A Product from a Merchant Who Issued and Made Civil War Tokens

BillJones

The "Good for Scent" token by Joseph Merriam has become an iconic piece in the Civil War token series. It is a bit of 19th century humor that still draws a smile. Another of Merriam's tokens, the salamander design Merriam & Co. issued might have been almost as iconic except for two factors. First, it is virtually unknown in any grade above EF, which is a big deal it today's quality obsessed market. Second, it is such are a rare piece that it seldom comes to the market. Estimates range at around 15 examples known.



Recently one of Merriam's paper presses cropped up in a Stack's Americana auction. The bidding history on this sorted so I won't get into it, but one of the interested parties allowed to me buy it for which I am very grateful. It is not a salamander press, but it does feature the "king of beasts." It is signed below the lion's mouth as, "JH Merriam Manuf'r / 18 Brattle Square Boston." This is the first and only product I have ever owned that was made by merchant who issued a Civil War store card that advertised their business. It is not a salamander press, if one still exists, but it is still a neat item. The estimates are that this piece was made sometime in the period between 1869 and 1872.

jonathanb

I saw a salamander press from Merriam last year, so they definitely still exist. I didn't have a clue what it would be worth, so I passed.

kaz

very cool, bill. The salamander token is very unusual.

numisma

What plate is in the press? Do you have a copy of an actual paper product that is associated with your lion press? Very cool.

BillJones

<< <i>What plate is in the press? Do you have a copy of an actual paper product that is associated with your lion press? Very cool. >>



No I don't. I'd hate to press on it make one and break the spring although it seems to be in good shape. I'll see if I can take a picture and then go for the mirror image option.

Justlooking

That is super cool. I would imagine these would go anywhere from $700 to $1,200 or so.

numisma

Can the plates be changed to create new cards? It looks like everything is solid and not interchangeable.

Quarternut

Bill,

Congratulations on acquiring an interesting and historical item that can be linked back to numismatics.
That is one of the awesome things about being a collector...you can collect in any direction imaginable.

But I have to tell you that at least this particular press was not designed and made by Joseph Merriam.
It was patented and made by Robert B. Carsley of Boston and was merely used as an advertising venue by Merriam.
Here is the original Patent:



ROBERT B. CARSLEY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

Design No. 3,363, dated February 9, 1869.

DESIGN FOR A CANCELLING- AND EMBOSSING-STAMP.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the same.

To all persons to whom these presents may come Beit known that I, ROBERT B. OARSLEY, of Boston, in the county of Suffolk,
and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and ornamental Design for a Gancclling and Embossing-Stamp;
and I do hereby declare the same to be described as follows, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,
of which- Figure l is a side view,
and Figure 2, a front elevation of it.

In the said drawings- A is the base-plate, on which is a die-plate, B, and the hind legs of a lion are elevated in manner as shown.

The remainder of the lion, O, which, at the rump, is hinged to the hind legs, has the fore paws resting on another die-plate, D,
which projects from them in manner as exhibited, each of the two die-plates being of a rectangular shape.
The paws of the front legs project over the upper edge of the upper die-plate.

A spring, E, resting on a projection from the baseplate, extends up into a recess in the body of the lion,
and serves to raise the body into an inclined position, relatively to the base-plate.

The design in question is composed of the lion, the die, and bed-plates, arranged and formed as described and represented.
I claim the said design for a cancelling-stamp or press.

ROBERT B. OARSLEY, Witnesses:

R. H. EDDY, SAMUEL N. PIPER.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Here is a picture of another example without the Merriam info stamped on the front:



Carsley alo patented a Buffalo press in 1871:



And here is the Salamander (the site I got the picture from says it is actually a frog):




I think it more likely that Merriam was the die cutter for the dies that were in these presses and he advertized
that on the second token you show with the Salamander press.

All in all a very item!

QN

BillJones

It makes sense that Merriam would not have made the actual press, but just the dies. Thank you for posting that extra bit of information.

The plate on the piece reads:

"P & J. Hickey
dealers in
Groceries, boots & Shoes notions & C
Salem NY"

I am pretty sure it is New York although that part is a bit mushed. I looked up on the Internet, and there is an old town named Salem in New York.

Quarternut

Bill,

With further research, it appears that Merriam did make seal presses, just not the Lion press you now own. Here is a link to a website with more info on Merriam and seal presses...

Merriam Eagle Press

QN

BillJones

Here is a mirror image view of the stamp that is under the lion's paws.

Icollecteverything

All really cool stuff!

I think that last press that they called a frog looks like a toad. It really doesn't look like the salamander press that is shown on the token.

Zoins

Very cool Bill! Awesome, historical piece to go with the token

LotsoLuck

Great post BillJones. I love the Salamander. Before the bunny with the pancake on his head there was the Salamander

sealcollector

The token as well as seal is the Merriam Toad, as was advertised by Merriam. There is no salamander press, as Shenkman in his 1980 article ignored earlier coin dealer references to the Toad press and token. There is no evidence of a salamander press. The only unknown Merriam seal press is the Omega. Merriam and family did make (his shop on Brattle Sq. Boston) seals and plates as well as other items. Recently uncovered was his masterpiece Boston Eagle press, of which a record sum was paid. The toad token went for over $3500.00
see
http://norcalseals.weebly.com/

ricko

Great history in this thread.... the toad/frog/salamander does have a tail though... so not sure how it qualifies as a toad or frog.... Cheers, RickO

sealcollector

Does not have a tail, look at the Toad press, this is what Merriam put on the token, look carefully, its the back of the lily pad. Shenkman spread this mis-nomer starting 1980. Check the reference from the Numismatist I cited. There are no Merriam ads for a salamander, my website has all if not most of the Merriam advertisements, NO Salamander, only reference to the Toad press.

http://norcalseals.weebly.com/merriam-eagle-press-1865.html

Cheers

numisma

Sealcollector, thank you for clarifying, and also "welcome to the forum!"

I did visit your website, and other sites, but I am not 100% clear on the application of the presses. Do you have a link to an article and/or images of the items produced with the presses? Were they strictly for advertising purposes? How easy is it to remove the plates and set up a new arrangement with other plates? Just trying to understand the reason why merchants would have purchased these presses, and how they were used in the daily channels of commerce. Thanks

sealcollector

Greetings fellow collector:

The cast iron lever and percussion seal presses were to emboss papers, (a raised seal) as in corporate, court, Masons, Order of the red men, Eastern Star, odd fellows, notaries, schools, etc. either to make their paper work sealed as official or officious. (these papers were then "under seal" and earlier ones were wax impressions from a one sided die") Between 1850 and 1930's anyone who was anyone had a seal press. Most were plain, earlier ones were popular lion heads, sea monsters etc. The process was one bought the press, had the upper brass plate engraved by a die sinker such as Merriam, and the press was turned upside-down and lead poured though the bottoms to conform with the upper die. (bottom Pour holes help date a press).

Every town had a small foundry back then, and currently each month or so another press is discovered. JH Merriam then his son? made, engraved and sold presses as did dozens of other merchants and companies. Merriam tokens or store cards were also made in shop, some original some muled. Shenkman had never seen the Toad press, there are about a dozen known. Clearly the "tail" is actually the toads appendage (foot) however in miniature as on the token, Shenkmen unwittingly declared it a salamander and boasted of a Merriam Salamander (in caps) advertisement. None exist, I have most if not all Merriam advertisements on my web-site. Further more he ripped off the same article published in 1905,
and I am shocked the numismatic community has not outed Shenkman.

Free free to ask any questions, cheers

DorkGirl

sealcollector

Very cool item Bill.

numisma

Free free to ask any questions, cheers

Are both articles (1905 original and 1980 version) available online?

Also, BillJones' seal plate looks relatively large, and it was used for a grocery store. What would they grocers have stamped with the press? Flyers that they would hand out to customers, or was it for business and legal documents?

Between 1850 and 1930's anyone who was anyone had a seal press.

I am not "anyone" by any means, but I do have a seal press that I use for the purpose of my working library. However, it is not nearly as interesting and elegant as the old presses in this discussion.

sealcollector

Grocers and merchants had tokens known by numismatists as "store cards". Merriam made a few but not many. Merriam agents made a living by selling the lion Press for 5 dollars. A merchant who could not afford die struck store cards could afford a lion press that could emboss anything, invoices, labels. bag, blank cards, envelopes, buy 3 get one free maybe stamping), not making anything legal, but a foolproof ID as die sinkers were skilled engravers, hard to copy. etc. Notary, Court, municipal, etc seals made stuff legal. Many of the early percussion's were in fact sold to merchant's. In the one of a kind Sphinx press the nor=cal collection is from a phila screw merchant. The lion upper die, engraved was held by a burr pin, then filled with lead through top hole and sealed over. Notice that top hole on all lion percussion's The bottoms were poured upside down through pour holes made the raised bottom plate. Very hard to replace either one. They are of standard sizes, for lions and the buffalo percussion's. (you just a large picture, i have three in a row on line same size plates as top lion head had to align with bottom positive plate.

I have posted the Numismatist 2 issues on my site, but also the 1905 numismatist journal Merriam can be found under Google book search on line free, I bought a copy of the 1980 num journal containing shenkmans plagiarism. It stunned me, considering Shenkmans reputation.

And you bring out the "every-man appeal" a of seal press, you work in a more elegant library with embossed book pages and an officious looking historical tool that most certainly looks like it belongs there.

all questions invited

Zoins

@Quarternut said:
Bill,

With further research, it appears that Merriam did make seal presses, just not the Lion press you now own. Here is a link to a website with more info on Merriam and seal presses...

Merriam Eagle Press

QN

Here's an ad indicating that Merriam did manufacture the Lion press. This is from @sealcollector's website:

http://norcalseals.weebly.com/merriam-eagle-press-1865.html

ricko

Lots of interesting information on these embossing tools today....Other than seeing them mentioned from time to time, I never really thought much about them. Now I want an Omega embossing tool... Why? Because no one seems to have one, or even a picture of one. That would be super cool... Cheers, RickO

Portross

I found this discussion researching an odd little item I found in an old lap desk. It’s about 1.5” long and stamped J.H. Merriam. Is this the same man?