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WASHINGTON E. CONNOR SIGNATURE JAY GOULD’S STOCK BROKER
A pair of rare old BUSINESS / FINANCIAL AUTOGRAPH with lots of interesting history as follows:
--Autographed Note Signed (ANS) with letterhead of THE UNION LEAGUE CLUB OF THE CITY OF NEW YORK, on fine, folded laid-paper stationary 5 x 8” with a bold TIFFANY & CO. Watermark, and content as follows:
Nov 18, 1930
W. L. Hamberger
Dear Sir
Any afternoon this week will be convenient for me to see you.
Very Truly Yours
WASHINGTON E. CONNOR
The letter is date stamped Nov 19 1930.
--ALSO, a second Connor signature on a white TIFFANY & CO. MAKERS NEW YORK embossed envelope (3.75 x 4.5"). The front of the envelope is signed "Sincerely Yours Washington E. Conner" in dark ink. The envelope appears to have no relation to the ANS, but was apparently also kept by W. L. Hamberger.
Connor was an early American financier & stockbroker, who was notable as being the partner of Jay Gould and the broker of the Jay Gould stock broking firm, which by 1885, was thought to do the largest brokerage business in the New York Stock Exchange. Jay Gould firmly holds the reputation in financial history as the most unscrupulous of the 19th century American businessmen stereotyped as robber barons.
The great Stock Trader Extraordinaire Jesse Livermore remembered Washington E. Conner in the classic book "Reminiscences of a Stock Operator:"
“When Jay Gould wished to cinch his control of Western U__ and decided to buy a big block of the stock, Washington E. Connor, who had not been seen on the floor of the Stock Exchange for years, suddenly showed up in person at the Western U__ post. He began to bid for Western U__. The traders to a man laughed at his stupidity in thinking them so simple and they cheerfully sold him all the stock he wanted to buy. It was too raw a trick, to think he could put up the price by acting as though Mr. Gould wanted to buy Western U__. Was that manipulation? I think I can only answer that by saying "No; and yes!"”
W. L. Hamberger was an Associate Editor of the “National Cyclopedia of American Biography” published by James T. White & Company. He was possibly corresponding with Conner concerning biographical entries. Hamberger kept a personal collection of autographs from prominent individuals he contacted for his work with biography.
Interesting and unusual old business / financial autograph note & unrelated envelope signed in good condition.
Price= $65.00
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