| Manhattan, New York - February 21, 2008 | | | | was arrested, convicted of mail fraud, |
| - The February 6-7th, Winter, Stock & | | | | and deported to Jamaica. |
| Bond Auction at R. M. Smythe & Company | | | | Lot# 1092 (Presale Estimate - $500 to |
| (#277) saw heated bidding that was | | | | $1,000) Final Bid - $1400 |
| typified by the sale of a featured stock | | | | Chesapeake & Ohio Canal (MD) 1838. #12. |
| certificate from Buffalo Bills Wild West | | | | 2500 shs. People stroll along the Canal |
| Company, which saw a final hammer price | | | | and the Potomac River at left. Signed as |
| of $20,000. The beautifully illustrated | | | | corporate president by George C. |
| certificate featured a portrait of | | | | Washington (1789-1854), grand-nephew of |
| Buffalo Bill at top center. Other | | | | George Washington, congressman and |
| noteworthy sales that warmed the winter | | | | Indian treaty negotiator. Tape stain |
| auction included: | | | | center, otherwise VF.* |
| Lot # 1396 (Presale Estimate - | | | | This enterprise was chartered in 1828, |
| $15,000-25,000) Final Bid - $19,000 | | | | in succession to the old Potowmack |
| Accessory Transit (of Nicaragua) (NY) | | | | Company. Half of the six million in |
| 1856. #12. $5000. Bearer Bond. | | | | capital came from the States of Maryland |
| Auxilliary ocean going steamship. Signed | | | | and Virginia as well as the cities of |
| twice by Cornelius Vanderbilt as | | | | Washington, Georgetown and Alexandria. |
| president, and on the reverse. Not | | | | Although John Quincy Adams turned the |
| cancelled. John W. Amerman. NY. VF.* | | | | first spade, the undertaking was not a |
| Cornelius "The Commodore" Vanderbilt | | | | success. A change of plan widening the |
| (1794-1877) was an American financier | | | | canal made it impossible to finish the |
| and founder of his family's fortune. At | | | | work within the constraints of the |
| the age of 16 he bought a boat and | | | | capital. By the crash of 1837, all of |
| ferried passengers and goods between | | | | the $8 million had been spent and the |
| Staten Island and Manhatten. He later | | | | canal was still 50 miles from |
| made a fortune in the steamship | | | | Cumberland. In the meantime, President |
| business, earning himself the nickname | | | | Jackson had to repeatedly call out the |
| "Commodore." In 1862 he sold his ships | | | | militia to restore order among the |
| and turned to financing railroads, where | | | | quarrelsome and striking workers. |
| he amassed a greater fortune estimated | | | | Finally, in 1850, way over budget, the |
| at $100,000,000 making him one of the | | | | canal reached Cumberland, whose coal |
| richest men of his time. Accessory | | | | mines at least offered a commercial |
| Transit was organized by Vanderbilt to | | | | product that could be carried to |
| move passengers and freight to the West | | | | Washington. The company ran at a profit |
| Coast through Nicaragua. Vanderbilt | | | | from 1860-1880, with the exception of |
| hired C.K. Garrison as his agent through | | | | 1877 when a great flood on the Potomac |
| San Francisco, and Charles Morgan as his | | | | wrecked the works. The company got back |
| agent in New York. | | | | on its feet, but the Baltimore and Ohio |
| Shortly after this bond was issued came | | | | Railroad steadily drained away its |
| the "war of the three commodores," | | | | business. It lingered until 1924, when |
| between Charles Morgan, Cornelius | | | | another great flood destroyed the works |
| Vanderbilt and George Law. Accessory | | | | and made reconstruction financially |
| Transit competed openly with the | | | | impossible. The Federal government |
| Law-Aspinwall mail subsidy line. Morgan | | | | bought the land as a park in the 1930's. |
| and Garrison, on the other hand, | | | | Lot# 1116 (Presale Estimate - $600 to |
| manipulated the Transit's stock in such | | | | $900) Final Bid - $950 |
| a way that they profited while | | | | Lewis & Clark Centennial & American |
| Vanderbilt lost heavily. Vanderbilt is | | | | Pacific Expo & Oriental Fair (OR) 1904. |
| said to have stormed at them, "I will | | | | #1656. One share. Green. Large gold |
| not sue you because the law takes too | | | | embossed corporate seal with an image of |
| long. I will ruin you." | | | | a settler and Indian pointing to a map |
| Vanderbilt did manage to unseat Morgan | | | | of the Louisiana Purchase. "Where Rolls |
| and Hoyt from the board of directors, | | | | The Oregon" ships in harbor. Meriwether |
| but another headache immediately | | | | Lewis and William Clark on either side. |
| developed in the form of William Walker, | | | | Nicest we have seen. Extremely Rare. |
| who invaded Nicaragua with the support | | | | VF+. |
| of Morgan and his Associate! William | | | | This exhibition was held in Portland, |
| Walker made himself President of | | | | Oregon, in 1905, to commemorate the |
| Nicaragua. In order to get the money | | | | anniversary of the famed Lewis and Clark |
| needed to keep a 1200 man army together, | | | | expedition from St. Louis to the Pacific |
| he took sides in the in-fighting within | | | | Coast, which charted a route to the West |
| Accessory Transit Company. Foolishly | | | | through the Rocky Mountains. |
| backing those who had double crossed | | | | Lot# 1209 (Presale Estimate - $2,000 - |
| Commodore Vanderbilt, Walker confiscated | | | | $4,000) Final Bid - $2600 |
| the company assets and handed them over | | | | Estate of Alexander Hamilton (NY) Nov. |
| to the insurgent faction. Vanderbilt | | | | 29, 1804. $200. Printed form. Signed as |
| retaliated with a blockade, cutting | | | | trustees by Gouverneur Morris |
| Walker off from reinforcements while | | | | (1752-1816) patroon, Morrisana, diplomat |
| inciting the neighbouring states. | | | | and US senator. He was a member of the |
| Vanderbilt sent mercenaries to Costa | | | | Continental Congress and one of the |
| Rica, where they obtained a small force | | | | three drafters of the Articles of |
| of native troops to attack Walker. As a | | | | Confederation. Also signed by Rufus King |
| result Walker suffered defeat and had to | | | | (1755-1827), Revolutionary soldier, |
| flee in May 1857. Vanderbilt was then | | | | Continental Congressman, US senator from |
| back in business with Nicaragua. | | | | NY, twice a US senator, unsuccessful |
| The first Accessory Transit Certificate | | | | Federalist candidate for President in |
| signed by Cornelius Vanderbilt that we | | | | 1804 (thus at signing). Another signer |
| have sold in over a decade, a museum | | | | was Oliver Wolcott, Jr. The other |
| quality certificate that may not be | | | | signers were Robert Benson and Thomas |
| obtainable again in a lifetime of | | | | Wilkes. Framed behind glass with an |
| collecting. | | | | engraving of Gouverneur Morris. Not |
| Lot # 1083 (Presale Estimate - $1000 to | | | | examined out of frame, but appears to be |
| $1500) Final Bid - $1800 | | | | EF. |
| Black Star Line (DE) 1919. #2153. 5 shs. | | | | Issued just four months after Hamilton's |
| Green. Eastern Hemisphere globe with the | | | | famous duel with Vice President Aaron |
| title "Africa The Land of Opportunity" | | | | Burr. Hamilton was brilliant at getting |
| flanked by a field hand and an ocean | | | | the affairs of the United States in |
| liner. Signed by Marcus Garvey as | | | | order, but he allowed his own personal |
| president. VF.* | | | | finances to fall into complete disorder. |
| Marcus Garvey (1887-1940) was convinced | | | | The four gentlemen who signed this |
| that African Americans could not prosper | | | | certificate formed a committee to |
| in countries where they were the | | | | liquidate Hamilton's assets in order to |
| minority race, Garvey urged a "Back to | | | | try to save something for Mrs. Hamilton |
| Africa" movement, and conceived of a | | | | and the children. |
| steamship trading company trading | | | | Prices were generally much improved and |
| between New York, the West Indies and | | | | autographed items and rare pieces did |
| Africa. Over a half million in | | | | exceptionally well. None of the prices |
| subscriptions poured in, but the | | | | listed here include the Buyers Premium. |
| enterprise never materialized. Garvey | | | | |