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Complimentary Entertainments Given to the American Railway Master Mechanics Association by Their Friends in the City of Philadelphia at Their Third Annual Convention, Septr. 14th, 15th, 16th, & 17th, 1870.

Philadelphia: N.p, 1870. 8vo, original full black gilt-ornamented morocco covers, closely matching renewed spine, a.e.g; 15 tinted lithographic ff., printed on one side only, with variously tinted backgrounds.

Published on the occasion of the American Railway Master Mechanics Association’s Third Annual Convention, this beautifully produced souvenir volume contains the various announcements, programs, invitations, menus, etc. printed for distribution to members. All were printed by Philadelphia lithographer Jacob Haehnlen, whose imprint appears at the bottom of each, and the work is unusually fine. Jay Last has the following to say about Haehnlen:

“Philadelphia at this time was a center for producing high quality small labels for high-value products, and Haehnlen was one of the key lithographers involved in this work. He was an early user of embossing presses to give texture to labels and rolling presses to give luster and sheen to gold printing. He advertised himself as a fancy label printer, making labels for wine, liquor, perfume, and for druggists and manufactured products such as furniture. He also lithographed advertising posters and business cards using these high quality production methods.” (The Color Explosion : Nineteenth-Century American Lithography, p. 90).

A truly delightful volume effectively constituting a specimen book of Haehnlen’s fine lithographic work. Scarce. OCLC records only four copies.

CONDITION: Very good.

Item #3287

Price: $975.00