Description
This American office embossing press ( aka: seal press) was apparently patented twice in 1870s but only one of the patents has been found to date (see last image). R.B. Carsley of Chicago, Illinois received a patent (no. 152,329) on June 23, 1874 but he must have also received an earlier patent as this and some other known examples are stamped with a July 25, 1871 patent date. It was used for cancelling checks and affixing a name and address to documents. This example belonged to”S.E. Wood” a wholesale grocer in Toledo, Ohio. The use of the bison as decorative element is reflective of the expansion of the American frontier during the post-Civil War period, with bison herds being hunted to near extinction as the covered wagons rolled West.
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Dealer information
M and R Gordon
Michael and Roberta Gordon have been dealing in medical and dental antiques for more than four decades. They have helped build a number of major private collections and have contributed to the holdings of many museums. They also deal in other scientific and technology related items, including calculating instruments, office machines, patent models and wine-related accessories such as corkscrews. ROBERTA GORDON IS A SKILLED RESTORER WHO CAN HELP YOU WITH ANY INSTRUMENTS AND CASES THAT NEED ATTENTION. Feel free to contact them for details at: [email protected] or 718-623-6777