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1882 Henry Hearne Illustrated Confectionery Billhead – Buffalo, NY – Addressed to Buffalo Art Dealer J.H. Young
Offered is an original November 10, 1882 handwritten merchant invoice issued by Henry Hearne, one of Buffalo, New York\'s notable late 19th-century confectionery manufacturers. Printed in striking red letterpress, the billhead features a large engraved illustration of Hearne\'s impressive factory and retail establishment at 110 Seneca Street, making it an exceptional example of Victorian advertising and commercial ephemera.
The invoice records the purchase of a variety of candies, nuts, and novelty items, including:
The total purchase amounted to $7.35.
The ornate billhead proudly advertises:
Henry Hearne
Manufacturer of Confectionery
By Steam Power
110 Seneca Street, Buffalo, New York
\"No Impure Articles used in this Establishment. All Goods warranted PURE.\"
The engraved illustration depicts Hearne\'s multi-story factory and storefront complete with horse-drawn wagons and prominent wholesale and retail signage, offering a wonderful visual record of Buffalo\'s booming commercial district during the Gilded Age.
Addressed to J. H. Young
The invoice is addressed to J. H. Young, likely John H. Young, proprietor of one of Buffalo\'s best-known art galleries, picture framing businesses, and suppliers of artists\' materials during the 1880s. Young was a respected merchant whose establishment served Buffalo\'s growing artistic community and affluent clientele, helping connect local artists with the city\'s expanding commercial art market.
If this identification is correct, the document represents a transaction between two notable Buffalo businesses, enhancing its historical appeal beyond that of an ordinary merchant invoice.
Historical Significance
By the 1880s, Buffalo had become one of America\'s fastest-growing industrial centers thanks to its strategic location on the Great Lakes, the Erie Canal, and expanding railroad network. Manufacturers such as Henry Hearne embraced mechanized production, proudly advertising confectionery made \"By Steam Power,\" reflecting the technological advances transforming American industry.
The guarantee that \"No Impure Articles used in this Establishment. All Goods warranted PURE\" also provides an interesting glimpse into consumer concerns over food quality decades before the Pure Food and Drug Act of 1906.
Illustrated billheads like this are highly collectible because they combine advertising art, local business history, architecture, and social history in a single surviving document. Buffalo industrial ephemera, particularly with detailed factory engravings, has become increasingly desirable among collectors.
Condition
Original 1882 document with expected folds from mailing and business use. The reverse shows evidence of scrapbook mounting, with remnants and paper loss from prior album removal. There is edge wear, minor losses, staining, and handling wear consistent with age. Despite these condition issues, the bold red engraved illustration remains exceptionally attractive and displays beautifully.
Please examine all photographs carefully as they form an important part of the description.
A scarce and visually impressive piece of Buffalo, New York history, documenting the city\'s thriving confectionery trade while linking two prominent Gilded Age Buffalo businesses through an outstanding illustrated Victorian billhead.
