancy snuffs. Wonderful center engraving of a harbor scene. Two ships sit in the foreground, one a large merchant ship and a much smaller boat. Background shows spires, a lighthouse and other buildings. Engraved by S. Leith . Items purchased by Alex Cochrane, Esq. were 1 dozen fine port and 1 dozen London Brown Stout. There is also a handwritten note that the “bottles to be returned.” In Pigot & Co.’s National Commercial Directory of Scotland 1837, John Lumsden located at 95 Union Street is listed as a grocer, wine & spirit merchant and ship owner. William Elsmie is listed as a grocer and tea dealer at 189 Gallowgate. LEITH , Samuel lithographic pr...

Thomas Calvert was born to well-to-do parents in Yorkshire England on February 10, 1828, and was educated at Scarborough grammar school. At the age of 19 he entered the employ of George Hudson, the railway king of London . After one year with Hudson he accepted a position at a bank. In 1849 he came to the U.S. locating in Philadelphia and worked for the Pennsylvania Central Railway Co. While working for the railway, he bought an interest in George Cook & Co., engravers and color printers. Due to health concerns, his physician recommended he move to Minnesota , selling his interest in the firm. At Minnesota , he worked in the lumber business from 1853 to 1858. In 1858, he lost nearly everything he had – chiefly lumber and logs. In 1859, his health having improved, he moved back east and settled in Buffalo where he worked for Sage & Co. In the early 1860s, Calvert moved to Detroit Michigan and entered a partnership with John Gibson, a lithographer a...