Search Results: Business from Main Street Fine Books & Manuscripts, ABAA

The 2nd Baronet of Bush Hill was the son of the Canadian-born English shipping magnate Sir Samuel (1787-1865), who founded the Cunard Line and established the first regular steamboat passenger service between Europe and North America in 1840; he served as American agent for the family firm. ALS, 1p, 8" X 10", New York, NY, 1859 July 29. Addressed to W.W. Greenough. Fine. Transmits two bank drafts to this Boston gas company executive. Bold and handsome. Rather uncommon.

Sir Otto was an influential, well-respected British civil servant once described as "by all means... one of the most able men ever to enter Treasury chambers," where he long served as financial controller; also a director of the Bank of England. ANS, 1p, 4 3/4" X 7½", London, England, n.y. [ca. 1915] February 5. Addressed to Mr. L.J. Binns. Near fine. On "Treasury Chambers, / Whitehall, S.W." letterhead, Niemeyer writes, "Mr. [McKenna?] wishes me to return to you the drawing with his autograph, enclosed," boldly signed. "McKenna" would be Niemeyer's boss, Reginald McKenna (1863-1943), British banker who served as Chancellor of the Exchequer 1915-16 when Niemeyer was still an underling there. An attractive and early example.

Grandson of inventor Robert McCormick, nephew of reaper inventor Cyrus Hall McCormick, father of editors Joseph Medill McCormick and "Colonel" Robert R. McCormick -- this career diplomat joined the State Department in 1887, serving as U.S. ambassador to Austria-Hungary (1902), Russia (1902-05) and France (1905-07), although according to one journalist McCormick's "career as a dilettante diplomat took a backseat to his more serious pursuit of alcohol...." Autograph Fragment (unsigned) on printed calling card, heavy stock 3" X 1½", London, England, n.y. Near fine. Handsome italic "Mr. Robert McCormick" printed at center, and beneath this McCormick has penned in brown ink in his small, neat hand "Hotel Belgravia / Victoria Street, S.W." Likely dates from early in his State Department career, else a title such as "Ambassador" would have preceded his name. The card bears a heavy printed black border or "mourning rule," but… Read More

This Boston businessman was partner in the firm of Winslow, Rand & Co. Wholesale Grocers. ALS, 1p, 8" X 10½", Boston, MA, 23 December 1881. Addressed to "Friend Nutter." Very good. Original folds; single archivally closed (on verso) edge tear. On imprinted company letterhead listing the four principal officers, Watson comments interestingly on the use of soap: "I shall see that you have the soap today. Some fellows are awfully particular, and think that they must wash once a week. Now annual baths, or monthly baths, are great institutions, but I know you are a 'stubborn cuss', and will stick to your old habits and customs, and I trust that the superior quality of the goods sent you, will satisfy the fastidious tastes of you revellers in luxury." Handsomely penned in black ink and signed in full at the close. Intriguing remarks about personal hygiene of the day -- sounds like recipient may have been, as the Brits say, a "right Nutter"!

Just as in the U.S. a one-dollar bill may be refered to as a "greenback," "buck," "clam" or other synonyms, in England a bank note used to be called "an Abraham Newland" -- for this British banker and investor personified money as Chief Cashier of the Bank of England (1782-1807) and his facsimile signature had to appear on every bona fide bank note; amazing that he sired twenty-five children over the course of two wives since he slept in the Bank of England for 25 years instead of at his own nearby home! ADS, 1p, 6½" X 3¼", n.p., 21 March 1760. Very good. Faintly age toned. Boldly penned at center is "Recd 21 Mar 1760 the Contents" in brown ink and Newland's signature apparently as a witness at lower left, along with that of one John Barber. Below Newland's statement appears the signature of "Jas Wallace Aty" -- possibly but not definitively attorney James Wallace (1729-83), a Member of Parliament appointed Solicitor General for England and Wales in 1778 and Attorney General in 1780. Verso bears… Read More

This prominent Boston businessman and partner in the import/export firm Sullivan and Barbour may have been the son of the Revolutionary War general John Sullivan, according to some sources, though other evidence suggests not; he was also secretary of the United States Land Company and other similar concerns; his wife, Marian Dix (1802-60), was sister of General John A. Dix and a noted composer best known for her hit song "The Blue Juniata"; together, the Sullivans were well-known Boston socialites. ALS, 1p + integral address leaf, 7 3/4" X 9 3/4", Washington, DC, 1865 March 13. Addressed to Brigadier General Edward A. Wild (1825-91), commander of the famed black infantry brigade popularly known as "Wild's African Brigade." Near fine. Wild married Sullivan's daughter, Frances Ellen, in 1855. Sullivan writes to his son-in-law (in part): "I commend to your acquaintance & regard, my friend Geo. May Powell, Esq, of the Internal Revenue Department; who is the… Read More

The banker who founded Jay Cooke & Co. proved remarkably successful as a fiscal agent for the U.S. Treasury, selling far more government bonds than was thought possible; later he financed western railroad construction such as the Northern Pacific and mines in Utah. ANS, 1p, 5 3/4" X 7 3/4", Philadelphia, PA, 1902 January 27. Very good. On his "Fourth & Library Streets" letterhead, Cooke complies with an autograph request in his large, bold, flamboyant script. A very handsome piece.

Businessman, son of renowned Medford (Massachusetts) rum manufacturer Benjamin Hall (1731-1817), who "more than any other individual, brought Medford to its first great period of prosperity (1750-1800) and daringly led the small community through the perils of the Revolution," almost bankrupting himself in the process. Fascinating ALS, 2pp + integral address leaf, 8" X 9½", New York, NY, 1797 April 27. Addressed to his father, Benjamin Hall (1731-1817). Very good. Mild overall age toning (more to outer address panel). Intriguing letter regarding some unnamed "great discovery." Reads in part: "...it is thought a great discovery both there [Philadelphia] & here, I had an application for the right in some of the Western Counties in Virginia.... I have also had some applications here, but I have concluded not to dispose of any part of it until it is brought to perfection, the more I reflect on it the better I think of it...." Goes on to discuss difficulties with a Mr. Brasher, apparently an investor… Read More

An interesting figure in the history of the Jewish society known as B'nai B'rith was this San Francisco businessman, who served as grand secretary of their San Francisco headquarters for many years; when his real estate dealings failed and the grand lodge appeared to be missing a large amount of funds, he committed suicide. ADS, 1p, 8" X 3¼", San Francisco, CA, 1893 March 28. Very good. Moderately age toned. "Received of Mr. [R.C.] Hallowell Thirty-Eight dollars in payment of moneys collected for my account" -- apparently a payment on an I.O.U. Boldly signed in full. Dated two years prior to his suicide, this might well relate to the financial difficulties that ultimately ended up in Blank "borrowing" from his lodge and taking his life in despair. A San Francisco oddity.

The pipe-smoking, pajama-clad magazine publisher founded "Playboy" magazine in 1953 and turned it into an empire. Color PS, 27½" X 36, n.p., n.y. Very good. Very good. Single horizontal fold (as issued); mild overall wear. Glossy color poster for the documentary "Hugh Hefner Once Upon a Time," a 1992 Lynch/Frost Production narrated by James Coburn Huge portrait of a young Hef in black suit and tie and clutching his pipe, signed boldly in gold ink near the center.

This notable railroad was founded in 1865 by a group of San Francisco businessmen, and in recent years merged with Union Pacific. Partly-printed DS, 1p, 5' X 7 3/4', Office of South Pacific Railroad Company letterhead, St. Louis, MO, 1869 Sept. 27. Addressed to Joseph S. Wilson. Near fine. Invitation to attend opening of a new railroad line running between Little Piney and Lebanon, Missouri. Signed by in ink at the close by the South Pacific Railroad Company president, FRANCIS B. HAYES (1810-84), and below this by its resident and managing director, ANDREW PEIRCE JR. (?-?). Choice and attractive and scarce, signed by this railroad's two major figures. This company merged into the Atlantic & Pacific in 1870.

In 1854 this thriving Virginia plantation owner and businessman became an early Chicago real estate mogul when he and partner James Rees built one of that city's first permanent structures, the then-massive three-story Lakeview House Hotel on Lake Shore Drive, to lure more investors into the area. DS, 1p (lettersheet), 7½" X 9 3/4", n.p., 30 October 1845. Very good. Original folds visible but not weakened. Hundley and two others "being duly Sworn" have "seen and Examined the Estray Hog taken up by Jas. Marshall and... do appraise the said Estray Hog at the Sum of Two Dollars & fifty cents. The said Hog is a harrow, white colour about two years old, no brand, marked with an under keel in the left and overkeel in the Right Ear. We were informed that when the said Hog appeared on the plantation about 12 months ago was a boar and that he has been altered since -- & that he has ranged on this plantation & in the neighbourhood for 12 months past...." Neatl penned in deep blue ink and signed at the… Read More

The son of the newspaper publisher whose life provided the basis for "Citizen Kane" served as editor-in-chief of Hearst Newspapers (1956-93); in 1956 he won the Pulitzer Prize for international correspondence. IPS, 8" X 10", n.p., 1979 August. Fine. Handsome portrait, nicely inscribed "For / Terence Kocsett / Thanks for asking," signed and dated.

This auto executive served General Motors for more than half a century beginning in the 1920s, becoming vice president in 1956, executive vice president in 1958 and vice chairman in 1967. IPS, 8" X 10", n.p., n.y. [ca. mid-1950s]. Fine. Heavy, high-quality mat-finish half-length photograph of Russell in suit and tie, hands intertwined, gazing thoughtfully. In a dark area at lower right, he signs and inscribes handsomely in white ink (making for superb contrast): "From one George / to another / with best wishes / George Russell." Unusual and quite handsome.

This innovative Chicago publisher (1876-88) came up with the idea of using young boys to hawk his "Chicago Daily News"; he also served as president of Associated Press (1894-1900) and was a powerful leader for civic reform. LS, 1p, 4 3/4" X 6¼", Green Lake, WI, 1914 October 13. Addressed to Seymour Eaton (1859-1916), Canadian-born literary and marketing genius best known for the Teddy-G and Teddy-B illustrated series he created. Near fine. On pale green letterhead, Lawson sends "Thanks for sympathy in the great bereavement that has come to me." Lawson wife of 34 years, Jessie Bradley, daughter of a prominent Chicago family, had died shortly before.

This New Hampshire railroad magnate earned the name "robber baron" for such tactics as cheating one Native American tribe from New York out of 10,000 acres he need and other unsavory actions. Closing portion of a Letter Signed, 5" X 2 3/4", n.p., n.d. Very good. A bit age toned, with left edge quite irregular. Nicely penned in brown ink, it reads (verbatim): "hard as we Know who to save / on that will interfere in any / interest / Faithfully Yours," followed by Corbin's large and bold signature. Unusual.

Duff senior was one of the builders of the Union Pacific Railroad and other railroad ventures such as the Hannibal & St. Joseph Railroad served as the UP's sixth president (1873-74), leaving an estate estimated at a whopping four million dollars; his eldest son John R. was likewise a railroad executive, then became a successful Wall Street speculator before losing it all near the end of his life. Large and bold "Respectfully Yours / John Duff" in brown ink on an irregular-shaped 5½" X 1½" heavy stock slip, n.p., n.y. Very good. Also, a boldly penned "Yours very truly, / John R. Duff" in brown ink on an irregular-shaped 4¼" X 1½" slip, n.p., n.y. Very good. Mild age toning. A number of words in John's hand also visible on verso beneath heavy mounting traces. An interesting and most unusual father-son pair -- quite uncommon.

This noted banker had long served as director of the Commercial National Bank of Chicago when President Taft asked him to serve as 43rd Secretary of the Treasury in 1909, a position he filled until 1913, instituting many reforms. Partly-printed ADS, 1p, 6½" X 2½", Boston, MA, 1898 September 14. Very good. Two ¼" cancellation punches (not affecting handwritten portions) and small paper chip. Pale pink check drawn on The Atlas National Bank, filled out entirely in MacVeagh's hand to "Mesr S. Tenney & Son" in the amount of $116.64 and signed in full. Attractive example.

This newspaper columnist founded an influential syndication service that handled authors (Robert Ripley, Eddie Guest and Thornton Burgess among them) and popular comic strips, and his own syndicated inspirational essays were often published in book form. PS, 4" X 5", n.p., n.y. Very good. Signature faintly smudged; two tape stains on verso. Glossy head-and-shoulders portrait of a smiling older Adams in suit and tie, signed vertically in blue ink at right. On the verso is an amusing inscription: "George Washington / and I have the same / first name!" and boldly signed a second time.

Exquisite hand-lettered penmanship example, 6¼" X 7", made by an unknown penman or penmen as a Christmas keepsake for the founder of Baylies' Business College of Dubuque, Iowa -- said one writer, "One of the best and most thorough Business Colleges in the West." Baylies served with the Kansas militia in the Civil War and moved to Dubuque in 1862, joining his cousin's business, Baylies Commercial College -- founded 1859 and the oldest school of its kind in Iowa. Before long he became a partner, and in 1863 it was renamed the Baylies Commercial School; as sole owner, he operated it until 1909; in 1876, he detoured and joined a group of prominent Dubuque citizens who established the Bell Gold Mining Company to mine gold in Plumas City, California. The title quoted above is the complete text, with "Presented to C. Baylies" in large ornate italic hand and thethree lines below ("By the Class of / 1874 and 1875 / December 25th") in a smaller, simpler hand and surrounded by elaborate decorative flourishes. A… Read More