Business Cards

"Harry Jennings, 32 Portland Street, Boston, sole proprietor and patentee of the improved, infallible Magic Soap, for the destruction of all parasitic vermin. Patented July 12th, 1864. Trade mark--Waterford Jack."

"Geo. Arnold & Co., successors to Alonzo Chapman, wholesale and retail dealers in Virginia rock oil, the best and cheapest now in use, for lubricating machinery. Also, kerosene oil, and petroleum turpentine, for painters' use. 109 State St., Rochester, N.Y. Geo. Arnold. R. N. Warfield."

"Illinois Screen Coal, from Albion Mines, selected for family use. All orders left at 56 Olive Street will be promptly attented to. W. M. Reeves, proprieter."

"R. E. Fahnestock, dealer in fancy and staple dry goods, men and boy's wear, East King St., next door to the court house, Lancaster, Pa."

"Merritt, Gray & Co., Granite Yard! At the old ferry landing, Groton, Conn. Monuments, head stones, posts, fronts, &c., of Groton granite. Mason work done to order. C. Merritt, R. A. Gray, John Salter."

"Kintz and Eilenberger, dealers in fancy and staple dry goods, Penn Avenue, Scranton, Pa. Next door to the St. Charles Hotel."

"H. M. Bruck, merchant tailor, No. 118 Park Avenue, near Lexington Street, Baltimore."

"Good, Berner & Bro., gilders, No. 45 North Queen Street, Lancaster, Pa. All styles of frames on hand or made to order, and old frames regilded. Walnut and gilt cornices. Mouldings of all kinds and the largest stock of looking glasses, varying at prices from 20 cts. to $500.00." According to the Lancaster History Web site, Jonathan Good along with brothers Louis Berner and Otto Berner were in business together as photographers under the name "Good & Berner Bros." as early as 1873. Here, as "Good, Berner & Bro." on this business card, they advertised their gilding services and offered picture frames, moldings, and looking glasses (mirrors) for sale. Their nineteenth-century prices for looking glasses--"20 cts. to $500.00"--are the equivalents of about $4.00 to $9,000.00 today (these are rough approximations derived from calculators available on the Measuring Worth site).

"E. Butterick & Co., designers of fashions, publishers and pattern manufacturers. 171, 173, 175, & 177 Regent Street, London, W. 555 Broadway and Union Square, New York. J. W. Wilder, managing partner."

"William T. Haig, house & sign painting, graining & glazing, 1902 Harland St., Philadelphia." A Victorian business card illustrated with some tools of the painting trade.

"J. T. Handford, importing dealer in postage stamps for collectors, P.O. Box 1870, New York. Stamps bought, sold, and exchanged. Circulars free." For a closer view of the stamp affixed to the middle of the card, mouse over it to see an enlargement, or go to Hussey's Express Special Message Stamp .

"Hussey's Express Special Message. 54 Pine St., N.Y. R. Easson, prop'r. N. F. Seebeck, Wall St., N.Y." This stamp was affixed to a nineteenth-century postage stamp dealer's business card. See J. T. Handford, Importing Dealer in Postage Stamps for Collectors (below).

W. H. Shoemaker, sheet music, pianos, organs, music books, No. 11 South Third Street, Harrisburg, Pa.

Civic Lunch, Inc., 40 N.W. First St., Phone 23042, Miami, Fla. Where low prices keep company with high quality. "Excellent food, speedy service, and immaculate surroundings are the three essentials to success in the restuarant business, according to Charles Gorgas, proprietor of the Civic Lunch, 40 N.W. First St., who has been feeding Miami officaldom for the past several years" (see " Civic Lunch Head Outlines Growth ," Miami News , Sept. 30, 1934, society section, p. 7).

"Dye's Taxi. Tours and trips arranged to suit you. Yorktown, Jamestown, Plantations, Monticello, and Carter's Grove a specialty. Competent, courteous chauffeur, guide: Vance. Phone 99."

"Fort Hunter Park Service Station, Wm. Penn Highway (Routes 11 and 22), 6 miles north of Harrisburg, Penna. Luncheon service in an atmosphere of dignity. Unusually complete touring camp and picnic facilities." The Fort Hunter Park Service Station building is now part of the Fort Hunter Mansion and Park , which is a division of the Dauphin County Parks and Recreation Department .

Otto Funk was 59 years old on June 28, 1928, when he left New York City to fiddle and walk his way across the United States. He reached San Fransico on July 25, 1929, after a journey of 4,165 miles. He presumably handed out this business card as he traveled across the country. "The world's champion cross-country Fiddler, Otto Funk, of Hillsboro, Illinois, walking from New York to San Francisco, f-i-d-d-l-i-n-g every step of the way. Started from City Hall, New York, 10 a.m., Thursday, June 29, 1928. Contracting celebrations, clubs, theatres, lodges, cafes, etc. Composer of the song, 'The Savior and the Rose,' words and music by Otto Funk. Price 30 cents per copy, postpaid, from A. L. Grundy Music Pub. Co., Morrisonville, Ill."