A while ago, I came across a box of paper ephemera, and couldn't resist going through it, sheet by sheet. What struck me was the elegance of many of the bills. They were all engraved with either the logo of the company, or the building in which it was located. Here are a few of my favorites.
Hello Meg, Those old bill-heads with their vignettes are fascinating, often featuring elaborate printing, whether intaglio or letterpress. The can document buildings that may not be standing or whose old photographs might be difficult to locate. I once had a 19th century cornet made by McMillin in Cleveland, and then was lucky enough to find an old envelope with a cut of their building, but then tragedy struck and the cornet (a remarkable one with several unusual attachments) was stolen. My favorite bill heads to collect are from businesses that were located in what are now ghost towns, giving an idea of what those places were like in their salad days.
ReplyDelete--Jim
Sadly, most of these places no longer exist.
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