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