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T. A. Stephens Calling Card, January 1886

Posted on January 12th, 2017 by

New Year’s Calling Card, January 1, 1886

Price:  $7.00         Size:  3 and 1/2 x 2″

It’s not often that you find a calling card with a date printed on it, and this one was made for the new year that was 1886. It’s not in pristine shape but in nice condition except for some soiling marks, especially considering its present age of 131 years old. The gold-tone edging has also held up well.  “A Happy New Year”  in block lettering is printed on the little fold, as well as a spray of pink flowers with stem and leaves artistically displayed to appear as if fastened to the card, bringing the bearer this small floral offering along with good wishes. The name  “T. A. Stephens”  and the date  “Jan. 1, 1886”  appear in printed script. Most likely it would have been made for a Mister rather than Miss or Mrs. and it’s tempting to start a search in records, if only to come up with a ballpark, maybe comical number of possibilities….

Okay we’ll cave, somewhat:  From U. S. city directories was he the attorney, T. A. who is (Thomas A.) Stephens in Portland, OR, the T. A. in Manatee, FL, the lady in Hennepin, MN? From the T. A. or Thomas A. possibilities from the 1880 Federal Census:  Was he the farmer in Bell County, TX, the clerk in Wilmington, DE, the attorney in Bodie, CA? The list goes on, and there’s probably about 25 possibilities within just the common first name possibility of Thomas and including T. A. It’s fun to imagine though….

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Categories: Calling Cards and Business Cards

Of Gaiters And Dairy Ranches

Posted on January 11th, 2017 by

Divided back, used, embossed postcard. Postmarked January 3, 1933 from Buhl, Idaho. Number 327. Publisher unknown.

Price:  $4.00

Best New Years Wishes…

“To you dear friend

Sincere Greetings

I fondly send

This New Years Day.”

Well, we’re late in posting this per the above sentiment, but what a cute card, and I got to wondering if the little girl was wearing spats (the yellow footwear with side buttons)  – but no, spats (short for spatterdashes) or at least how we think of them today, were the shorter, over the ankle covers, so we would call these gaiters. It seems like the term gaiter underwent a full circle, first found in reference to how troops were outfitted, and per the article below, used for warmth as well as for spatter guards.

From The Pennsylvania Gazette in 1760.

19th-century ads for gaiters reveal various types….canvas, silk, lasting, button, laced, Congress, heeled (that gave it away right there)….come to find out gaiters had by then, become the popular word used to describe a half-boot form reminiscent of that two-tone affect where the leggings met over the shoe. But the word was also used loosely, for example, Congress gaiters were really a half-boot, of a style very common today.

Below, an advertisement from The Louisville Courier (Louisville KY). What’s “chrap” in the top ad? It was a little disappointing to find this was just a misprint!

From the website American Duchess some beautiful photos of women’s footwear in the category in question:   “Extant Victorian Side-Lacing Gaiters.”

Last but not least, and returning from our tangent above: We get a kick out of Hazel’s casual-sounding promise of the hopeful future endeavor outlined in her note. Did she find one? Whether she did or did not, we like her style. You go, girl!

“Dear Aunt Alice & all. I do hope you will all have a better year than the one ending. I am coming down there this summer and hunt me a dairy ranch. Love – Hazel.”

Addressed to:   “Mrs. Alice Ellison, 1015 O St., Sacramento, California.”

Sources: The Pennsylvania Gazette. April 24, 1760, Thursday. p. 2 (Newspapers.com)

“Extant Victorian Side-Lacing Gaiters.” January 13, 2014. American Duchess. Historical Costuming. (americanduchess.blogspot.com) Accessed January 11, 2017.

The Louisville Daily Courier. May 31, 1849, Thursday. p. 2 (Newspapers.com)

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Categories: Animals, Children, Dogs, Holidays, New Year, Postcards, Postcards Used, The Alice Ellison Collection

May The Fleeting Seasons

Posted on January 2nd, 2017 by

Divided back, used postcard. Postmarked December 23, 1922 from Sacramento, California. Publisher unknown.

Price:  $4.00

“May the fleeting seasons as they come and go

Each their richest gifts on you, my friend, bestow.”

We wish they were a little less fleeting, but here’s to beautiful moments in every season, with love and friendship to all! And this is a cute one, quite worn, but very adorable, and of course, part of our Alice Ellison collection. The “city” in the addressee’s “direction” to borrow an old term, is of course, Sacramento. And we find that postcard senders often distinguished this part of the address in just such a fashion, as this card was, for the time being anyway, staying within the city limits. The sender wrote:

“With best regards to you and the other girls from, O. K. Hughes. W. C. Co.”

Addressed to:   “Miss Ella Ellison, % Ennis Brown Co., City.”

The W. C. Company wasn’t found, though we did not spend too much time in the search, but here’s an Ennis-Brown ad from the California Fruit News, December 1922. Ella likely worked as a clerk for this fruit and produce company.

Source:  California Fruit News, December 16, 1922, Vol. 66, Number 1796. p. 16. (Google eBook).

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Categories: Children, Holidays, New Year, People, Postcards, Postcards Used, Sleighs, Sleds and Toboggans, The Alice Ellison Collection

The Little New Year

Posted on December 31st, 2016 by

Divided back, embossed, used postcard. Postmarked December 29, 1914 from Lancaster, Kansas. Series NY-76. Publisher unknown.

Price:  $6.00

Greetings….

“The little New Year is about to appear.

I hope he will bring you all joy and good cheer.”

Does the Little New Year carry a cabbage? (Does the deer have a little doe? Yeah, two bucks! Couldn’t resist 😉 ) Back to the cabbage:  It would appear so, and that would be for good luck and prosperity. Here are a couple of great articles found regarding cabbage and the New Year:

“Why Mountain People Would Cook a Coin in Cabbage Each New Year”

This second one references the cabbage being punted thru the front door. Not quite what we have on the postcard but the lucky vegetable is on the doorstep.

“Kicking In The New Year By Punting Some Cabbage”

Below, a newspaper clipping that appeared in the New Oxford Item (New Oxford, PA) on January 5, 1922 on New Year luck, superstitions and courage:

On the reverse of the postcard:  Is that  “Best Wishes, Girls?”  Not sure who the signer of the card was, but they addressed it to:

J. H. Crane Esq., 842 Litchfield ave, Wichita, Kans.”   J.H., parents and siblings were found in the 1915 State Census at this address. Kansas native J. H. would have been about 23 when he received the postcard.

Sources:  “Why Mountain People Would Cook a Coin in Cabbage Each New Year.”  December 29, 2016. appalachianmagazine.com. (accessed 12/31/16.)

Spilman, Terri L. “Kicking In The New Year By Punting Some Cabbage.” January 1, 2012. thelaughingmom.wordpress.com. (accessed 12/31/16).

“New Year’s Lore.” New Oxford Item. January 5, 1922, p. 11. (newspapers.com).

Kansas State Historical Society; Topeka, Kansas; Roll: ks1915_218; Line: 13. Ancestry.com. Kansas State Census Collection, 1855-1925.

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Categories: Holidays, New Year, Postcards, Postcards Used

Old-Fashioned Christmas Happiness

Posted on December 23rd, 2016 by

Divided back, used postcard. Postmarked December 18, 1923 from Los Angeles, California. Made in the U.S.A. Series 1016 D. Publisher unknown.

Merry Christmas….

“Old-fashioned Christmas happiness

Is what I’m wishing you

And a host of good and loyal friends

To share the Day with you.”

A country scene of a home in winter, sunset colors painting the sky, all within the soft outline of a snow-laden evergreen tree…

The sender writes:   “Dear Grandma, I wish you all a happy Xmas. I am sending you a pkg. something for dossie and for Geo. Jr. But do not open untel Xmas, Love from all, Maebell.”

Addressed to:   “Mrs. J. M. Ellison, 604 N St., Sacramento, Calif.”

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Categories: Christmas, Holidays, Postcards, Postcards Used, The Alice Ellison Collection, Trees

Fortune Bright, Friendship True

Posted on December 23rd, 2016 by

Divided back, artist-signed, embossed, used postcard. Postmarked December 22, 1916 from Sacramento, California. Artist:  Ellen H. Clapsaddle. Publisher:  International Art Publishing Co. Series 104-3.

Price:  $12.00

Best Christmas Wishes…

“Fortune bright and friendship true,

Bless this Christmas-time for you.”

A Clapsaddle Christmas postcard:  This one’s a bit of a departure from the artist’s more recognizable work of adorable children. It shows a hazy winter scene of evergreens, with one in white standing out in embossed relief, and three small biblical-looking figures (I think it’s the staff that gives that impression) appearing near the bottom of the stand of trees, and then a rustic wooden fence leading to the foreground.

Sent to:   “Miss Bessie Ellison, 1415 G St, Sacramento, Calif.”

The sender wrote:   “A Merry Xmas and a happy New Year. F. J. Reynolds.”

The postcard cancellation was advertising the  “Panama California International Exposition at San Diego – 1916.”

Sources:  Ellen Clapsaddle. n.d. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ellen_Clapsaddle. (accessed December 23, 2016).

Panama-California Exposition. n.d. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panama%E2%80%93California_Exposition. (accessed December 23, 2016).

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Categories: Christmas, Holidays, Postcards, Postcards Artist Signed, Postcards Used, Snow, The Alice Ellison Collection, Trees

$1K For Christmas

Posted on December 22nd, 2016 by

Divided back, embossed, used postcard. Postmarked from Fresno, California, December 22, 1914. Santa Claus Series No. 2. Publisher unknown.

Price:  $10.00

“Christmas Greetings and Joys.”

Addressed to:   “Mrs. J M Ellison, Sacramento, California, General Delivery”

“Dear Mrs. Elison, have thought of you so often and…?…?…a letter but no answ. so will try again. This is wishing you all a Merry Exmas and a happy new year right me a letter from now Patterson 884 Inez at Fresno California.”

The sender of this card was Dwight Ives (or Ivees) Patterson, born in Pueblo, Colorado, December 14, 1892, son of William Edgar Patterson. From the 1915 Fresno city directory Dwight’s occupation is “carman” for the “Fresno Trac Co”, business address 884 Inez. WWI Draft Registration (1917) shows occupation street car conductor for the Fresno Traction Company, residence address given as 324 Inez. Passport records, including photo below, for Dwight show that by 1918 he was an engineer for the Democrata Mine in Cananea, Sonora, Mexico. We know from other postcards in our Alice Ellison Collection, that the Ellison Family had lived for some years in Pueblo, Colorado, so Dwight and the Ellisons may have been neighbors at some point. In any case, he sent a beautiful Christmas postcard. Note the amount of money from Santa in one of the stockings!

Sources:  Polk-Husted Directory Co.’s Fresno City and Fresno County Directory, 1915. p. 169. Ancestry.com. U.S. City Directories, 1822-1995. (Ancestry.com).

Registration State: California; Registration County: Fresno; Roll: 1530792. Ancestry.com. U.S., World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918.

National Archives and Records Administration (NARA); Washington D.C.; NARA Series: Passport Applications, January 2, 1906 – March 31, 1925; Roll #: 499; Volume #: Roll 0499 – Certificates: 12750-12999, 11 Apr 1918-13 Apr 1918. (Ancestry.com).

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Categories: Christmas, Holidays, Postcards, Postcards Used, The Alice Ellison Collection

Richest Gifts Of Christmas

Posted on December 20th, 2016 by

Divided back, unused, embossed postcard. Series 209. Printed in Germany. Publisher and printer unknown. Circa 1907 – 1914.

Price:  $4.00

From our Ethel Main Collection, this card has a trade mark logo of either publisher or printer (or both) that is thought to be one of the Gibson Art Company’s logos (see Comments from JAX on this post):  showing below, a capital G inside a rectangular artist’s palette with brushes “attached.”

The front of the postcard shows a pretty typical moonlit tableau of a church in a snow-blanketed country setting, with Christmas bells hanging on the left and poinsettias in the background. Nice though! The verse reads:

“Christmas Greetings.

May richest gifts of Christmas cheer

Bestrew your path to=day.”

The card was addressed to someone’s mother, and the sender wrote:  “Hoping you will have a Merry Xmas and a Happy New Year. Love, Helen Main.”

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Categories: Christmas, Flowers, Holidays, Postcards, Postcards Unused With Writing, The Ethel Main Collection

A Coaching Christmas

Posted on December 19th, 2016 by

Divided back, used postcard. Postmarked from Lodi, California, December 22, 1921. Publisher unknown. S02 – 6. Des. (design) Xmas.

Price:  $6.00

We’ll start off Christmas this year with a 1921 postcard from the Alice Ellison Collection showing a stagecoach with team of horses arriving at a country inn:  There’s the driver and two (artistic license most likely) coach guards, both with their “yard of tin,” the long trumpet used to announce arrival and departure, warn off other traffic on the road, and announce arrival at toll gates; and with the figures of a man and boy; a bunny bounding down the path through the snow; and a couple of horseshoes and whip….altogether a charming remembrance of the Regency Era. The card’s beautiful verse goes out to all:

“Each Christmas binds more close the friends

We knew in Auld Lang Syne,

And so, in thought, my hand extends

To meet the clasp of thine.”

Addressed to:   “Miss Ella Ellison, 1314 F St., Sacramento, Califa.,”  and signed, “From Mrs. McNees & Dorothy.”

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Categories: Animals, Buggies Carts Carriages Wagons and Stagecoaches, Christmas, Holidays, Horses, Postcards, Postcards Used, Rabbits - Bunnies, The Alice Ellison Collection

Joseph Chartrand Trade Card

Posted on December 17th, 2016 by

Trade card for Joseph Chartrand, Montréal, Canada. Circa 1885 – 1886.

Price:  $15.00             Size:  2 and 1/2 x 3 and 7/8″

Not in good shape but rare… 

There may be other Jos. Chartrand cards that survived (note artist’s initials at bottom left) but at the time of this post, none are showing online. The front shows a beautiful, evidently popular girl, receiving a letter and flowers from yet another devotee, who delivers his heartfelt admiration in person. (Or is he just the messenger?)  It’s a summery scene, certainly not in line with our current month of December, but the back of the card (Oh, to be able to go back in time and shop at this store) advertises, among other things, a couple of items needed for travel in snow. It reads:

“Jos. Chartrand, (Late with F. X. Brazeau & Co.) Dealer in Indian Curiosities, Snow – Shoes, Toboggans, Lacrosse, Mocassins, Bark Canoes, Bead Work, also Childrens Toys. 1687 Notre Dame Street, Montreal.”

F. X. Brazeau & Co.

F. X. (François-Xavier) Brazeau & Co. was found mentioned under the heading of “Indian Manufactures” in the Sixth Parliamentary Sessional Papers for the Dominion of Canada, year 1887.

Joseph Chartrand

We next found mention of Joseph Chartrand, “dealer in fancy goods, etc.” in a January 1886 publication of The American Stationer. Whether this was the same Notre Dame Street business as on our trade card is unknown, and it may not have been. That Chartrand “made an assignment” (a frequently occurring term in 19th century newspapers) seems to indicate he was having financial problems as in General Assignment or Assignment to the Benefit of Creditors (ABC) an alternative to bankruptcy. Not fun….but, nothing ventured, nothing gained, right? (We hope he fared well in subsequent endeavors and in general had a wonderful life.)

Sources:  Sessional Papers, Volume 10. First Session of the Sixth Parliament of the Dominion of Canada. Session 1887, Volume 20. Report of Sir Charles Tupper, G. C. M. G., C. B., Executive Commissioner, of the Canadian Section of the Colonial and Indian Exhibition at South Kensington, 1886. Ottawa:  Printed by MacLean, Roger & Co., Parliamentary Printers. Wellington Street. 1887.  pp. 56 and 57. (Google Books).

“Trade Gossip.” The American Stationer, Vol. 19, no. 3. January 21, 1886. p. 69. (Google Books).

General assignment. n.d. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_assignment. (accessed December 1, 2016).

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Categories: Children, Flowers, Hats, Trade Cards and Advertising