Bidspirit auction | Late 19th to Early 20th

Late 19th to Early 20th Century Collection of New York and Pennsylvania Family Correspondence and Legal Ephemera - An assortment of antique American paper ephemera documenting the lives and legal affairs of the Wetmore, Schutt, and Pepper families, primarily centered in upstate New York and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The collection includes a large, decoratively engraved insurance policy from the Agricultural Insurance Company of Watertown, N.Y., dated June 17, 1869, issued to Abner Schutt for property in Penfield, Monroe County. This document features a printed eagle motif and is signed by John C. Cooper as President and Isaac Munson as Secretary. Accompanying this are related premium receipts, including one dated July 8, 1869, signed by agent A. W. Turnbull, which bears a two-cent brown U.S. internal revenue stamp. The correspondence includes multiple envelopes and postal cards with various postmarks including Mexico, N.Y., Buffalo, N.Y., Chicago, Ill., and Pittsburg, Pa. Notable postal specimens include a 1907 envelope featuring a blue 10-cent Special Delivery bicycle stamp alongside red two-cent Washington stamps. Personal items include a 1910 dues receipt from Lodge No. 136, F. & A. M. in Mexico, N.Y., made out to Harry J. Pepper and signed by secretary R. H. Baker; a 1900 commencement invitation from the University of Buffalo Pharmacy Department for Jesse Parker Wetmore; and a legal document from the Surrogate's Court of Oswego County concerning the estate of Mary E. Wetmore. Social history is further represented by formal marriage announcements from 1908 and 1913, and a subscription notice for The Etude music magazine from Philadelphia. The collection shows significant age-related wear consistent with historical paper archives. The 1869 insurance policy exhibits heavy toning, deep fold lines, and small tears at the intersections of the creases (photo 11). Several envelopes have ragged edges, losses, and tears resulting from original opening (photos 2, 8, and 13). The Masonic dues receipt has a substantial irregular loss along the top edge (photo 5). General foxing, browning, and minor fraying are present throughout the assortment. The items are currently stored in a non-original cardboard shipping box (photo 1).