Description:

Unissued International Ocean Telegraph Company Stock Certificate

2pp (front and back), measuring 16.5" x 7.5", No place, n.d. [Ca. 1880s]. An unissued stock certificate, unsigned, for the International Ocean Telegraph Company. Decorated with an ornate purple border and a vignette of a ship. On verso is a note from R.H. Rochester to the American Bank Note Company, directing them on printing instructions. Reads in full:

"Gentlemen, Please make the stubs of stock certificates for Int Ocean Teleg Co like the within - On the green c't'f print "100" after "shares" - The first (topmost) number to be filled to correspond with attached c't'f. The language of the P/a & transfer on the back shd be the same as that on the Western Union Company's stock but you will please set it a little to the left as it is below in order that our cancellation of signatures may not cancel any of the P/a." Written in another hand at the bottom reads "Mar. 1881", helping to date the certificate. With flattened folds and small separations starting at the edges. Uneven left edge. Cancellation punches throughout, with some small tears and paper loss.

Just after the end of the Civil War, the International Ocean Telegraph Company was born! The company was founded with the intent to lay overland and submarine cables to connect the U.S. to Central and South America. Union Army General William "Baldy" Smith was named as president, and the company successfully laid cable to Cuba, connecting to Washington D.C. with Havana, in September 1867. By 1873, the Cuban line was handling more than 50,000 messages a year. The company would later be absorbed by Western Union in 1957.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.


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June 30, 2021 10:30 AM EDT
Wilton, CT, US

University Archives

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Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
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$100 $299 $20
$300 $499 $25
$500 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $2,999 $200
$3,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
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$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 + $5,000