A fine set of three varieties of this choice, graphic railroad stock certificate. These wonderfully engraved certificates depict a steam locomotive flanked by steamboat scenes at both sides. A fine offering of an extraordinarily graphic 19th century railroad certificate. All lightly punch cancelled.

1907, Paris, France. Stock certificate for 100 francs. Green Black. Wonderful art nouveau design depicting two female figures at sides. Nice large phonograph at lower left, early records at lower right and top center. Litho. Attached coupons at right. Uncancelled and Extremely Fine with one vertical fold. Superb for display

1872, Cincinnati. Certificate for 100 preferred shares issued to JOHN FREMONT and signed by him on the verso. Fremont (1813-1890) was an explorer and a Civil War Union general. He was the Republican Party’s first candidate and at the beginning of the Civil War, he commanded the Union Army's Western Department. His ill-advised proclamation confiscating the property of rebelling Missourians and emancipating their slaves soon caused his resignation. After the war, Fremont became interested in Western railroads but, after a series of disastrous ventures, lost both his fortune and reputation. Black on white paper. Top center engraved vignette of Cincinnati and left side vignette of a young woman. A small edge chip at bottom center and slight loss of paper at upper left corner. Uncancelled and in very fine condition.

1887, Ohio. Stock certificate for 100 shares of the Cleveland and Marietta Railway Company. Brown/Black. Engraved vignette of a steam locomotive. Issued to and signed on verso "in trust for A.C. Lanier by CHARLES LANIER (b. 1837). Capitalist. Lanier inherited his interest in the banking house of Winslow, Lanier & Co. from his father, J. F. D. Lanier. He served as a director of numerous railroads, Western Union Telegraph and many other companies. "One of the most capable bankers and businessmen . ." in New York. Punch cancelled and fine.

1923, Maioy. Exceptionally colorful bond depicting a stage with curtains, allegorical figures and designs. Attached adhesive revenue stamps. Superb for display. Extremely Fine.

Issued to J.S. Morgan & Co. London, Eng. First Preferred Stock Black. #A423 Both JP Morgan and JS Morgan sign for their brokerage firms on the same certificate. Signed on verso by J.S. Morgan and on front by J. Pierpont Morgan (signed as Drexel, Morgan and Co. in his hand) at left as Transfer Agent. Hole punch cancelled with J. Pierpont’s signature affected by one punch

1880, Texas. Stock certificate for 100 shares. Green/Black. Engraved vignette of cattle at watering hole. Issued to and signed on verso by RUSSEL SAGE RUSSELL SAGE (1816 - 1906). Banker; financier; congressman. As the originator of "put and call options", Sage greatly changed the way speculators played the stock market. Among America's most powerful and wealthy bankers, he financed Jay Gould and made a vast fortune on the latter's stock manipulations. "Sage was one of the shrewdest and most conservative of all great financiers." (DAB) At one time he is said to have had $27,000,000 out on call loans. At the time of his death he left a fortune worth an estimated $70,000,000. Also Signed as president by JAY GOULD (1836 - 1892); Railroad magnate; Financier; Stock market manipulator. Gould began his rise by gaining control of a small Vermont railroad in 1860 at the age of 24. Over the next 10-15 years he made a fortune by buying and selling railroads and manipulating their stock. His most famous railroad battle came in the late 1860's when, along with Jim Fisk and Daniel Drew, he struggled for control of the Erie Railroad against "Commodore" Vanderbilt. Gould went on to become "the most hated man in America" when his attempt to corner the gold market caused a panic termed "Black Friday" in September 1869. Turning towards western railroads in the 1870's, he came to own or control numerous roads, including the Union Pacific and Kansas Pacific. It is estimated that he controlled about 10% of the railroad track in the U.S. by 1880. He went on to gain control of the Western Union Telegraph Company, and the New York elevated railroad. At his death, his fortune was estimated to be $72 million. Very light browning along top edge. A couple of small, light ink stains affect nothing. Paper thinning at top left near attached stub lightly affecting border. Stamp and punch cancellations, the latter affecting Gould's signature.

1841, Massachusetts. Black. Stock certificate for 50 shares. A fine, detailed engraved vignette of an early steamboat at top center, steam locomotive crossing a bridge at left. The road extended 44 miles from Boston, Massachusetts to Providence, Rhode Island. One of America's earliest railroads. Pen cancelled and Extremely Fine.

1885 Stock certificate for one share of the Rocky Mountain Railroad Company of Montana.Black. Issued to and signed on verso by FREDERICK BILLINGS (1823- 1890). President of the NPRW. Billings Montana was named after him. Billings became a lawyer and in 1849, the year gold was found in California, he went west to make his fortune. He made it quickly, soon becoming a successful lawyer and realestate developer in San Francisco and one of the richest men in California. Signed as president of the company by SAMUEL T. HAUSER (1833 1914). Pioneer miner, capitalist and territorial governor of Montana. A rare association of these two western business pioneers. Billings signature remains uncancelled while Hauser’s is lightly affected by small punch cancellations.