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[Pittsburgh?, circa 1885]. Chromolithographic die-cut (5.75” x 10.75) on glazed cardstock, embossed, mounted on brown album leaf.

A vivid and highly detailed die-cut of a double-decker, horse-drawn trolley, advertising Gusky’s Emporium, with a lower level packed with ladies and gentlemen, and upper deck of seated gentlemen.

Sue Morris, who blogs on Pittsburgh history as The Historical Dilettante, has a good note on Gusky and his store, which we quote here with her kind permission:

Gusky's Clothing Emporium was located in a four story building in downtown Pittsburgh. It was there that Jacob Mark Gusky and his stepfather established the area's first big department store in 1865 in an antebellum-era building at Third and Market Street. Originally known as S. Cohen & Co., Gusky took over sole management in 1880. He remodeled and improved the building in 1885, adding gas heat and a steam power plant to run arc lights that allowed the store to stay open until 11PM for holiday shoppers. Technological advancements didn't make Gusky a legend, though; community-mindedness and philanthropy did. His store catered to the working and growing middle class, and the Guskys were known for bailing out Homestead union supporters as far back as 1882. In 1887, Gusky's donated 4000 umbrellas/walking canes to anyone choosing to walk in the Pittsburgh Labor Day parade. But it was in 1881, just a year after he took over the store from family partners, that Gusky inaugurated his grandest demonstration of civic responsibility. He decided to make sure that children living in Pittsburgh and Allegheny orphanages received gifts from Santa on Christmas Day. Mind you, Mr. Gusky was Jewish. A caravan of over 25 wagons "loaded down with presents of all kind" and carrying two costumed Santas departed Gusky's at 9AM each Christmas day. The caravan divided, each with its own Santa, and set off to visit asylums in the two cities throughout the day to distribute gifts to orphans of all races and creeds. After Jacob Gusky's death from pneumonia at age 40 in 1886, it was assumed the tradition would end. But the Christmas caravans were continued courtesy of Jacob's wife Esther and his son-in-law Kaskel Solomon (**who became a Pittsburgh department store magnate in his own right).

An appealing die-cut with an interesting back story.

CONDITION: Good, minor imperfections on neck and shoulder of horse in foreground.

Item #6409

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