-
C.W. Billings Slate & Wood Mantel Works
•
Another magnificent billhead from the Biggert Collection. C.W. Billings was the proprietor of a factory that made slate and wood mantels, as well as tile hearths, brass fire plates, and fine finish grates. In the age before central heating, when every home had a fireplace and the well-to-do might have several, being in the…
-
Troy Stove Works
•
From 1864, the Biggert Collection has preserved this wonderful billhead from the Troy Stove Works of Burdett, Paris & Co. The office and showroom were at 253 River Street, a building which still stands on Monument Square and is known as the Burdett Building. (Curiously, “Burdett, Son & Co. also operated a wholesale wine…
-
Avery, Snell & Co.
•
Avery, Snell & Co. began as a crockery store in Amsterdam, NY known as Avery & White in 1874. Mr. Snell bought out Mr. White, and removed the wholesale department to Schenectady, leaving the retailing in Amsterdam. Presumably they branched beyond crockery; in 1878 they were listed as a dealer in bicycles as well.…
-
The Argus Company
•
The Argus was one of Albany’s prominent newspapers and publishing houses for decades. In addition to publishing The Argus since 1813, they printed numerous other publications and provided general printing, binding, electrotyping and stereotyping service. (How many people refer to a “stereotype” every day without knowing what one is? And without knowing that “cliché”…
-
Albany Agricultural and Machine Works
•
Peter K. Dederick’s Albany Agricultural and Machine Works was one of the first major agricultural implement factories. Dederick held several patents, beginning in 1843, and his works made the first commercial hay press. The works in Tivoli Hollow were massive, and a significant chunk of the old factory remains. The train tracks seen in…
-
Aerated Bread
•
Some academic collections serve a maddeningly singular purpose, but in this case that purpose serves Hoxsie well. Within Columbia University’s Avery Architectural and Fine Arts Library resides The Biggert Collection of Architectural Vignettes on Commercial Stationery. Luckily for us, this fascination with architectural vignettes produces some magnificent reminders of historical buildings in the Capital…
-
City and County Savings Bank
•
Once upon a time, banks had a single location. When we didn’t get around much, and lived pretty close to where we worked, that really wasn’t much of an issue. As cities spread, banks were eventually allowed to charter additional branches, each of which I believe required government approval. So we find in 1935…
-
Where’s your fingers, Gramps?
•
My grandfather, who was a carpenter among other things, was always missing his right thumb and forefinger. They were just stubs. He always said it was from playing with firecrackers, and he said it as an angry admonition that was supposed to instill fear. And it did — I never lit firecrackers in my…
Recent Posts
- Polo Player Nabbed As Game Violator
- Amsterdam Heiress: Prisoner of the Nazis
- The Stockade’s Antique Phone Booth
