Beaver Brook Slate Company

What a week I had, well two weeks. After visiting as many antique centers and flea markets near my home that I can find, it is getting harder to get to the new places without traveling at least two hours in one direction. So I rationalize the time and distance, and cost of fuel by starting my trips early in the morning and stopping at Dunkin Donuts for a coffee and muffin. Driving during the early morning avoids traffic and time seems to really fly by anticipating my next great find.

While on my excursions I try to follow my own advise and talk with as many people at local antique centers because they spend a lot of time talking with others dealers that you will never meet on your own. I can't tell you how many people said they did not have anything for me only to tell me about some who might. After arriving in the remote corner of eastern Pennsylvania, searching though the every booth, one proprietor started calling local acquaintances to see if they had anything I might be interested in purchasing. No luck there, but I have to give her a call-out for her customer service. Thank you Zionsville Antique Center.

The Beaver Brook Slate Company 1875

So back to one of my discoveries. My first treasure was displayed in a plastic bag tacked on a wall of one of the hundreds of dealer nooks near Stroudsburg in Monroe County, Pennsylvania. Within the bag was The Beaver Brook Slate Company serial number 1, dated 1875 from Warren County, New Jersey. The certificate is signed by Treasurer, George H. Bender and President, George Seitz. The stock is issued and not canceled with allegorical figures on the top of the certificate. I am still looking for more information about the company. Initial search results place the company on New Jersy Route 46 just south of the Delaware Water Gap. On my way home it occurred to me that there might be more available just not displayed, but no, as this certificate was part of a box lot purchase at a local auction included with a stack of older personal papers. Please let me know if you have seen one of these before or know anything about the company.

Hobby uses for Business Cards

I just noticed an amazing deal from VistaPrint where you can get 250 business cards cheap plus shipping. I paid an couple of bucks to include the image of the horse drawn trolley. I copied the vignette from my certificate of the Syracuse Consolidated Street Railway dated 1891. This is a great way to get your name along with your collecting themes to dealers without writing it out by hand every time you meet a dealers at trade shows and antique centers.