Tuesday, May 29, 2012

New York Stock Brokers: Wood, Huestis & Company


WOOD, HUESTIS & CO.
JAN
24
1899
NEW YORK.

David Thompson scan, somebody else's scuff




NY Evening Post
February 5, 1897






Monday, May 28, 2012

Memorial Day 2012


Spanish American War Memorial
Arlington Cemetary

Saturday, May 26, 2012

New York Stock Brokers: William H. Burger & Company


WM. H. BURGER & CO.
FEB
6
1902
NEW YORK.

Langlois scan



Burger began the 1898 tax period at the firm H. I. Judson & Co. before forming his own firm.




This photo of the Burger house can be found at The Brownstoner website.  Burger built the house in 1902, the same year of use of the stamp above.  The house can be found at 443 Clinton Avenue in Brooklyn.  Clinton Avenue was a popular address for Gilded Age wealthy.

Friday, May 25, 2012

New York Stock Brokers: Buckhout, Davis & Company



New York Herald, January 15 1899



BUCKHOUT, DAVIS & CO.
NEW YORK.

David Thompson scan












Tuesday, May 22, 2012

New York Stock Brokers: Edwin S. Chapin & Company


Mr. Chapin passed away in 1901. He had been a member of the NYSE since 1869 and was one of its oldest members at the start of the 1898 tax period.  During his early career he handled accounts for Jay Gould when in partnership with Charles Osborn.  He was an avid art collector.



E. S. CHAPIN & CO.

David Thompson scans & highlight.  The cancels are obscure and faint but the highlight below clearly shows the Chapin name.








Notice of the sale of auction of art from Mr. Chapin's collection

Monday, May 21, 2012

New York Stock Brokers: Henry P. Goldschmidt & Company


H. P. G. & CO.

David Thompson scan

The ID of this cancel as that by Mr. Goldschmidt is speculative.




H. P. GOLDSCHMIDT & CO.
AUG
X
XX
NEW YORK.


David Thompson


Sunday, May 20, 2012

Friday, May 18, 2012

New York Stock Brokers: Halsey & Hudnut




Princeton alumni magazine advertisement, October 27, 1898




HALSEY & HUDNUT.
DEC
21
190
NEW YORK.

Langlois scan





 

Princeton University, Class of 1886, After 25 Years:

R. T. HAINES HALSEY.


"R. T." was born in Elizabeth, N. J., August 28, 1865, son of W. F. Halsey and Fanny E. Haines. He prepared for college at St. Paul's, entered college in '82 and was graduated A.B. in '86. A brother, Dr. John Halsey, was in '91. 

From '86 to '88 he was in the well-known banking house of Brown Brothers & Co., New York, and from '89 to '91 with Homans & Co. In 1891 he bought a seat in the Stock Exchange and started business with Alexander M. Hudnut '81, under the firm name of Halsey & Hudnut. He has served as a Governor of the Stock Exchange for several years.

Aside from business, "R. T." has made a reputation as an author, having written in 1899, an elaborate, highly praised and expensive book, entitled "Pictures of Early New York on Dark Blue Staffordshire Pottery"; "Historical Introduction to the Letters of a Fanner in Pennsylvania" in 1903, and "The Boston Port Bill as Pictured by a Contemporary London Cartoonist", published by the Grolier Club in 1904. He prepared in 1906 the catalogue, with historical introduction, for the Boston Museum of Fine Arts on "American Silver and Silversmiths of the 17th and i8th Centuries", and he has contributed articles to Scribner's Magazine on "Josiah Wedgwood, American Sympathizer and Portrait Maker", and on "Edward G. Malbone, America's great 18th Century Miniaturist".

For ten years he has been on the Council of the Grolier Club and on January 7, 1910, Mayor Gaynor appointed him a member of the Municipal Art Commission. 

On January 18, 1894, he was married to Miss Helen Romans, of New York who died several years ago. On February 18, 1909 he was married to Mrs. Effie Underbill Grossman, daughter of John T. Underbill, of New York, in the Madison Avenue Presbyterian Church. Gaylord White performed the ceremony.

"R. T." belongs to the Century, Racquet, University, Grolier, Princeton, Midday, and Ardsley Clubs.

Thursday, May 17, 2012

New York Stock Brokers: McKinley & Sherman


McKINLEY & SHERMAN,
APR
2
1901
NEW YORK.

Langlois scan


Only a few weeks before this stamp was cancelled, Mr. McKinley was quoted in The New York Times as being very bullish on the market.  NYT, March 17, 1901:

W. G. McKinley of McKinley & Sherman--The general situation would seem to be more favorable that at any time within the last month or so, and with corporation earnings increasing and a majority of the large financial interests on the bull side, it seems probable that a further rise, particularly in specialties, will be seen.








Wednesday, May 16, 2012

New York Stock Brokers: Woerishoffer & Company


Charles Woerishoffer was one of the most significant brokers and power players on Wall Street during the gilded age.  While he died in 1886, his legacy was still being recounted in the 1897 publication King's Views of the New York Stock Exchange.  His firm continued to operate for some years after his death.  Frederick Renner was an understudy of Mr. Woerishoffer and ran the firm during the 1898 tax period.


WOERISHOFFER & CO.
MAY
16
1901
NEW YORK.

David Thompson


Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Mead Johnson & Company


Spinoffs:  they don't just happen with TV sitcoms.

The firm of Seabury and Johnson was formed circa 1874 to market Benson's Capcine Porous plasters, which presumably used the oil of hot peppers in connection with some sort of poultice.  They utilized private die proprietary stamps, which won't concern us here but can be seen on my website at http://rdhinstl.com/mm/rs216.htm.  

Around 1885 Robert Johnson left the firm and formed a company with his brothers, including Edward Mead Johnson.  This was Johnson and Johnson, which continues today.  In 1896 Johnson and Johnson bought out Seabury and Johnson, but continued to operate it as a separate unit.

 

A Seabury and Johnson cover from 1899.  Several versions of these exist, usually priced to reflect their attractiveness.  

 

Johnson and Johnson used a private die proprietary stamp during the Spanish-American war tax period.  Its design mimics that of the familiar battleship revenues, minus ship.

The next spinoff came in 1897, when Edward Mead Johnson left the company to pursue his fortune with one he had created in 1895, the American Ferment Company, which marketed a digestive aid.  This company did not have a private die stamp, but their company name can be found on regular proprietary stamps.





In 1905 the American Ferment Company changed its name to Mead Johnson & Company.  In its day, the firm manufactured and marketed Pablum and Metrecal.  More recently it was acquired by Bristol-Myers Squibb, then spun off again as an independent company in 2009.  Its current flagship product is Enfamil.

Monday, May 14, 2012

New York Stock Brokers: Burras & Klopfer


Advert, New York Times, December 6, 1898




BURRAS & KLOPFER,
DEC  4  1900
NEW YORK.


Langlois scan


Sunday, May 13, 2012

New York Stock Brokers: Pearl & Company


Mr. Pearl's firm was founded by his father in Nashville, Tennessee in the early 1800s.  Dyer Pearl was a presence on Wall Street for 54 years. 




PEARL & CO.

David Thompson highlight & scans



Scarce but ragged copy of R183 with Pearl & Co. cancel

Saturday, May 12, 2012