Presented to C. Baylies By the Class of 1874 and 1874 December 25th.
Exquisite hand-lettered penmanship example, 6¼" X 7", made by an unknown penman or penmen as a Christmas keepsake for the founder of Baylies' Business College of Dubuque, Iowa -- said one writer, "One of the best and most thorough Business Colleges in the West." Baylies served with the Kansas militia in the Civil War and moved to Dubuque in 1862, joining his cousin's business, Baylies Commercial College -- founded 1859 and the oldest school of its kind in Iowa. Before long he became a partner, and in 1863 it was renamed the Baylies Commercial School; as sole owner, he operated it until 1909; in 1876, he detoured and joined a group of prominent Dubuque citizens who established the Bell Gold Mining Company to mine gold in Plumas City, California. The title quoted above is the complete text, with "Presented to C. Baylies" in large ornate italic hand and thethree lines below ("By the Class of / 1874 and 1875 / December 25th") in a smaller, simpler hand and surrounded by elaborate decorative flourishes. A fine example of the type of decorative handwriting normally taught at business schools in the 19th century. Item #38334
Price: $75.00