| The pictures below show larger front and back views of all (3) Different Albany New York Two Sided Aluminum Newspaper Printing Plates in this lot. These aluminum printing plates are not dated and the year that they were made or used is unknown. The (6) images are older and Historic in nature. We are told that these printing plates may be from one of four Morris Gerber History books. He had made four books between 1970 and 1980 before he passed away. Each of the images have a paragraph or caption (see below). In the order pictured they are as follows: A brick building with signs and store fronts at the street level. Signs include “DOUW H. FONDA DRUG CO.”, “DOUW H. FONDA DRUG CO.”, and “THE H. R. SWENY SPORTING GOODS COMPANY”. There are displays in both of the store windows, and there is a Police Officer, in uniform at the bottom left. The paragraph below reads as follows: THE PHOTO WAS TAKEN WHEN ALBANY’S POLICEMEN AS YOU’LL NOTE FROM THE PATROLMAN ON HIS BEAT, WERE STILL WEARING THOSE HIGH GRAY HELMETS THAT SOME OF THE OLDER READERS WILL REMEMBER WELL. THE DOUW H. FONDA DRUG STORE, 70 AND 72 STATE STREET WAS ESTABLISHED IN THIS LOCATION IN 1865, AND CONTINUED IN BUSINESS THERE UNTIL ABOUT 1903. HARRY SWEENEY’S SPORTING GOODS STORE WAS IN BUSINESS NEXT DOOR TO FOND’S FOR PART OF THIS PERIOD. THE SITE IS NOW OCCUPIED BY THE SAVARD & COLBURN CLOTHING STORE. PHOTO TAKEN IN THE EARLY NINETEEN HUNDREDS. A fire truck image with Firemen in uniform, in front of an ”ALBANY FIRE PROTECTIVES” building. The firetruck is marked “PROTECTIVES 1 BOARD OF UNDERWRITERS”. Besides all the firemen, it has ladders, extinguishers, lanterns, a searchlight, boxes, and other firefighting gear. The caption below reads: H. & L. NO. 1, On HUDSON AVENUE BETWEEN GREEN AND PEARL STREETS. LEFT TO RIGHT: LT. HENRY BENSINGER, FRANK HERBERT, THOMAS BOOTH, EDWIN EWING, (SITTING AT WHEEL) LEWIS EVERETT, CAPT. JOHN SHEEDY, MICHAEL EVERETT, LEE HALEY. PROTECTIVES DISCONTINUED IN 1960. Next is a downtown image from the middle of a street with streetcar tracks. Many early 1900s or Victorian looking era buildings can be seen, a street car, early automobiles, a truck with advertising, ornate street lamps, and a large sign that reads: “BRESLAW BROS. SWEEPING $250,000.00 WAREHOUSE REMOVAL SALE”. The caption at the bottom reads: LARK STREET, LOOKING SOUTH FROM HUDSON AVENUE. The next image has a freighter steamboat or paddleboat named the “M. MARTIN” in front of a factory building. The Historic writing below it reads as follows: FROM THE CLOSE OF THE CIVIL WAR TO THE ADVENT OF THE PORT OF ALBANY NO BOAT ON THE HUDSON RIVER WAS A MORE FAMILIAR SIGHT TO MARITIME DWELLERS THAN THE M. MARTIN. THIS FREIGHTER WAS USED BY GEN. U. S. GRANT AS HIS DISPATCH BOAT ON THE JAMES RIVER. IN 1864-65 PRES. LINCOLN MET THE CONFEDERATE COMMISSIONER ON THE VESSEL, FEBRUARY 5, 1865 TO TRY AND END THE WAR. THE COMMISSIONER REFUSING TO ACCEPT ANYTHING BUT SEPARATION, THE CONFERENCE ENDED WITHOUT RESULTS. Next is another building with store front windows, signs, people, and more. You can see wheelbarrows, barrels, a dolly, plows, tools, pot belly stoves, tables urns, signs, partial signs, and much more. Some of the signs include: “AUCTION HOUSE”, “AGRICULTURAL STORE”, “MUNSELL”, “BOOK BINDERY”, “WENDOVER PHOTOGRAPHER.”, “AUCTION & COMMISSION.”, “80 JOHN M WHAN 80”, “82 PLOWS - SEEDS”, “WESTCOTT’S FURNITURE WAREHOUSE”, “MUNSELL BOOK BINDERY”, “ V. P. DOUWS CO.”, “NEW YORK CENTRAL”, and more. The writing below reads as follows: THE ABOVE PHOTOGRAPH SHOWS THE ORIGINAL STORE, AT 82 STATE ST., WITH THE FATHER OF GEORGE PRICE STANDING IN THE DOORWAY WITH A HIGH HAT. THIS STORE WAS ESTABLISHED AS PRICE’S SEED STORE AND CONDUCTED BY THE FAMILY OF THE PRESENT OWNER OF THE STORE LOCATED ON THE CORNER OF BEAVER AND WILLIAM STREETS. THIS SEED STORE HAS FLOURISHED WITH A GROWING ALBANY FOR OVER 120 YEARS. TODAY IT SERVES IN A MODERN MANNER, THE NEEDS OF THE MARKET GROWERS AND HOME GARDENERS. The final image in this lot is of a scene at the West Albany Cattle Stockyards. It has cattle, buildings, fencing, and more. Below the image it reads as follows: ABOUT 1889
THE WEST ALBANY STOCKYARDS AS THEY APPEARED AT THE HEIGHT OF THE THRIVING BUSINESS, JUST ACROSS THE BRIDGE AT WATERVLIET AVENUE. THIS WAS BEFORE REFRIGERATOR CARS WERE USED, AND THE CATTLE WERE FED AND WATERED BEFORE CONTINUING THEIR JOURNEY TO EMERGE AS PRIME BEEF. WEST ALBANY WAS ONCE AS WILD AS SOME OF THE TOWNS IN TODAY’S PRAIRIE TOWNS IN THE MOVIES. IT WAS COMMON TO SEE THE CATTLE BEING DRIVEN DOWN CENTRAL AVENUE ENROUTE TO NEW YORK OR CHICAGO. THE CATTLE BUSINESS ALONG WITH THE LUMBER AND STOVE INDUSTRIES ADDED CONSIDERABLE WEALTH TO LOCAL FAMILIES ENGAGED IN THE THREE LEADING INDUSTRIES, WHICH FLOURISHED AT THE TURN OF THE CENTURY. These would look great matted and framed. All three of these (six images) for one price! These plates vary in size, with the largest being the firetruck one measuring about 11-5/8'' x 9''. They appear to be in good to excellent condition as pictured. |
