ANTIQUE BARBER SHOP Vintage Handwritten Ledger/Darke County Ohio OH RARE 1878
Item History & Price
| Reference Number: Avaluer:1708 | Year Printed: 1878 |
| Subject: Americana | Topic: Historical |
| Original/Facsimile: Original | Binding: Disbound |
| Special Attributes: Signed, 1st Edition, Manuscript |
EXTRAORDINARY, ORIGINAL 19TH CENTURY MANUSCRIPT LEDGER FROM A BUSY OHIO BARBER SHOP. This amazing volume dates from 1878-1885 and was kept by William McDonal (aka William McDonald) (d.1901). Author owned a busy barber shop in the village of Arcanum, Ohio. His son James learned the barber trade from him and also cut hair at his shop. Historical records indicate William McDonald also had another son Frank and a daughter. Among barber shop's repeat customers was local physician Dr. Donova...n Robeson with whom author sometimes bartered in exchange for "doctoring" services. Records show Dr. Robeson worked in Arcanum until 1900 when he moved to nearby Greenville where he built a renowned home. Constructed in 1902, the two-and-a-half story dwelling known today as the "Donovan Robeson House" is considered the city's most significant Queen Anne mansion. (Scroll down below description for more pictures).
Fascinating early volume chronicles the daily activity at William McDonald's busy barber shop where he serviced numerous local customers. The vast majority of entries throughout ledger pertain to business conducted at the barber shop and include author's original 1878 start-up expenses such as "Barber Shop" rent, "Chair and Glass", "Water Sink Bowl and Fixtures", etc. Author sometimes went above and beyond the call of duty for his customers. For example in late May of 1880 he attended to customer Charles Zimmerman's father, "shaving father when sick" multiple times then a few days later noting "shaving father when dead". Other entries here include barbering at Sunday times; barbering by the month; barbering cheeks; boy's haircuts; coloring whiskers; coloring mustaches; cutting hair for little girl; dressing hair; dressing shears; haircuts and shaves; haircuts, shaves and shampoos; hair cutting by hand; hair oil; hair restorative; shampooing hair and whiskers; shaving and coloring whiskers; shaving face; thinning hair; trimming whiskers; shaving by James (author's son); etc. William McDonald also occasionally makes notations regarding customers, for example "George Abbott Arcanum News" (local newspaper), "George Rogers R R" (railroad designation), "F. Bell Dentist", etc. Other notations include local travel taken by author, for example "Trip to Greenville and return for self, wife and James". An absolutely amazing barber shop manuscript from a bygone era and by far the most comprehensive such volume we have ever encountered.
While the vast majority of entries here pertain to author's barber shop activities, other entries indicate William McDonald was also sought after for his cutlery skills and other abilities as he dresses wood saws and meat saws; saws and splits cord wood; mows yards; builds a fence; repairs a bird cage; carpentering, joisting, and filing saws; etc. Author includes an inventory of saws near the end of ledger. Other entries here include "sprinkling streets", presumably a reference to watering down local dirt roads in order to minimize dust from horse and wagon traffic. Customer names throughout ledger also make for a treasure trove of early local history and genealogy.
Arcanum is located in Darke County, Ohio. According to recent census figures, the population of the village currently stands at about 2, 129. Arcanum was originally laid out in 1849 and the railroad arrived in 1852. A post office has been in operation at Arcanum since the arrival of the railroad. Darke County was created in 1809 and was organized in 1817. It is named for Revolutionary War officer William Darke and the county seat is Greenville. Notable county residents include Annie Oakley, famed 19th-century markswoman who performed with Buffalo Bill's Wild Westshow, who was born in Darke County, as was Lucullus Virgil McWhorter, a farmer and frontiersman who studied and wrote about the historical American Indian tribes of West Virginia and Ohio. After moving to Yakima, Washington, in 1903, he documented and became an advocate for the contemporary Yakama and Nez Perce peoples, and collected their oral histories. The travel author and broadcaster Lowell Thomas was born in Darke County.
Along with village of Arcanum and city of Greenville, Darke County today also comprises the villages of Ansonia, Bradford, Burkettsville, Castine, Gettysburg, Gordon, Hollansburg, Ithaca, New Madison, New Weston, North Star, Osgood, Palestine, Pitsburg, Rossburg, Union City, Versailles, Wayne Lakes, and Yorkshire; the townships of Adams, Allen, Brown, Butler, Franklin, Greenville, Harrison, Jackson, Liberty, Mississinawa, Monroe, Neave, Patterson, Richland, Twin, Van Buren, Wabash, Washington, Wayne, and York; and the other communities of Abbottsville, Baker, Beamsville, Braffetsville, Brock, Coletown, Cosmos, Dawn, Delisle, Fort Jefferson, Frenchtown, Hill Grove, Horatio, Hunchberger Corners, Jaysville, Lightsville, Nashville, New Harrison, North Dayton, Otterbein, Painter Creek, Pikeville, Poplar Ridge, Rose Hill, Savona, Sharpeye, Stelvideo, Tampico, Weavers, Webster, Willowdell, Woodington, and Yankeetown.
Condition: Rare book remains in fair condition only (see pictures). Early ledger lacks covers and spine; outer front and back pages obliterated, lacking some leaves and several leaves loose, scattered minor staining, ink smudging, tearing, some edge wear, dog eared corners to last few leaves, etc., generally clean internally with ink bold and legible throughout. Rare volume contains about 250 pp. of manuscript entries; and measures approx 12" tall x 8" wide x .75" thick. Despite ledger's deficiencies, quite a find and a very worthy acquisition indeed.
Payment and Shipping: Please see our feedback and bid with confidence. Never a reserve and very low opening bid as always. For international shipping quote, please contact us. Bidders with no established feedback must contact us before bidding. Massachusetts residents must add 6.25% sales tax or include dealer tax resale number. Payment must be received within 5 days after close of auction. Thanks for your interest!On Jun-13-19 at 19:35:42 PDT, seller added the following information:
Fascinating early volume chronicles the daily activity at William McDonald's busy barber shop where he serviced numerous local customers. The vast majority of entries throughout ledger pertain to business conducted at the barber shop and include author's original 1878 start-up expenses such as "Barber Shop" rent, "Chair and Glass", "Water Sink Bowl and Fixtures", etc. Author sometimes went above and beyond the call of duty for his customers. For example in late May of 1880 he attended to customer Charles Zimmerman's father, "shaving father when sick" multiple times then a few days later noting "shaving father when dead". Other entries here include barbering at Sunday times; barbering by the month; barbering cheeks; boy's haircuts; coloring whiskers; coloring mustaches; cutting hair for little girl; dressing hair; dressing shears; haircuts and shaves; haircuts, shaves and shampoos; hair cutting by hand; hair oil; hair restorative; shampooing hair and whiskers; shaving and coloring whiskers; shaving face; thinning hair; trimming whiskers; shaving by James (author's son); etc. William McDonald also occasionally makes notations regarding customers, for example "George Abbott Arcanum News" (local newspaper), "George Rogers R R" (railroad designation), "F. Bell Dentist", etc. Other notations include local travel taken by author, for example "Trip to Greenville and return for self, wife and James". An absolutely amazing barber shop manuscript from a bygone era and by far the most comprehensive such volume we have ever encountered.
While the vast majority of entries here pertain to author's barber shop activities, other entries indicate William McDonald was also sought after for his cutlery skills and other abilities as he dresses wood saws and meat saws; saws and splits cord wood; mows yards; builds a fence; repairs a bird cage; carpentering, joisting, and filing saws; etc. Author includes an inventory of saws near the end of ledger. Other entries here include "sprinkling streets", presumably a reference to watering down local dirt roads in order to minimize dust from horse and wagon traffic. Customer names throughout ledger also make for a treasure trove of early local history and genealogy.
Arcanum is located in Darke County, Ohio. According to recent census figures, the population of the village currently stands at about 2, 129. Arcanum was originally laid out in 1849 and the railroad arrived in 1852. A post office has been in operation at Arcanum since the arrival of the railroad. Darke County was created in 1809 and was organized in 1817. It is named for Revolutionary War officer William Darke and the county seat is Greenville. Notable county residents include Annie Oakley, famed 19th-century markswoman who performed with Buffalo Bill's Wild Westshow, who was born in Darke County, as was Lucullus Virgil McWhorter, a farmer and frontiersman who studied and wrote about the historical American Indian tribes of West Virginia and Ohio. After moving to Yakima, Washington, in 1903, he documented and became an advocate for the contemporary Yakama and Nez Perce peoples, and collected their oral histories. The travel author and broadcaster Lowell Thomas was born in Darke County.
Along with village of Arcanum and city of Greenville, Darke County today also comprises the villages of Ansonia, Bradford, Burkettsville, Castine, Gettysburg, Gordon, Hollansburg, Ithaca, New Madison, New Weston, North Star, Osgood, Palestine, Pitsburg, Rossburg, Union City, Versailles, Wayne Lakes, and Yorkshire; the townships of Adams, Allen, Brown, Butler, Franklin, Greenville, Harrison, Jackson, Liberty, Mississinawa, Monroe, Neave, Patterson, Richland, Twin, Van Buren, Wabash, Washington, Wayne, and York; and the other communities of Abbottsville, Baker, Beamsville, Braffetsville, Brock, Coletown, Cosmos, Dawn, Delisle, Fort Jefferson, Frenchtown, Hill Grove, Horatio, Hunchberger Corners, Jaysville, Lightsville, Nashville, New Harrison, North Dayton, Otterbein, Painter Creek, Pikeville, Poplar Ridge, Rose Hill, Savona, Sharpeye, Stelvideo, Tampico, Weavers, Webster, Willowdell, Woodington, and Yankeetown.
Condition: Rare book remains in fair condition only (see pictures). Early ledger lacks covers and spine; outer front and back pages obliterated, lacking some leaves and several leaves loose, scattered minor staining, ink smudging, tearing, some edge wear, dog eared corners to last few leaves, etc., generally clean internally with ink bold and legible throughout. Rare volume contains about 250 pp. of manuscript entries; and measures approx 12" tall x 8" wide x .75" thick. Despite ledger's deficiencies, quite a find and a very worthy acquisition indeed.
Payment and Shipping: Please see our feedback and bid with confidence. Never a reserve and very low opening bid as always. For international shipping quote, please contact us. Bidders with no established feedback must contact us before bidding. Massachusetts residents must add 6.25% sales tax or include dealer tax resale number. Payment must be received within 5 days after close of auction. Thanks for your interest!On Jun-13-19 at 19:35:42 PDT, seller added the following information:
