Geography: Allentown

This trade blotter, dating from circa 1885, advertises S. Katzman, a designer and manufacturer of furs, located at 917 Hamilton Street in Allentown, Pennsylvania. The blotter features an image of a woman in a fur wrap. The blotter is part of the F. Earl Christy Collection.

This 1921 catalogue from A. Cohen Jeweler in Allentown, Pennsylvania showcases a selection of diamonds, watches, jewelry, and silverware. Established in 1906, the store was located at 393 Hamilton Street, opposite the Lehigh Valley Railroad Depot. The catalogue includes a detailed price list and descriptions of the merchandise. One item, #4.55, notably includes a clock advertisement from A. Cohen's store.

A Hebrew-language baptismal certificate filled in and signed by Martin Wetzler in Allentown, Pennsylvania on January 1, 1858. The certificate, printed on a form, includes watercolor details and is notable for Wetzler's unique status as a Jewish scrivener in the Lehigh Valley during this period. He is known to have sometimes included a Star of David and signed in Hebrew on these Christian certificates.

Printed baptismal certificate filled in and signed in Hebrew (Yiddish) by Martin Wetzler, a Jewish scrivener in Rockhill Township, Bucks County, PA, on October 4, 1864. The certificate is for Heinrich Roth. The form was completed with watercolors. This item is significant due to Wetzler's rarity as a Jewish scrivener in the Lehigh Valley at that time.

Invoice from H. Sofranscy & Co., dealers in scrap iron, steel scrap and metals, located at Brick and Liberty Sts. and L.V.R.R. in Allentown, Pennsylvania. Dated April 27, 1907. The bill lists an item purchased, likely scrap metal, by Dent Hardware Co. The invoice details the transaction and includes the item quantity, unit price, and the total value. The billhead displays typical early 20th-century lettering. The billhead is formatted to include a header section.

A broadside advertisement for Hess Bros. department store in Allentown, Pennsylvania, announcing a "Bargain Day" sale on Friday, May 2, 1903. The broadside was originally folded and included in an envelope addressed "To the Lady of the House." The address listed is 831-833 Hamilton Street, Allentown, PA.

An advertising envelope for Louis Ash & Co., Commonwealth Cigar Factory. The envelope features a logo depicting a shield and an Indian. Dated October 11, 1880.

Four-page program for the Third Annual Purim Ball held at Centre Square Hall in Allentown, Pennsylvania on March 22, 1886. The cover features an embossed image of Queen Esther. The interior lists the names of numerous individuals involved in the event.

A photographic postcard showing a full view of the Hess Brothers department store on Hamilton Street in Allentown, Pennsylvania. Published circa 1906. The postcard was likely produced by the Rotograph Company.

This trade card advertises Astrich's Palace of Fashion located at 737 Hamilton Street, Allentown, Pennsylvania. The front of the card features a winter scene with children playing in the snow. The scene is very colorful and features a variety of figures: two boys with sleds, a girl with a doll, and a girl in a red coat and white boots holding onto a small wooden sleigh. One of the boys has a red hat and the other a blue one. There are two small dogs behind them and a house with a snowy roof in the background. The back of the card is blank.

This trade card advertises Joshua Schnurman's dry goods store in Allentown, Pennsylvania. The front of the card (Image 1: https://iiif-images.library.upenn.edu/iiif/2/24ce3905-272d-43b1-9c13-8e7f5f03ae9e%2Faccess/full/!600,600/0/default.jpg) depicts a child in a wooded area, possibly intended to evoke a sense of wholesomeness or nature. The image's style and coloring suggest a late 19th-century aesthetic. The back of the card (Image 2: https://iiif-images.library.upenn.edu/iiif/2/d1614802-d10d-49af-83ff-be2dd190452e%2Faccess/full/!600,600/0/default.jpg) is blank. The card likely belonged to an early Allentown Jewish family.

This trade card advertises Joshua Schnurman's dry goods store at 713 Hamilton Street in Allentown, Pennsylvania. The card features an illustration of a child riding a frog. The child is wearing a red and white striped dress and a blue hat. The background is a simple design that includes the store name and address. This trade card was at the Library of Congress Exhibit in Cincinnati (AJA) during 2005.

This trade card advertises J. Schnurman, Son & Co., located at 713 Hamilton Street, Allentown, Pennsylvania. The front of the card features a decorative design of roses. The card is bordered with a decorative, light-blue design. The back of the card is blank.

This die-cut trade card for Hess Bros. New Dry Goods Store in Allentown, Pennsylvania, features a whimsical illustration of a wise man wearing a skullcap. He holds a placard with the message: "Be Wise and Do Your Shopping at Hess Bros. New Dry Goods Store." The figure is designed to stand upright. The card's design is simple yet effective, utilizing a single, eye-catching illustration to convey its message. The back of the card is blank. There is another card in this record, but it is a duplicate of this one.

Two trade cards, circa 1885. One card advertises George Kuhl's business; the other advertises Allen's Jewel, a five-cent cigar. Both cards are from Allentown, Pennsylvania. The George Kuhl card features a caricature that is considered anti-Semitic.

This is a die-cut trade card advertising Hess Bros., dry-goods merchants located in Allentown, Pennsylvania. The front of the card features a man wearing a skullcap. He is leaning over and appears to be holding an advertisement or brochure. The back of the card is blank.

This trade card advertises Schnurman, Roth & Co., proprietors of the Anchor Clothing Hall, located at 719 Hamilton Street, Allentown, Pennsylvania. The front of the card features a beautifully dressed woman in a blue gown with a wide, flowing skirt. She stands with a relaxed pose, her right hand on her hip, as she looks off to the left. The image is framed in an ornate border. The card has a red background. The back of the card is blank.

This trade card for Kaufmann & Goldsmith, located at 843 Hamilton Street in Allentown, Pennsylvania, features a comical illustration of a boy riding a donkey on the seashore. The front of the card is printed with the name of the business and its address. The back of the card is blank.

This die-cut trade card advertises Joshua Schnurman's dry goods store in Allentown, Pennsylvania. The card features a whimsical illustration of a man in a suit dancing on what seems to be a pallet. The style of the illustration and the man's attire suggest a late 19th-century origin. The back of the card is blank. This is one of two cards included in this record. The second card displays a similar design and illustration, suggesting a possible design variation or printing error.

This trade card advertises the Anchor Clothing Hall, a business owned by Schnurman, Roth & Co. The front of the card showcases an anchor entwined with roses, a visually striking design element. Below the image, the text 'Anchor Clothing Hall' and the street address, '719 Hamilton Street,' are prominently displayed. The card's design suggests a late 19th-century origin, fitting with the circa 1885 date. The back of the card is blank.

This trade card advertises Schnurman, Roth & Co., proprietors of the Anchor Clothing Hall, located at 719 Hamilton Street in Allentown, Pennsylvania. The front of the card features a winter scene with two birds perched on a yellow rose. The card has a simple, elegant design, featuring a black border and white text against a light background. The back of the card is blank.

Trade card advertising J. Schnurman, Son & Co., located at 713 Hamilton Street, Allentown, Pennsylvania. The card features images of roses and daisies. The card is undated, but is circa 1885 based on stylistic analysis. The card is from the collection of Judaica Americana.

This trade card advertises Hess Bros. Dry Goods at 831-833 Hamilton Street in Allentown, Pennsylvania. The front of the card features a winter scene with birds perched on branches. The card is designed to stand upright. The back of the card provides more details about the business. The back is in color, with the same birds and winter scene, but a large red border surrounds the Hess Brothers Dry Goods Advertisement. The back is also surrounded by a blue border.

This trade card advertises Joshua Schnurman's new dry goods store located at 713 Hamilton Street, Allentown, Pennsylvania. The card features an illustration of children, one of whom is dressed as a little Bo-Peep, looking out from a window. The text on the card notes that the store is located opposite the post office. The card's back side is blank.

Trade card advertising Joshua Schnurman's dry goods store, located at 713 Hamilton Street, Allentown, Pennsylvania, opposite the post office. The card features an illustration of children, one dressed as a jester. Circa 1885.

The trade card advertises Schnurman's Fancy Goods and Millinery Store, located at 713 Hamilton Street in Allentown, Pennsylvania. The front of the card features an illustration of a group of children, with a boy dressed as a jester. The card is similar in design to other Schnurman's cards, but with a different advertisement. The back of the card is blank.

This trade card advertises Schnurman's Fancy Goods and Millinery Store, located at 713 Hamilton Street in Allentown, Pennsylvania. The front of the card features a colorful illustration of children. A boy is dressed as a jester, with a tall hat, bells, and a playful grin. The card is a duplicate of another card. [Schnurman's specialized in fancy goods and millinery, which likely included accessories, ribbons, and other fashionable items.] The back of the card is blank.

Trade card advertising Joshua Schnurman's new store located at 713 Hamilton Street, Allentown, Pennsylvania, opposite the post office. The card features a pink rose and is dated circa 1885.

Trade card advertising I. Langfeld & Sons (Successors to I. Langfeld), purveyors of pocket satchels, books, and leather goods, located at 72 North 4th Street in Allentown, Pennsylvania. The card features a lithograph of a pocket book in red. Date estimated as circa 1870.

Printed baptismal certificate for Georg and Catharina Loeb, issued in Allentown, Pennsylvania on April 18, 1861. The certificate is filled in and signed in Hebrew by Martin Wetzler, a Jewish scrivener known for his work in the Lehigh Valley. The certificate features a Jewish star within the name of Benhiemer and Wetzler's Hebrew signature.

A filled-in and signed baptismal certificate written in Hebrew and Yiddish. The certificate, printed by Blumer, Busch & Co. in Allentown, PA, was created for Jacob Hartling and completed by Martin Wetzler on April 26, 1856. It features Jewish stars and Wetzler's distinctive Yiddish signature. The unusual birthdate of 1829 is noted.

Printed baptismal certificate filled in and signed by Martin Wetzler, a Jewish scrivener, for William Warwood on April 28, 1869 in Allentown, Pennsylvania. The certificate, printed by Leifenring in Allentown, is notable for Wetzler's rarity as a Jewish scrivener in the Lehigh Valley at that time. Wetzler, known as the "Jewish Dindamann" (penman), wrote in Hebrew, German, and English and sometimes included a Star of David on these Christian certificates.

Promissory note dated April 20, 1838, payable to Levy & Todd at the Trenton Banking Company. The note, issued in Allentown, New Jersey, promises payment of two hundred dollars two months after the date of issue. The document is headed 'UNITED STATES OF AMERICA' and features an American Bald Eagle and shield; an embossed seal is present on the bottom left. The note is signed by Levy and Todd, A. Beach, Esq., and a notary of Otsego County. S. Levy & Todd are referenced in a 1797 Pennsylvania lawsuit.

Autograph letter signed (ALS) from N. Metzger to Joshua Fry, dated January 30, 1856, expressing concern about Jewish peddlers in Allentown, Pennsylvania, and seeking Fry's support for a peddler's license law. The letter also includes political commentary and endorsements for Fry's reelection. This letter is one of several in a small archive of letters addressed to Pennsylvania Representative Joshua Fry around 1856.

A set of five trade cards advertising the business of Joshua Schnurman, located at 713 Hamilton Street in Allentown, Pennsylvania. Each card features a different floral illustration and the text "JOSHUA SCHNURMAN, 'New store, 713 HAMILTON STREET opposite the post office'...Allentown, Pa." The cards are estimated to date from around 1885.

Billhead from Joshua Schnurman, a jobber and wholesale dealer in American, English, French, and German fancy goods, hosiery, gloves, ribbons, laces, combs, suspenders, threads, and every variety of buttons and trimmings. Located at No. 9 East Hamilton Street, Allentown, Pennsylvania. The billhead is dated February 22, 1865 and is made out to the Lehigh County Poor House. The billhead features a decorative border, ornate lettering, and the business name printed in a bold font.

Billhead from H. Schnurman & Co., manufacturers and wholesale and retail dealers in flour, feed, grain, and plaster, located in Allentown, Pennsylvania. Dated December 31, 1868. This bill was issued to the Lehigh County Poor House, indicating a transaction for supplies. The bill lists various items purchased and their corresponding prices, with a total amount of $15.36 paid by check on December 31, 1868. The billhead has a simple layout with a printed header, clear business details, and handwritten entries for the transaction.