Broadsides, Handbills, Signs, Posters

A printed birth and baptismal certificate for John Elmer Miller (1868-1934), who's final resting place is the United Church of Christ and Lutheran Cemetery, Madisonburg, Centre County, Pa. Mouse over the image above to see enlargements of the brightly colored top portion and middle portion of the certificate. For a German-language version of this certificate, which was also printed by Theo. F. Scheffer, Harrisburg, Pa., see Geburts und Tauf-schein , which is part of the Pennsylvania German Broadsides and Fraktur collection at the Penn State University Libraries. Record of Birth & Baptism: To These Two Parents: As Benjamin F. Miller and his wife Catherine, a daughter of J. Schmeltzer, was born a child on the 27th day of July in the year of our Lord 1868. This child was born in Miles Township in Centre county, in the state of Penn'a. in North America; was baptized by the Rev'd Wm. G. Engle and on Oct. 4th 1868 and received the name of John Elmer. Witnesses: His parents. (H.E.W. 1874). Printed and for sale by Theo. F. Scheffer--Harrisburg, Penn'a.

Detail from John Elmer Miller's Birth and Baptismal Certificate, Centre County, Pa., 1874 :

Detail from John Elmer Miller's Birth and Baptismal Certificate, Centre County, Pa., 1874 :

An early stock certificate for the Manheim, Petersburg, and Lancaster Turnpike or Plank Road Company, which established a private turnpike road in northwestern Lancaster County , Pennsylvania, in the 1850s. The road was part of what is now designated as Pennsylvania Route 72 . As Wikipedia's Route 72 article explains, "The portion of the route between Lancaster and Manheim was chartered on May 9, 1850 as the Manheim, Petersburg, and Lancaster Turnpike, a private turnpike running from Prussia Street in Manheim south to Petersburg (now East Petersburg ) and Lancaster ." Mouse over the image above to see an enlargement of the top part of the stock certificate. Manheim, Petersburg, and Lancaster Turnpike or Plank Road Company No. 126. Twenty-five dollars per share. Be it known, that Abraham Shelly Esqr. is entitled to four shares of stock in the Manheim, Petersburg, and Lancaster Turnpike or Plank Road Company, transferable only on the books of said company, in the presence of the president or treasurer, by the said Abraham Shelly personally, or by his attorney. Witness the seal of said company, this fifth day of May 1852. Henry Imhoff, president. Attest: Em[anuel] G. Shober, treasurer. John Bear's [Baer's] Steam Power Press, Lancaster. ----- Handwritten notes on the back: "Certificate, Abraham Shelly, 4 Shares, Cancelled, 126. Plank Road, Stock 4 Shares."

For more information, see the full version of this stock certificate:

"Our Gilt-Edge Goods. Nothing is too much trouble or too expensive to make these goods all that the name implies. The newest requirements of the people are satisfied with a pleasing completeness. The newest ideas are tested for practical worth and freely used, being carefully embodied when they contribute increased advantage. Selected workmen of special training and superior skill aid in securing perfection. The use of the purest pigirons only and the best materials for all fittings establish their superior quality, utility, durability, convenience, & beauty. Nothing better made. Reilly Bros. & Raub, Lancaster, Pa." Front cover of an advertising leaflet for Reilly Bros. & Raub, a hardware store that was located in Lancaster, Pa. (the building that housed the store is still standing). Note the distinctive typefaces and the devilish figure with pitchfork at top. An inside page from the leaflet (see below) contains an advertisement for the Valley Novelty Range. Compare this with a similar ad for the same stove on a separate advertising trade card from Lebanon, Pa. (below).

"Valley Novelty Range is the one to buy. Remember, every one guaranteed to bake and operate. Increase the heat of the oven as the bread bakes. Important! If you cannot come to the store, send in your address and we will call and see you and show you a photograph of this beautiful range and explain its many good points. It can't be beat, and the price is right. It provides the greatest comfort to the cook by having the greatest conveniences of the day." Inside page of a leaflet (see its elaborate cover below) for Reilly Bros. & Raub, a hardware store that was located in Lancaster, Pa. See also an advertising trade card with a similar ad for the same stove (below).

"Sorry, this seat Is occupied. National Airlines. NAL. Airline of the Stars. New York, Florida, Havana, Washington, New Orleans. If you wish to reserve the same seat through your trip, please leave this card on your chair every time you leave the plane at any of the intermediate stops." A "seat occupied" sign used on National Airlines in the 1950s. A Spanish-language version appeared on the other side:

"Lo sentimos mucho ocupado. National Airlines. NAL. La Línea de Las Estrellas. New York, Florida, Havana, Washington, New Orleans. Si desea usted conservar el mismo asiento durante su viaje, sirvase usted colocar esta tarjeta sobre su silla cada vez que baje del avion en alguna de las estaciones intermedias de escala." A "seat occupied" sign used on National Airlines in the 1950s. An English-language version appeared on the other side:

A colorful print by Vredenburg & Company, Rochester, N.Y., that appeared in an advertising leaflet from W. P. Rupert & Son, a nursery that was located in Seneca, N.Y. See Nineteenth-Century Rochester Fruit and Flower Plates , by Karl Sanford Kabelac, for more information regarding Vredenburg & Company and other printing firms that supplied illustrations to nursery businesses like W. P. Rupert & Son.

"Picnic. There will be a grand picnic held at Fairhope, July 4, 1916. We have erected a large waxed floor for those who wish to enjoy dancing. There will be refreshments of all kinds served on the grounds. Everybody cordially invited. Kennell & Sturtz, managers." This comes from a photo of a broadside framed under glass rather than a scan, and the quality of the image suffers a bit. "Sturtz," who was one of the managers of this "grand picnic" held on the Fourth of July one hundred years ago, was probably John W. Sturtz , who was my great-grandfather. I'm not exactly sure what "grounds" in the small town of Fairhope , Somerset County, Pennsylvania, might have been available as a venue for serving refreshments and erecting a "large wax floor" for dancing.

"Carlisle Hygienic Ice Co., Poor House Road, E. North Street, Phone 735. Hang with amount required on top. 25, 50, 75, 100." A card to place in the window to indicate how many pounds of ice (for your icebox ) you'd like the iceman to deliver.

A broadside advertisement by a grocery store owner in Tunkhannock, Wyoming County, Pennsylvania. The "WAR," of course, refers to World War I (1914-1918). War Has Not Advanced the Prices of Our Goods! We can save you money on any small order. Our prices are way down, for cash. We guarantee our goods to be all fresh and right weight. 8 bars Oak, Leaf, Lenox, or Star Soap, .25 10 bars Large Size Soap, .25 Elastic Starch, .09 Cow Brand Soda, per lb., .03 1-2 Barley, per lb., .03 1-2 A No. 1 Early June Peas, Parson Brand, per can, .06 A No. 1 Brand Sweet corn, .07 A No. 1 Brand Tomatoes, .06 1-2 None Such Mince Meat, .09 Roman Sweet Chocolate, lb., .04 1-4 Bird Gravel, per box, .04 Good Brooms, two for .25 Fine Cut Tobacco, per lb., .25 Fresh, Full Cream Cheese always on hand. Look at our prices! Don't you think that it pays you to buy at the Tunkhannock Cash Store? Our shoe department.--Men's, boys', and children's shoes. Also ladies' and misses' shoes, and Oxford ties. We are selling them at bottom prices. And dry goods! Come in and leave your order at our place, and if you cannot come yourself send someone, and we will deliver you our goods for the prices we advertise them at. Remember the place, at the old National Bank Building, Tunkhannock, Pa. Goods delivered to any part of the city, Morris Malkinson, prop'r.

A "stud notice," which the Encyclopedia of Ephemera (New York: Routledge, 2000), pp 315-16, defines as: "A printed announcement . . . circulated to owners of horses in a particular district indicating that a named stud horse would be available to serve mares during a given season." The horse--Loch Fergeis--may be named after Loch Fergus , a loch in Scotland. The place names--Cummingstown, Palmstown, and Oakville--indicate locations in Cumberland County , Pennsylvania. I haven't been able to determine the year this notice was printed, nor have I been able to uncover much information about M. M. Hummel, D. W. Kough, and George H. Hummel. Farmers Take Notice! Loch Fergeis will stand for service the 1st week commencing April 7th, at M. M. Hummel's, on the road leading from Cummingstown to Palmstown, the following week at D. W. Kough's, about one-half mile south of Oakville and week about at above mentioned places. Terms:--$5.00 to insure a mare with foal, colt to stand and suck. Anyone parting with mare will be held for the insurance. If mare is parted with, insurance due at once. Description:--Dark roan, fine style and heavy bone, close jointed, sixteen and one-half hands high, weight, fifteen hundred lbs. George H. Hummel, owner and keeper

The Sunday school of the Third Moravian Church of Philadelphia used share certificates like this to raise funds for the purchase of a church bell. The sale of all 2,500 shares at 10 cents each would have raised $250, and perhaps that would have covered the cost of a bell in the 1870s, which is when these certificates were issued. For another nineteenth-century fundraising strategy that involved buying bricks rather than shares, see The Owner of This Card Has Purchased One Brick in the People's Church, Boston, Mass., ca. 1880 (below). Third Moravian Church Sunday School, Harrowgate, Philadelphia. 2,500 shares. 10 cents each. This is to certify that John Diehne is entitled to one shares in the bell of the Third Moravian Church at Harrogate, Philadelphia. Chas. Thieley, president. J. Lietz, secretary, Senseman & Son, Printers, 416 Callowhill Street, Philadelphia.

"Home Made Bean Soup, .25."

A sale bill for an auction that took place on December 19, 1885, at the Greenawalt House, which was a hotel located in Elizabethtown , Pennsylvania. I like the exclamatory combination of "Cattle and Apples!" Cattles and Apples! Keller & Alwine's Sale. Saturday, Dec. 19, 1885, The undersigned will sell at the Greenawalt House, in the borough of Elizabethtown, a lot of choice cattle, consisting of 10 fresh cows and springers, 10 head dry cows, 7 fine stock bulls, and a few fat cattle. Also a lot of choice apples and a number of sleighs, buggies, etc. 60 days' credit will be given. Sale to commence at 12 o'clock M. Keller & Alwine. H. Waidman, auc. Chronicle Print, Elizabethtown, Pa.

A box social was a fundraising event as well as a social occasion. In this case, I believe that the guys had to bid on one of the "carpet rag balls," which they'd then have to unwrap in order to discover whose name was inside. Once a fellow was able to determine which girl's name was inside the rag ball, he could dine with her and partake of the "box of eatables" she brought along. Of course, if a guy had a steady girlfriend, he had darn well better figure out ahead of time which rag ball to bid on! Box Social A Carpet Rag Box Social will be held at the Spring Hill House on Friday eve., Feb. 26, 1904. Proceeds for the benefit of the Spring House School. Every girl bring a carpet rag ball with her name in the center. Also a box of eatables. Similar events held at different times and places: "Monticello [located in Kansas] was well represented at the 'carpet-rag' box social at Round Prairie school house last Wednesday evening." -- Olathe Mirror (Olathe, Kansas), Jan. 20, 1898, p. 2. "Hallowe'en Rag Ball. A Hallowe'en Carpet-rag Ball will be held at the Trout Creek hall Saturday evening, November 3. Ladies should bring a carpet rag ball with name inside and a box supper for two. A price limit of $1.50 per ball has been set and the proceeds will be used for the purchase of playground apparatus for the Flat school." -- Sanders County Ledger (Thompson Falls, Montana), Oct. 25, 1917, p. 1.