(Forest Fire Prevention) Broadside, Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, “The Good Earth? FOREST FIRES DESTROY lives • homes • wild life • timber • crops” ([Washington]: U.S. Government Printing Office, 1948) 463 x 327 (18 1/4 x 12 7/8 in.).
A wonderfully colorful and evocative public service advertisement. (Cataloged as US 6122 in Hoover Institution Political Poster Database).
Extremely minor marginal ear, a few light creases at corners, else very fine.
(EXA 5362) $125
(Turnpikes and Toll Roads) Broadside, “RATES OF TOLLS. PITTSBURGH FARMERS’ AND MECHANICS’ TURNPIKE COMPANY. 560 x 405 mm. (22 x 16 in).
The broadside lists rates for nearly every conceivable vehicle and animal that used the road including pigs, sheep, and cattle (charged 6 1/4 cents by the dozen) as well a variety of horse-drawn vehicles charged on basis of size of wheels as well as number of axles. Also, two oxen were considered equivalent to one horse for toll-taking purposes. (And you thought tolls at the Lincoln Tunnel were complicated.)
The Farmers’ and Mechanics’ Turnpike Company was established around 1829 and had completed a road on the outskirts of Pittsburg around 1837. The road continued in operation for several decades until it was sold to the City of Pittsburgh in 1871 after years of falling tolls and growing indebtedness.* The road roughly followed the course of modern-day Fifth Avenue.
Light foxing and soiling, some light edge wear, contemporary ink marks at margin, folds, separated vertical fold repaired on verso with archival tape, else very good.
(EXA 5363) $475
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* Proceedings and Debates of the Convention of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (1837), 322; [Advertisement] The Daily Pittsburgh Gazette (1 Apr. 1836) calling for proposals for “grading, stoning, and erecting the necessary Bridges and Culverts of the first two miles…commencing at the city line”; Pennsylvania Session Laws (1863), 431-433; Laws of the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (1871), 579-580.
(Steam Boats) Broadside, “BOSTON AND HINGHAM STEAM BOAT CO. ON AND AFTER MONDAY OCTOBER 11th, 1880 STEAMER GOV. ANDREW WILL LEAVE ROWE’S WHARF, BOSTON…” (Boston: F. A. Searle, Printer, [1880]) 496 x 370 mm. (19 1/2 x 14 1/2 in.). For only a quarter you could get a one-way ticket from Boston to either Hull, Downer Landing or Hingham. The same ride today would set you back $8.00 ($16.00 if you’re going to Logan Airport). The steamer Gov. Andrew was built in 1874 and plied the Boston/Hingham/Hull route well into the 1880s.*
Laid onto a larger linen sheet, light dampstain at top left corner, looses affect some text which has been filled in, overall very good.
(EXA 5364) $350
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* Thomas Tracy Bouvé et al, History of the Town of Hingham, Massachusetts, (1893) Vol. 1, 250-251.
(19th Century Medicine) A wonderful poster, 575 x 360 mm. (22 3/4 x 14 1/8 in.) on thick card stock, (Philadelphia: Queen & Co., 1891). Queen & Co. were Philadelphia oculists and opticians located on the corner of 8th and Arch streets. The chart, illustrating twelve styles of prosthetic eyes in shades of blue and brown, was designed to be cut vertically into seven pieces.
Edge wear and losses to corners minor surface abrasions, else very good.
(EXA 5250) $150
(Early Advertising) A large (24 x 36 in.) four color display poster for “Cetacolor”, which, the advertisement reminds us, is “Not a Soap-” it was to prevent color fading in fabrics. The ‘proof’ is at left and we can plainly see the perils in washing without it! A very nice bright example.
Housed in a simple frame, overall quite clean (note the brown background at the portrait is not a dampstain, it’s a color tone), overall very good.
(EXA 4361) $450
(Early Advertising) A nice two color display advertisement 20 1/2 x 13 in. for “AIR LINE HONEY” likely from southern New Hampshire, ca. 1925. Issued by the grocer, Rival Service Store.
Folds and light toning, overall very good. Housed in a simple frame.
(EXA 4360) $175
(Early Advertising) Broadside, 37 x 23 1/2 in. (New York: Baker, Godwin & Co. Steam Printers, 1855). A wonderful illustrated advertisement promoting William Snider’s dry goods store in Vergil, N.Y. and announcing the wares he purchased during his recent trip to New York City with “DRY GOODS! Ladies’ Dress Goods! BONNETS! RIBBONS!! SHAWLS!!! Silks, Lawns, READY-MADE CLOTHING! BOOTS & SHOES, HATS & CAPS, Groceries, Hardware, Crockery, Drugs and Medicines, PAINTS, OILS, DYE STUFFS, FISH, SALT, LUMBER, SHINGLES, STOVES…” Well, you get the idea – this is a big deal upstate.
Minor faults including light creases and wrinkles together with a few minor holes that don’t detract from the overall presentation, matted and framed and in very good to fine condition overall.
(EXA 4317) $1,200
