Archives International Auctions Auction 85 May 23, 2023

Archives International Auctions - Sale 85 81 April 4, 2023 Archives International Auctions www.archivesinternational.com EPHEMERA - AUTOGRAPHS - COMPUTERS & TECHNOLOGY 419 419 Thomas J. Watson Hand Signed and typed Letter to Willis K. Whitney Regarding George Eastman, 1931 Schenectady, NY, January 12, 1931, Society of the Genesee, Inc.. Letter to Mr. Whitney (an American chemist and founder of the research laboratory of the General Electric Company) detailing a Society of the Genesee event honoring George Eastman and his contributions to film and celebrating his patents. Hand signed typed letter from Thomas Watson as president of the society. Thomas John Watson Sr. (1874 – 1956) was an American businessman. He served as the chairman and CEO of International Business Machines (IBM). He oversaw the company’s growth into an international force from 1914 to 1956. Watson developed IBM’s management style and corporate culture from John Henry Patterson’s training at NCR. He turned the company into a highly-effective selling organization, based largely on punched card tabulating machines. A leading self-made industrialist, he was one of the richest men of his time and was called the world’s greatest salesman when he died in 1956. The letter refers to an award dinner given to George Eastman, who was frequently approached to receive awards and honors that would have focused public attention on him, but invariably Eastman “escaped” these offers. His typical reply was this response to the Society of the Genesee, whose membership included most of his long-time friends and business associates: “I deeply appreciate the honor, and deeply regret that it is wholly impossible for me to accept such an invitation. … I should be embarrassed beyond measure on such an occasion and do not feel that I could go through the ordeal.” In April 1930, after Tom Watson took over as president of the Genesee Society, the salesman went to work and succeeded in convincing Eastman to attend. He wanted this great industrialist to receive the public recognition of his peers that he so richly deserved. The press documents that Watson made a personal trip to Rochester and “prevailed upon him [Mr. Eastman] to accept the honor” from the “twelve-hundred-member society.” In June, the Society announced George Eastman’s acceptance. The organization celebrated Watson’s “noteworthy achievement” in overcoming Mr. Eastman’s “ever-increasing desire to retire from the public eye,” because everyone wanted to say thank you for the employment he had created locally, nationally and internationally, and acknowledge the estimated $80 to $100 million he had donated to worthy projects in his city, state, country and world. (From the John E. Herzog Collection) ������������������������������������ Est. $350-500 EPHEMERA - BANKING & FINANCE Florida 420 420 Apalachicola, Florida, Pair of First and Second of Exchanges, dated 1852 and 1856 Apalachicola, Florida, (Payable in Providence, Rhode Island), Lot of 2 Exchanges, Includes 1852, First of Exchange and 1856, Second Exchange, both are on light blue paper with steamboat, VF condition with minor toning. (2). Sold “AS IS” no returns accepted. ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ Est. $150-250 EPHEMERA - CALIFORNIA GOLD RUSH ERA California 421 421 Wells Fargo & Co. Collection of Issued Certificates and Banking Books, 1854-1969 California....., 1854-1969. Lot of 7 items featuring Exchanges, Telegrams and Financial History Books, Includes: Harnden’s Express Foreign Letter receipt dated 1854 for 1 box; Wells Fargo & Co. 1858, $50 Second of Exchange; 1859, with imprint “at your office in Boston”, $50 Second of Exchange; Wells Fargo & Co. Express 1899, Receipt; Booklet about the “San Francisco Clearing House Certificates of 1907-1908” printed by UC Berkley in 1909; and, the Bank of California Book of its history of the past 100 years printed in 1969. All items are in VF-XF condition. (7). Sold “AS IS” no returns accepted. One additional note, all of the items were purchased from, Vern Potter with his imprint on the backs of the holders. ������������������������������������ Est. $250-400