Alan Mays' photos with the keyword: 1876

With prices on one side and his name on the other, J. E. Wittmer designed this card to serve both as a business card and as a sample of the visiting (or calling) cards that he sold in Washington Boro , Pennsylvania, in 1876. Please note, however, that "Gold Extra" cards are no longer available. J. E. Wittmer / Fine Visiting Cards Reduced Price List, May 10, 1876 New and fashionable styles and varieties. Only the finer qualities of cardboard are used. Fancy Cards. - Bristol Board. - Gold Extra. 100 cards, one name and one style of type. 75c. 45c. 20c. 75 cards, 60c. 35c. 15c. 52 cards, 45c. 25c. 10c. 26 cards, 25c. 15c. 10c. When ordering cards please write name very plainly, thereby avoiding mistakes. Give your name, post office, county, and state in full, and mention the amount of money you send. J. E. Wittmer, Washington Boro', Lancaster Co., Pa.

For more information, see the full version of this check:

"The Columbia National Bank. No. 4159. Columbia, Penna., May 21, 1876. Pay to the order of C. J. Nourse, Jr. One and 80/100 dollars. $1.80. To Importers & Traders National Bank of New York. S. W. Shoch, Cashier. United States Internal Revenue, Two Cents. 2. National Bank Note Company, New York." Mouse over the image above to see an enlargement of the vignette of steamboats and sailing ships in the upper left-hand corner.

"Pennsylvania Railroad. Centennial Excursion. Under the auspices of Putnam Circle, No. 113, B.U. (H.F.) of Pa. Columbia to Philadelphia and return. On Saturday, October 14, 1876 . Tickets, $2.00. 1." As Wikipedia explains, the Centennial Exposition "was held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, from May 10 to November 10, 1876, to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence in Philadelphia." It was "the first official World's Fair in the United States." The organization sponsoring the rail excursion--"Putnam Circle, No. 113, B.U. (H.F.) of Pa."--was a local chapter of the Brotherhood of the Union (Holy Flame) of the Continent of America . Founded in 1850 by author and labor organizer George Lippard , the Brotherhood was "a secret benevolent society aiming to eliminate poverty and crime by removing the social ills causing them." Putnam Circle, No. 113, was organized in Columbia on February 10, 1875, and had sixty members by 1883, according to the History of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania , by Franklin Ellis and Samuel Evans (Philadelphia: Everts and Peck, 1883), p. 581. Columbia is located in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, about ninety miles west of Philadelphia.

"Chas. E. Marsh, International Exhibition, Fairmount Park, Philadelphia, Pa., 1876. Copyright 1876 by L. Prang & Co. Main Building, Horticultural Hall, Agricultural Hall, Art Gallery, Machinery Hall." Printed on the back: "Centennial Card. Retail price, 30 cts. per dozen." ("30" is crossed out, and "20" is written below it.) Since Charles E. Marsh's name also appears on a card in the holdings of the American Antiquarian Society that identifies him as a printer ("Chas. E. Marsh, card & job printer, business and address cards a specialty, Greenville, N.H."), it's likely that this was a sample card used to solicit customers for Marsh's printing business. He would have purchased blank copies of this card from lithographer Louis Prang 's firm and then printed individual names on them, as he did here with "Chas. E. Marsh." Although commonly called the Centennial Exposition today, the exhibition's full name when it was held in 1876 was the International Exhibition of Arts, Manufactures, and Products of the Soil and Mine. "Nearly 10 million visitors attended the exhibition and thirty-seven countries participated in it," Wikipedia reports. The five major buildings at the exhibition—the Main Building, Horticultural Hall, Agricultural Hall, the Art Gallery (also known as Memorial Hall ), and Machinery Hall—are depicted on this card. Although Charles Marsh may have attended the exhibition, it's possible that he advertised these cards elsewhere and filled orders through the mail.

"A Happy New Year, 1876. Mary A. Bacon. New Year's cards. 2 styles. Same price as emblematic. No. 2. Plaisted-Farwell."

For this cabinet card, see the front , a cropped version , a detail showing a close-up of the lyre and Miniature Masquerade Ball , and the back (thumbnail images for each of these are below). Unfortunately, I have not been able to locate any additional information about Frank Meger and his Miniature Masquerade Ball beyond the advertisement that appears on the back of this cabinet card photograph (see text below). -------- Photographer: B. F. Reimer, 13, 615, and 617 N. 2nd St., Philadelphia, Pa. -------- Frank Meger's Miniature Masquerade Ball Frank Meger's Miniature Masquerade Ball is herewith introduced to the public. This is something altogether new and novel, creating a great deal of amusement whenever shown (especially to children), and is intended for private entertainments, such as birthday parties, etc. This entertainment is all the more interesting since the lyre used is 200 years old, and was exhibited at the Centennial Exhibition in 1876. Whenever this Miniature Masquerade Ball is engaged, I give flute solos and dance music. For the above entertainment the terms are: to any part of the city, $3.00 from 8 to 12 p.m.; after 12 o'clock, $2.00 extra. Should piano or violin be desired, I can furnish the same at about the same price as the above. For special terms, address Frank Meger, 1309 Race Street, Philadelphia, Pa. (Comrade of Fred. Taylor Post, No. 19, G.A.R.). These photographs can be had for 25 cents each.

Detail showing a close-up of the lyre and Miniature Masquerade Ball. For this cabinet card, see the front , a cropped version , a detail showing a close-up of the lyre and Miniature Masquerade Ball , and the back (thumbnail images for each of these are below). Unfortunately, I have not been able to locate any additional information about Frank Meger and his Miniature Masquerade Ball beyond the advertisement that appears on the back of this cabinet card photograph (see text below). -------- Photographer: B. F. Reimer, 13, 615, and 617 N. 2nd St., Philadelphia, Pa. -------- Frank Meger's Miniature Masquerade Ball Frank Meger's Miniature Masquerade Ball is herewith introduced to the public. This is something altogether new and novel, creating a great deal of amusement whenever shown (especially to children), and is intended for private entertainments, such as birthday parties, etc. This entertainment is all the more interesting since the lyre used is 200 years old, and was exhibited at the Centennial Exhibition in 1876. Whenever this Miniature Masquerade Ball is engaged, I give flute solos and dance music. For the above entertainment the terms are: to any part of the city, $3.00 from 8 to 12 p.m.; after 12 o'clock, $2.00 extra. Should piano or violin be desired, I can furnish the same at about the same price as the above. For special terms, address Frank Meger, 1309 Race Street, Philadelphia, Pa. (Comrade of Fred. Taylor Post, No. 19, G.A.R.). These photographs can be had for 25 cents each.

For this cabinet card, see the front , a cropped version , a detail showing a close-up of the lyre and Miniature Masquerade Ball , and the back (thumbnail images for each of these are below). Unfortunately, I have not been able to locate any additional information about Frank Meger and his Miniature Masquerade Ball beyond the advertisement that appears on the back of this cabinet card photograph (see text below). -------- Photographer: B. F. Reimer, 13, 615, and 617 N. 2nd St., Philadelphia, Pa. -------- Frank Meger's Miniature Masquerade Ball Frank Meger's Miniature Masquerade Ball is herewith introduced to the public. This is something altogether new and novel, creating a great deal of amusement whenever shown (especially to children), and is intended for private entertainments, such as birthday parties, etc. This entertainment is all the more interesting since the lyre used is 200 years old, and was exhibited at the Centennial Exhibition in 1876. Whenever this Miniature Masquerade Ball is engaged, I give flute solos and dance music. For the above entertainment the terms are: to any part of the city, $3.00 from 8 to 12 p.m.; after 12 o'clock, $2.00 extra. Should piano or violin be desired, I can furnish the same at about the same price as the above. For special terms, address Frank Meger, 1309 Race Street, Philadelphia, Pa. (Comrade of Fred. Taylor Post, No. 19, G.A.R.). These photographs can be had for 25 cents each.

For this cabinet card, see the front , a cropped version , a detail showing a close-up of the lyre and Miniature Masquerade Ball , and the back (thumbnail images for each of these are below). Unfortunately, I have not been able to locate any additional information about Frank Meger and his Miniature Masquerade Ball beyond the advertisement that appears on the back of this cabinet card photograph (see text below). -------- Photographer: B. F. Reimer, 13, 615, and 617 N. 2nd St., Philadelphia, Pa. -------- Frank Meger's Miniature Masquerade Ball Frank Meger's Miniature Masquerade Ball is herewith introduced to the public. This is something altogether new and novel, creating a great deal of amusement whenever shown (especially to children), and is intended for private entertainments, such as birthday parties, etc. This entertainment is all the more interesting since the lyre used is 200 years old, and was exhibited at the Centennial Exhibition in 1876. Whenever this Miniature Masquerade Ball is engaged, I give flute solos and dance music. For the above entertainment the terms are: to any part of the city, $3.00 from 8 to 12 p.m.; after 12 o'clock, $2.00 extra. Should piano or violin be desired, I can furnish the same at about the same price as the above. For special terms, address Frank Meger, 1309 Race Street, Philadelphia, Pa. (Comrade of Fred. Taylor Post, No. 19, G.A.R.). These photographs can be had for 25 cents each.