Picture yourself as an American livestock worker at the turn of the 20th century. What would success look like?
Hagley has acquired an interactive print, Clay, Robinson & Company live stock commission, that offers us a view as fleeting as it is diverting. Its 1909 copyright belongs to J.L. Bieder Co. of Chicago who marketed the paper slide device as the “Changing Picture Puzzle.” The front and back covers form a case, sealed on all edges except for a small gap. This opening allows a pull tab to be used to manipulate a color lithographic card inside. Ten horizontal slats, each cut 5 mm wide and 5 mm apart, reveal the model of prosperity even as they conceal a less fortunate fellow underneath.
What makes the difference between the riches and the rags? The answer is information. In this promotional piece, Clay, Robinson & Company appeal to an important link in the animal husbandry chain: the feeder. His job is to purchase young calves and raise them for the beef market. As the publisher of a weekly livestock report, Clay, Robinson & Co. promoted material vital to this pursuit, such as announcements of auctions, advertisements for equipment, and testimonials on customer satisfaction. By placing this engaging ad directly into the hands of the feeder, Clay, Robinson & Co. fuel his fire for useful knowledge, in turn boosting their own subscriptions and increasing their stature as livestock commissioners.
Another recent Hagley acquisition sheds further light on the role of commission men. The secrets of success in business (Chicago: Metropolitan Pub. Co., 1883) is a splendid compendium on the conduct of business in the late 19th century. The authors, Howe and Powers, address practices as fundamental as penmanship and bookkeeping, in settings as varied as banks, railroads, and commodity exchanges. Their chapter on the Union Stock Yards of Chicago (see right) portrays the commission man as the essential intermediary who buys livestock from the feeder and sells it to the packing houses for a fee. Woodcut illustrations and blank forms (see right) bring the work to life.
Hagley received The secrets of success in business through the Patrick M. Parkinson Collection of the History of American Banking. Our cataloging team is processing some 60 linear feet of banking history documents that date from the time of the American Revolution to the early 21st century. Formats include pamphlets, monographs, serials, broadsides, and ephemera. You may follow our progress in the Hagley online catalog and look forward to profiles of other items of interest in this space.
Alice Hanes is the Technical Services Librarian at Hagley Museum and Library