THE EPHEMERA OF BUSINESS

While color trade cards abound and the black and white versions are rarer, that is the exact opposite for billheads. As the popularity of trade cards died out, color became more popular on billheads. Also probably due to the decreasing cost of using color and the increasing importance o billheads as a means of advertising to companies. See below for some neat examples.

Recently, on a buying trip to my favorite paper dealer I purchased a 1885 billhead for John Pritzlaff Hardware Company (Limited) – Hardware, Iron & Metals located at 41, 43, 45, 47 & 49 West Water Street in Milwaukee Wisconsin . The left side of the billhead has a nice storefront graphic. John Pritzlaff was a Prussian immigrant who arrived in Milwaukee in 1841. In 1850, he started a hardware company. In 1884 the company was incorporated as the John Pritzlaff Hardware Co., and eventually it became one of the leading wholesale hardware firms in the Midwest . His son, Frederick Pritzlaff became president of the John PritzIaff Hardware Co. on his father's death, and served in this capacity from 1900 to 1951. When I was researching this billhead on google, I came across the Milwaukee Streets blog which had an indept article on the Pritzlaff building today and its restoration. I thought it was really neat to compare the storefront graphic on the billhead to the actual...

A very popular billhead collecting area is billheads related to the whaling industry in America. In the 19th century, the whaling industry was one of the most prominent businesses in the U.S. Oil obtained from a whales blubber has been used for both lighting and lubricating purposes, and the bones of the whale were used to make a variety of useful products. In the early 19th century, a typical American household might contain several items manufactured from whale products, such as candles or corsets made with whalebone stays. In the 1700s, American colonists began developing their own whale fishery. Islanders from Nantucket, who had taken to whaling because their soil was too poor for farming, killed their first sperm whale in 1712. By the early 1800s, whaling ships from New England were setting out on very long voyages to the Pacific Ocean in search of sperm whales. Some of these voyages could literally last for years. A number of seaports in New England supported the whaling industry...

An interesting advertisement or notification on billheads for the UK is that the royal warrant of appointment. Royal Warrants have been issued for centuries to those who supply goods or services to a royal court or certain royal personages. The warrant enables the supplier to advertise the fact that they supply to the royal family, so lending prestige to the supplier. Competition for Royal favor was intense. So the monarch had the pick of the country’s most skilled and talented trades people. The first rewards for this loyal service were Royal Charters granted to the trade guilds, later known as livery companies. By the 15th century Royal tradesmen were recognized with a Royal Warrant of Appointment. In the late 18th century Royal tradesmen began displaying the Royal Arms on their premises and stationery. One of the most common endorsements during that time was for “Her Majesty.” Which while not specific, I can only infer that the firm is referring to Queen Victoria of G...

From wikipedia: The United States did not have professional firefighters in the sense of government-run fire departments until around the time of the American Civil War. Prior to this time, amateur fire brigades would compete with one another to be the first to respond to a fire because insurance companies paid brigades to save buildings. Underwriters also employed their own Salvage Corps in some cities. The first known female firefighter Molly Williams took her place with the men on the dragropes during the blizzard of 1818 and pulled the pumper to the fire through the deep snow. Interestingly, during the 1800s and early 1900s volunteer fire companies served not only as fire protection but as political machines. However, the first organized municipal fire brigade in the world was established in Edinburgh, Scotland, when the Edinburgh Fire Engine Establishment was formed in 1824, led by James Braidwood. London followed in 1832 with the London Fire Engine Establishment. On April 1, 1853...

Photo billheads tend toward the early 1900s and show an actual photo of the company. The few that I have seen on ebay show off the firm's business building. Takes away the ability for a shop to exaggerate their establishment. Not sure if these billheads were more expensive to produce or if the black and white photo was not appealing to firms who at that time wanted big bold colors.

Youle was a well-known family name in New York among founders and cutlers. I have been able to piece together a short family genealogy of the family. Unfortunately, I cannot 100% verify that the links I have made to family members are correct. If anyone has more info on the Youles I would be very interested in reading about it. While a lot of research states that John and James Jr were sons of James – there is some conflict about this. While James Jr certainly could be a son, I believe that John, George, James, and Joseph were all brothers with perhaps another John as a nephew. The Colonial Newsletter article is what is perplexing about the ties between the brothers/nephews/sons. The article states that James was killed in his shop and left behind a wife June (I believe her name was Jane) and that Jane died young and left three underage children: Timothy, Thomas and June (again possibly Jane). In sum, I believe James, Joseph, George and John were brothers – and there was a John...