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This small (3.25x2) card is 154-years-old and is in good condition. It contains a calendar for the year 1870 and some metric street numbers on the back of the card. The owner of this book store was William Mann whose biography is listed below. There is one slightly bent corner and a little bit of yellowing of age.
The below biography of William Mann, proprietor of the Blank Book Manufacturer, Stationer and Steam Power Printer was written by the Digital Library Company.
William Mann, born June 14, 1814 in Philadelphia, proprietor of a Philadelphia blank book manufactory and stationery, printing and lithographic establishment (later William Mann Company), was active in the trade 1848-1881. Originally apprenticed in agriculture and carpentry, Mann entered the stationery and printing trade in Philadelphia in 1848 following his patenting of a binder for filing letters. He later patented copying paper (1852) and a paging and numbering machine (1874).
By 1850 Mann operated a binders and letterpresses manufactory at 74 (i.e., 000 block) North Fourth Street that evolved into a stationery by the mid 1850s at 34 South Third Street. By 1860 the business expanded into a blank-book manufactory, stationery, and letterpress and lithographic printing establishment at 43 South Fourth Street. Lithographic work included trade cards and job printing, and throughout the Civil War, Mann earned enough income to be taxed by the I.R.S. During the 1870s, Mann relocated to a larger location at 529 Market Street in 1872 and printed a visitor's guide as well as the "Centennial Calendar 1876" during the Centennial Exhibition. The firm remained active following Mann's death in 1881 and in the 1940s became a division of the Todd Company.
Mann was married to Mary Ann (b. ca. 1815) with whom he had several children, including sons Charles (b. ca. 1850) and Joseph (b. ca, 1840) who assumed operations of their father's business following his death. In 1888 the business was incorporated as William Mann Company.
During his career, Mann predominately lived north of Center City before relocating to Haddonfield, N.J. about 1870. According to the census for that year, Mann owned real estate worth $70,000 and personal estate worth $60,000. Between the 1850s and 1870, he resided in Philadelphia at 404 North Twelfth Street, 1711 Green Street, and 1736 Mt. Vernon Street, respectively. In the early 1880s, soon before his death, Philadelphia city directories also list a residence at 1813 North Broad Street. Mann died following a second stroke at his home in Haddonfield on September 7, 1881.
