Colorado Telephone Company
Colorado Telephone Company
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- Inventory on the way
Product Details
Beautifully engraved antique stock certificate from the Colorado Telephone Company dating back to the early 1900's. This document, which is signed by the company President and Secretary, was printed by the Denver Litho Co. and measures approximately 11" (w) by 8 1/2" (h).
This certificate's fantastic underprint features an old wall mount phone.
Gorgeous piece!
Images
Historical Context
Frederick O. Vaille landed the 17th American Bell franchise nationally, less than a week behind Minneapolis and less than a year after New York City. The chance to get rich always draws guests, and seldom are they welcome.
Within five months, their little company faced a better-financed challenger with better technology, the Colorado Edison Telephone Company, a Western Union-backed endeavor that used the superior Thomas Edison transmitters and carbon microphones. After a legal battle over Bell’s patent, the two companies merged nationally on November 10, 1879, and the Denver Dispatch Company was not only spared but thrived with Edison’s ingenuity.
In 1881, Vaille and Henry R. Wolcott turned Denver Dispatch into the Colorado Telephone Company, as the company had grown from the initial 161 subscribers making local calls in Denver to more than 1,200 that included Boulder, Golden, Central City, Colorado Springs and Pueblo. And in 1888, Horace Tabor sold his Leadville Telephone Company to Vaille and Wolcott, giving them telephone service to Colorado’s second-largest city at the time. (That money helped make Augusta Tabor a wealthy woman in California after her 53-year-old husband left her for 28-year-old Baby Doe McCourt, who helped spend the millions he made off silver.)
In 1911, the Colorado Telephone Company merged with the Rocky Mountain Bell Telephone Company and the Tri-State Telephone Company to form the Mountain States Telephone & Telegraph Company, an AT&T affiliate that served seven states and lasted until 1984, when federal anti-trust legislation forced the break up of the “Ma Bell” monopoly.
Additional Information
Certificates carry no value on any of today's financial indexes and no transfer of ownership is implied. All items offered are collectible in nature only. So, you can frame them, but you can't cash them in!
All of our pieces are original - we do not sell reproductions. If you ever find out that one of our pieces is not authentic, you may return it for a full refund of the purchase price and any associated shipping charges.
FAQ
Are the certificates offered on your site genuine or reproductions?
All of the certificates you see on our site are genuine pieces, we do not sell any reproductions.Are the certificates you sell negotiable on any of today's stock markets or indexes?
No. All of the pieces we sell are either canceled or obsolete and have collectible value only.
Are the images presented in your product listings of the exact piece I will receive?
It depends. We try to present images of the exact piece you will receive whenever possible. However, when we are offering quantities of a piece, this is impossible. Within every product page we detail whether or not you will be receiving the exact certificate listed, or if the image is a representative example of the one you will receive.
How will you ship my order and how much do you charge?
We ship all orders via the United States Postal Service. Most domestic orders are shipped via Ground Advantage. USPS International, Priority and Express Mail, UPS and DHL services are also available, and costs are calculated during checkout. Current charges may be reviewed here.
Can I return my purchase?
Absolutely. You may return any merchandise, for any reason, within 30 days of the purchase date for a full refund of the purchase price.
We guarantee all of our pieces to be authentic. If you ever determine that a piece is not authentic, it may be returned for a full refund of the purchase price as well as any associated shipping charges.
Shipping Information
If your order exceeds $35, and the shipping address is within the United States, shipping via USPS Ground Advantage is FREE!
We make every effort to ship out all orders within 24 hours of receipt.
We ship the majority of orders via the USPS, with domestic orders using the Ground Advantage service.
Shipping is calculated during checkout. Upgraded services such as Priority and Express Mail, as well as UPS and DHL options, are also available.
As soon as your order is shipped you will receive your tracking information via email.
OVERSEAS ORDERS PLEASE NOTE THAT WE DECLARE FULL ORDER VALUE ON ALL SHIPMENTS. CUSTOMER IS RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL VAT/CUSTOMS CHARGES.
Returns
Our goal is to make sure every item you receive is exactly what you had in mind. If you not happy with your purchase, we’ll help you get it sorted in a timely and professional manner.
You can return anything we offer for an exchange, refund or store credit within 30 days of delivery. Return shipping costs may apply, and the item must be in its original condition and packaging.
Any shipping charges collected on the original order are not eligible for a refund.
