1881 Antique Promissory Note — Amsterdam, New York | First National Bank | Morphy Brothers | $33.00
You are offerding on a beautiful original antique promissory note dated May 3rd, 1881, issued in Amsterdam, New York. This is a wonderfully preserved piece of 19th-century commercial paper with outstanding visual appeal.
Document Details:
- Date: May 3, 1881
- Amount: $33.00 (Thirty-Three Dollars)
- Payable to: Morphy Brothers
- Drawn at: First National Bank of Amsterdam (NY)
- Due: August 6th (three months after date)
- Signed by: Robt. Caldenwood
- Terms: "Three Months after date I promise to pay to the order of Morphy Brothers Thirty Three Dollars at the First Nat. Bank of Amsterdam — Value received with interest"
Reverse: Endorsed in bold period script by Morphy Brothers, with penciled accounting figures, and stamped/numbered 647 — consistent with bank processing and ledger recordkeeping of the era.
Condition: Good to Very Good for age. Light foxing and toning consistent with 143 years of age. Original folds present. A paper label remnant appears on the face (visible in photos). Printed vignettes remain crisp and sharp.
Printed Vignettes: This note features the classic Victorian-era decorative printing typical of the period — including a steam locomotive and freight wagons on the left and a tall-masted sailing ship on the right, framed by ornate scroll borders. The word DOLLARS appears in bold Gothic lettering. Stunning period aesthetics.
Provenance/Context: Amsterdam, New York was a thriving textile and manufacturing city in Montgomery County. The First National Bank of Amsterdam was a well-established institution of the post-Civil War era. The Morphy Brothers were likely local merchants or tradesmen operating in the regional commercial economy of the 1880s.
A wonderful piece for collectors of antique financial paper, New York state history, Victorian Americana, banking ephemera, or promissory note/check
