Old Graphics, Letters & Other Paper Items
What follows here are old letters, postcards, ads, catalog pages, book illustrations and other similar items. One could have countless thousands or millions of such items but we’ll keep it well below those numbers.
For the most part, I will not include comment to the items but on occasion, there are interesting features that I will say a few words on.
If you have any other old paper you think would be good to put here, let me know.
This 1888 letter from John Pew & Son is ten times as great looking in hand. The letter head detail is much sharper than here because to copy and eliminate some shading, some detail was lost in the process. This letter is one of my favorite paper items.
“…I used to live in Gloucester, Mass., and the Pew & Sons postcard caught my eye.
You may know this, but Pew was probably using the hooks for long line fishing out on the banks (Georges Bank, etc. some 200 miles off New England Coast). They were dory fishing then, where the large schooner would set one or two-man dories out on the banks and the fishermen would set out long lines with baited hooks attached to high flyer floats. Then they would haul back after a few hours, signal the schooner and get picked up… if everything went right in that dangerous occupation.
I guess Pew didn’t like the hooks.
Best regards,
Rob Jagodzinski
Croton-on-Hudson, NY”
This is a wonderful original copperplate engraving ca 1780. The image is titled “Pl. 11. Filets de Peche, &c, Differentes sortes d’Hanecons et la Maniere de las Empiler.”
The print came from “The Encyclopedie Medthodique Par Ordre des Matieres” (“Methodical Encyclopedia By Order of Subject Matter”), published by Charles Joseph Panckoucke, in Paris France, 1780.
This is certainly the earliest example of how to snell a hook I have ever seen. With this print in hand, you feel the texture of the old paper and everywhere you look, you see something different. One of my favorite pieces.
William Mills & Son, letter 1881
This is an original Achim Johnson ad from an 1880 book. The back has ads as well. A rare item and it is in perfect condition.
This has nothing to do with fishing but I like it so here it is.
Arthur James trade card, Thom Nefos
Van Vleck hook advertisement
Victorian trade card for Clark’s Thread.
Van Vleck hook advertisement
Victorian trade card for Gowans & Stover’s soap.
Sales brochure for Wm E Hooper & Sons, Twines, netting and cordage with the original samples form 1878.
Reverse
Gift from Stearns.
French postcard.
French postcard
Victorian trade card.
French postcard
Victorian trade card.
Victorian trade card
Net fishing on the Columbia R. ca 1904
An original old German wood engraving print/book plate (not a modern reproduction) comes from a German “Brockhaus”. The print has been printed by Bibliographisches Institut Leipzig, Germany in 1894.
Victorian “studio” shot of boy fishing.
“Fishing Implements” A vintage engraving depicting fishing items. This engraving is from Henry Downes Miles “British Field Sports…” published in London by William Mackenzie, circa 1870.
Old sepia tone photo.
Meat hunters.
A leisurely afternoon in the sun.
A good day’s catch.
