"COMMODORE" CORNELIUS VANDERBILT (1794-1877). Vanderbilt, a steamship and railroad promoter, founded the family fortune which exists yet today. He began his rise at 16 as the owner-operator of a small ferryboat which ran between Staten Island and New York City. In 1829, after some years of running a hotel and various other enterprises, Vanderbilt entered the steamboat business on his own, operating a shipping service on the Hudson. By the early 1850s, he had established numerous shipping lines, with routes to Europe and to San Francisco via a Nicaraguan land route, and was widely considered the leading American steamboat owner. He acquired the title "Commodore" around 1845 as a result of his shipping interests. As he neared 70, Vanderbilt sold his shipping interests and turned his attention to railroads, a move which resulted in the creation of one the nation's great transportation systems. He began, in the early 1860s, by gaining control of the New York and Harlem Railroad, followed shortly after by the run-down Hudson River Railroad. In both cases, Daniel Drew and other stock manipulators tried to make a killing at Vanderbilt's expense by short-selling stock in these companies, then trying to force the stock price down. Vanderbilt outwitted them, however, and many either lost substantial amounts of money or were ruined. In 1867, Vanderbilt acquired the New York Central Railroad and, in 1869, merged it with the Hudson River Railroad, thus forming the New York Central and Hudson River Railroad. In 1868, Vanderbilt attempted to gain control of the Erie Railroad, but was, at last, outwitted by Drew, James Fisk, and Jay Gould, who were in control of the railroad and dumped 50,000 shares of fraudulent stock on the market for the unwitting Vanderbilt to buy up. The trio then escaped to New Jersey to avoid both Vanderbilt's wrath and prosecution for their scheme. Vanderbilt's well-documented battles with Drew and Gould for control of the New York & Harlem, Hudson River and Erie railroads form some of the most colorful and exciting pages in U.S. financial history. In 1873, convinced by his son, William, that they should extend their rail system to Chicago, Vanderbilt bought the Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railway and, in 1875, the Michigan Central and Canada Southern railroads. During the panic of 1873, Vanderbilt announced that the New York Central was paying its dividends as usual, and he let out contracts for the construction of the Grand Central Terminal. In this way, Vanderbilt used his wealth as stabilizing influence in the U.S. economy during the last years of his life. 1873, New York and Pennsylvania. Certificate for 1,125 shares of one hundred dollars each. Issued to and signed “C Vanderbilt” on the verso. Black on white paper. There are cut cancellations in the officers’ signatures that do not affect Vanderbilt’s dark signature in any way. The Dunkirk, Allegheny Valley and Pittsburgh Railroad traveled between Dunkirk, New York and Oil City and Titusville, Pennsylvania. It was formed by the consolidation of the Dunkirk, Warren and Pittsburgh Railroad with the Warren and Venango Railroad. It was then leased to the New York Central Railroad, which was controlled by Vanderbilt. The piece has light toning along top margin and is in fine condition. A rare piece by the original railroad mogul.

1868, Nevada. Stock certificate for 57 shares. Black. Nice woodcut vignette of a miner holding a pick at upper left. Litho. Attached adhesive at lower left. Signed as president of the company by ADOLPH SUTRO.(1830-1898). Mining engineer. Sutro formed the Sutro Tunnel Company which constructed a tunnel to provide ventilation, drainage and an easy means of transporting men and materials to and from the mines in the region of the Comstock Lode. Retiring to San Francisco in 1879, he became active in civic and business affairs, and was elected mayor in 1894. Always interested in the history and science of printing, he amassed a collection of over 200,000 volumes on this subject, much of which now forms a part of the San Francisco Public Library. A scarce certificate of this, one of the centuries’ most important engineering projects signed by Sutro. Uncanceled and Fine.

ADOLPH SUTRO  (1830-1898). Mining engineer. Sutro formed the Sutro Tunnel Company which constructed a tunnel to provide ventilation, drainage and an easy means of transporting men and materials to and from the mines in the region of the Comstock Lode. Retiring to San Francisco in 1879, he became active in civic and business affairs, and was elected mayor in 1894. Always interested in the history and science of printing, he amassed a collection of over 200,000 volumes on this subject, much of which now forms a part of the San Francisco Public Library. ALS. 2pp. 2 sheets. 5" x 8". Midland Grand Hotel, London. September 23, 1878. An autograph letter written to his daughter Emma, expressing that he will be delayed in London and that she should make arrangements to come over, telegraph him when her arrangements are made and "Be sure to take the day train."

1854, Illinois. Stock certificate for 4 shares of the Chicago & Rock Island Rail Road Co. Black on light blue paper. Signed as president by JOHN BLOOMFIELD JERVIS (1795-1885). Engineer, Chief engineer of the eastern division of the Erie Canal enlargement, one of America’s truly important early railroad engineers. Lightly pen and punch cancelled.

1887, New Jersey. Stock certificate for 5 shares of the Chicago, Burlington and Northern RR Co.. Green/Black. Attractive engraved steam locomotive vignette. Signed as President by JOHN MURRAY FORBES (1813 -1898); Railroad executive; Businessman; Public servant. Having accumulated a substantial fortune by 1846, Forbes turned his considerable talents to railroad construction and financings. He was the prime mover in purchasing and completing the unfinished Michigan Central RR, and constructing the roads which formed the nucleus of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy RR, of which he became president in the late 1870s. Always public-spirited citizen, Forbes made certain that the railroads in which he had an interest displayed a character and stability which significantly distinguished them from most of the other railroads of the day. His civic involvement began at the start of the Civil War, when he helped put the state of Massachusetts prepare for war, and he was instrumental in organizing the state's black regiments. In 1863, he was sent to England to block construction of, or to purchase, the so-called Laird rams that we being built there for the Confederacy. Throughout the war, his advice was constantly sought by all branches of government. A longtime member of the national executive committee of the Republican party, he broke with the party upon its nomination of James Blaine for the presidency in 1884. Stamp and punch cancelled.

1964, Florida. Partly-printed check payable to Montgomery Roberts in the amount of $100.05, drawn on Palmer First National Bank & Trust. Black on yellowpaper. At top left, a great photovignette of Kelly dressed as the sad-faced Weary Willie, the character that Kelly made famous (and vice-versa). Signed as maker in red pen by EMMETT KELLY (1898 - 1979); American circus clown. Kelly, whose name for many years was virtually synonymous with the term 'clown', became famous as Weary Willie, a sad-faced hobo in ragged clothing. Kelly, who first created Willie as a cartoon character in 1920, later assumed the role of Willie with the Ringling Brothers circus, on television, in films and in Broadway shows. Light stamp cancellation barely affecting the first few letters in Kelly's signature. Bank stamp cancellation.

1870, New York. Stock certificate for 100 shares. Blue. Vignette of allegorical figure at top center. Signed as vice-president by RUSSELL SAGE (1816 - 1906). Banker; financier; congressman. As the originator of "put and call options", Sage greatly changed the way speculators played the stock market. Among America's most powerful and wealthy bankers, he financed Jay Gould and made a vast fortune on the latter's stock manipulations. "Sage was one of the shrewdest and most conservative of all great financiers." (DAB) At one time he is said to have had $27,000,000 out on call loans. At the time of his death he left a fortune worth an estimated $70,000,000. Stamp and punch cancelled.

1870,Wisconsin and Minnesota. Stock certificate for 1 share of the Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway Company. Signed as vice-president of the company by RUSSELL SAGE (1816 - 1906). Banker; financier; congressman. As the originator of "put and call options", Sage greatly changed the way speculators played the stock market. Among America's most powerful and wealthy bankers, he financed Jay Gould and made a vast fortune on the latter's stock manipulations. "Sage was one of the shrewdest and most conservative of all great financiers." (DAB) At one time he is said to have had $27,000,000 out on call loans. At the time of his death he left a fortune worth an estimated $70,000,000. Punch cancellation slightly affecting signature. Very fine.

NEW YORK AND HARLEM RR STOCK SIGNED BY WILLIAM H. VANDERBILT AND CORNELIUS VANDERBILT JR. 1874. Punch cancelled at signatures.

1880, New York. $100 Income Mortgage Bond in the Ogdensburgh and Lake Champlain Railroad Company bearing 6% interest. Gray/Black with embossed orange company seal attached at bottom center. Nice detailed close-up on period steam locomotive at top center. Signed on verso as trustee by STUYVESANT FISH (1851 - 1923); Railroad executive. Fish was a member of a politically prominent New York family, his father having served as Ulysses Grant's Secretary of State. Fish himself was a prominent and successful businessman, holding executive positions in many companies. While he was President of the Illinois Central Railroad (1887 - 1906), it became one of the most prosperous railroads in the U.S. Fish's large signature is fresh and clear. Coupons at right. Uncancelled.

1870, Oregon. Partly-printed bank check drawn on the North Pacific Transportation Company payable to Geo. W. Wirdler in the amount of $374.63. Signed as maker by BEN HOLLADAY (1819 - 1887). Financier; Railroad and Express Company organizer. Founded the California, Oregona and Mexican Steamship Co. and the Northern Pacific Transportation Co. Orange imprinted revenue at center. Uncancelled and extremely fine.

1895, California. Stock certificate for 250 shares in the San Francisco & San Joaquin Valley Railway Co. Green/Black with orange overprint. Large vignette of steam locomotive at top center. Litho. Signed as president by CLAUS SPRECKELS (1828 - 1908); Sugar magnate. Following Spreckels' immigration to the United States from Germany to California, he became involved in the sugar business, soon thereafter realizing the possibilities of raising sugar in Hawaii. At his peak, Spreckels controlled upwards of 40,000 acres of cane producing land on the Island. The San Francisco and San Joaquin Railway was constructed by Spreckels in order to circumvent the transportation monopoly of the Southern Pacific RR, thereby ensuring a low rate for the transportation of his sugar cane. Stamp cancellation not affecting Spreckels' signature. Extremely Fine.

RUSSELL SAGE (1816–1906), a banker, financier and Congressman, originated "put and call options", greatly changing the way speculators played the stock market. Among America's most powerful and wealthy bankers, he financed Jay Gould and made a vast fortune on the latter's stock manipulations. At one time he is said to have had $27,000,000 out on call loans. At his death he left a fortune worth an estimated $70,000,000. 1878, Illinois and Indiana. Stock certificate for 50 shares of the St. Louis, Alton and Terre Haute Railroad Company issued to and signed “Russell Sage” on the verso. Printed in red ink with a vignette of cattle at the top center. Large vignette across the entire bottom of the certificate depicting a train entering a small railroad station. Pen and punch cancellations not affecting signature. An important addition to a banking or autograph related collection.