Vintage Letters, Writing, Wax Seals, Letterhead Found

[ClassicHippie]

In going through some old family photos, I found these papers and a lot more. They're in great shape for being over 100 years old and just being thrown together in a random box. I thought others might like check them out too, considering we're all pretty much pen and paper crazy around here. I just took photos of them, but would like to scan and get better images soon.

 

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_fUHJLbT6CTo/TR5Mju5MfyI/AAAAAAAAlrA/IptQQubQkX0/s720/P1010588.JPG

A letter to my great grandfather, 1925

 

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_fUHJLbT6CTo/TR5M_uHbQsI/AAAAAAAAlsA/_Je92ZNZKi8/s800/P1010592.JPG

 

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_fUHJLbT6CTo/TR5NIR7rroI/AAAAAAAAuXU/CYfxh6n-dM8/s800/P1010593.JPG

My great grandfather's eight grade graduation program, 1896

 

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_fUHJLbT6CTo/TR5PRzqLohI/AAAAAAAAlv4/H0q1LdR6nLc/s800/P1010635.JPG

School standards were sure different in 1933! My sister is a teacher and said she's going to use this with her students now.

 

 

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_fUHJLbT6CTo/TR5NRcYV3MI/AAAAAAAAlsU/YngkMkTV_ek/s800/P1010594.JPG

My great grandfather's Sigma Alpha Epsilon Fraternity's Harvard Class Day, 1905

 

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_fUHJLbT6CTo/TR5NfcRfE5I/AAAAAAAAlss/EYQxAuCX5IY/s800/P1010596.JPG

The wax seal on the invitation

 

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_fUHJLbT6CTo/TR5P60-2AgI/AAAAAAAAmOY/A8r8lkdicS4/s800/P1010669.JPG

I love this handwriting!

 

 

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_fUHJLbT6CTo/TR5PsWHGmKI/AAAAAAAAmEY/LEwbJOAcHnc/s800/P1010630.JPG

My great grandfather was a Chemist and invented Orange Crush soda. This is the letterhead he used to write a quick love letter to my great grandmother when they were dating.

[Bo Bo Olson]

It must be nice to live in the same place for generations.

[ClassicHippie]

It must be nice to live in the same place for generations.

 

Well, not the same states, we've been in the same country for the past four generations on one side and since the mid-1700s on the other. Before that, my family was from England, Ireland, Scotland, France, Denmark, Switzerland, Luxembourg, Poland, and Germany. We've traced back pretty far in the family tree.

[HDoug]

I love looking at old handwriting and letters and the like. Very cool -- thanks for posting. I'm really impressed that your great grandy invented Orange Crush!

 

Doug

[Corona]

How neat! I really do enjoy going back through my great-grandparent's things, they really give you a glimpse back in time!

 

I love Orange Crush, by the way. I wonder if it's changed dramatically since then?

[jbn10161]

Really interesting. Thanks for posting these.

[ClassicHippie]

In 7th grade, I had an family tree project and served Orange Crush to my class after the presentation. I got an A+

 

My great-grandfather was Neil Ward, the one referenced in the above items from Harvard, and he invented it with his friend Clayton Howell in 1916. He was an extract chemist and they wanted "crush" in the name to reflect the process of extracting oils from oranges. It was originally called Ward's Orange Crush and had fresh orange pulp in the soda. They sold the company a long time ago and Dr. Pepper own it now.

 

My family collects pretty much anything that says "Ward's Orange Crush" on it and I'm always on the lookout for more!

[pen2paper]

Love the history lesson, and photos!

question due to the 1916 date of the product.. among your collected Ward's Orange Crush items, were there any lapel studs? celluloid cap over metal? fairly common advertising tool before the end of WWI.

 

 

[indigirl]

So cool... thanks for posting! I love looking at this kind of stuff

[jbb]

I love the Orange Crush letterhead. It's wonderful. Great post. Thanks for sharing all this. My original inspiration for writing with dip pen was my husband's collection of his family letters -- some dating to the 1830s. Here's a marriage document from 1867.

 

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5133/5397053346_173ced73b6_b.jpg

[Shangas]

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_fUHJLbT6CTo/TR5NfcRfE5I/AAAAAAAAlss/EYQxAuCX5IY/s800/P1010596.JPG

 

That's not a wax seal, that's a coat of arms.

[HDoug]

I love the Orange Crush letterhead. It's wonderful. Great post. Thanks for sharing all this. My original inspiration for writing with dip pen was my husband's collection of his family letters -- some dating to the 1830s. Here's a marriage document from 1867.

 

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5133/5397053346_173ced73b6_b.jpg

 

Wow, your husband is related to the Doles and Rowells of Kauai? That's amazing. That marriage document dates from when Hawaii was still a sovereign nation kingdom under Kamehameha V. The George Dole of the document must be the brother of Sanford Ballard Dole, no? The documents date from an incredibly important and contentious period in Hawaii's history. Have the documents been digitized or otherwise made available for study? Just wondering. It really is mind boggling, what you have there...

 

Doug

[jbb]

I love the Orange Crush letterhead. It's wonderful. Great post. Thanks for sharing all this. My original inspiration for writing with dip pen was my husband's collection of his family letters -- some dating to the 1830s. Here's a marriage document from 1867.

 

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5133/5397053346_173ced73b6_b.jpg

 

Wow, your husband is related to the Doles and Rowells of Kauai? That's amazing. That marriage document dates from when Hawaii was still a sovereign nation kingdom under Kamehameha V. The George Dole of the document must be the brother of Sanford Ballard Dole, no? The documents date from an incredibly important and contentious period in Hawaii's history. Have the documents been digitized or otherwise made available for study? Just wondering. It really is mind boggling, what you have there...

 

Doug

 

LOL. Welcome to my world. George is Sandford's brother.... I guess Sanford is my great, great, uncle-in-law. We never met.

[ClassicHippie]

Love the history lesson, and photos!

question due to the 1916 date of the product.. among your collected Ward's Orange Crush items, were there any lapel studs? celluloid cap over metal? fairly common advertising tool before the end of WWI.

 

 

I'm pretty sure my dad has some- I'll have to ask to be sure. I've seen them before, I'm just not sure if he has them or one of the cousins.

 

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_fUHJLbT6CTo/TR5NfcRfE5I/AAAAAAAAlss/EYQxAuCX5IY/s800/P1010596.JPG

 

That's not a wax seal, that's a coat of arms.

How does one make something like this?

[pen2paper]

http://www.fountainp...ing-techniques/

Think this thread on illuminated writing may help as well as others in the Penmanhip forum -there are books, products, technique discussed, and among those who "know".

 

As to a possible lapel stud, and other "Wards Old Crush" history - stated: your family is interested in collecting - having the family dig out, and examine, what was once the family sewing/button basket, could yield some fascinating finds. Small, but important family trinkets, too valueable to discard, were deposited there for safekeeping. Spread them out, closely examine.. they will fill in small details of family life. look at old family photos at the same time.. you''ll ID fraternity pins, merit pins, wedding, baby buttons.. all sorts of great "stuff". the best, and tiniest stuff is usually at the bottom. Once you have made some positive identifications, attaching notes keeps the history "intact" ..

 

Before you you repackage, and tuck the items away, take note if there was any rust -rusty items were Not put IN there - Rust ocurred due to celluloid, and metal being confined in an airless environment.. celluloid offgasses, gas = moisture, moisture corrodes metal, Clean, dry, dark, acid-free storage - celluloid not in contact with metal- or stored separately - with some air circulation, will allow the items to be enjoyed by Your great-grandchildren : )

edited to add: just reread this above, you may well know all of this.. don't wish to project as a stuffy know-it-all.. have personally observed many family treasure chests that upon reopening, the family found a strong odor of vinegar/camphor, with melted, crumbling plastics, and rusty metals. Just a little extra care, and these objects continue to be enjoyed for generations to come : )

Edited January 29, 2011 by pen2paper

[Aslan]

I came here for the pens, but stayed for the history lesson!

 

Great stuff folks!

[kiavonne]

How does one make something like this?

 

I believe it is an engraved seal. An expensive process, to be sure, but very elegant - that one in particular. Have you seen Chemyst's avatar? His personal stationery has an engraved seal which he had created by Piccolo Press in Scotland. Very, very nice stuff.

 

Let me also add my thanks for posting this thread. It has really been wonderful to read, and the learning valuable!

[Soot]

Thanks for sharing your family history with us!

 

I'm not sure if this has to do with the passing of time, or the sentimental value that I adore, I really think the style of writing back then has some distinct character! That makes me wonder whether the future generations will have the same feeling towards our writing style now (when they see it one hundred years later), and that's if they still see some of our writings, and not some computer print-out.

[fiberdrunk]

 

How does one make something like this?

 

 

It's possible it was an embossed rubber stamped image. Embossing powders combine with pigmented rubber stamp ink, and are then heated to form a raised surface. That'd be my guess, though I didn't realize they had those back then.

 

Gorgeous letter. Thanks for sharing!

 

eta: for clarification

Edited January 29, 2011 by fiberdrunk

[mstone]

I'm not sure if this has to do with the passing of time, or the sentimental value that I adore, I really think the style of writing back then has some distinct character! That makes me wonder whether the future generations will have the same feeling towards our writing style now (when they see it one hundred years later), and that's if they still see some of our writings, and not some computer print-out.

 

They'll probably look at our handwriting the way we look at this, and leave it to experts in obscure fields of study:

 

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5b/Shakespeare-Testament.jpg