One-of-a-Kind, Long-Ago Prints These charming, rare prints of historical figures and events will make ideal gifts for promotions, anniversaries, retirements, birthdays, holidays and special occasions.  Because many are more than 75 years old, professionally matted and framed, they will impart a pleasing and keen authenticity to any room or office décor ... (more)     #1. Lord Timothy Cover, May 1928, dark green border around figure in black. Print Only (7 x 10) $25 Matted (11 x 14) $50 Framed (13 1/2 x 16 1/2) $75 Click to Enlarge Click HERE to Order   #2. Eastern Massachusetts Cover, Sept. 1926, light orange background, map in black. Print Only (7 x 10) $20 Matted (11 x 14) $30 Framed (13 1/2 x 16 1/2) $50 Click to Enlarge Click HERE to Order   #3. Boston Fire Cover, Oct. 1926, gray and black, in bright orange. Print Only (7 x 10) $25 Matted (11 x 14) $50 Framed (13 1/2x 16 1/2) $65 Click to Enlarge Click HERE to Order     #4. Mayflower Compact Cover, Nov. 1926, dark gold highlights over black drawing. Print Only (7 x 10) $20 Matted (11 x 14) $30 Framed (13 1/2 x 16 1/2) $50 Click to Enlarge Click HERE to Order   #5. Charles Morgan Cover, March 1927, green tint over black drawing of ship. Print Only (7 x 10) $20 Matted (11 x 14) $30 Framed (131/2 x 161/2) $50 Click to Enlarge Click HERE to Order   #6. Get Out and Get Under Cover, April 1927, Bright orange tint over black drawing. Print Only (7 x 10) $20 Matted (11 x 14) $30 Framed (13 1/2 x 16 1/2) $50 Click to Enlarge Click HERE to Order     #7. The Wanderer Cover, July 1927, dark yellow border, drawing of ship. SOLD   #8. Auto of 1902 Cover, Aug. 1927, green border around black. Print Only (7 x 10) $20 Matted (11 x 14) $30 Framed (13 1/2 x 16 1/2) $50 Click to Enlarge Click HERE to Order   #9. Mrs. O'Leary's Cow Cover, Oct. 1927, Fire-engine red tints over black drawing. Print Only (7 x 10) $100 Matted (11 x 14) $175 Framed (13 1/2 x 16 1/2) $225 Click to Enlarge Click HERE to Order     #10. Road Menace of 1880 Cover, April 1928, black drawing, in bright red. Print Only (7 x 10) $20 Matted (11 x 14) $30 Framed (13 1/2 x 16 1/2) $50 Click to Enlarge Click HERE to Order   #11. Gen. Joseph Warren Cover, June 1928, Black silhouette, red wreath. Print Only (7 x 10) $20 Matted (11 x 14) $30 Framed (13 1/2 x 16 1/2) $60 Click to Enlarge Click HERE to Order   #12. Auto Adventure Black and white drawing Print Only (4 1/2 x 6 1/2) $10 Matted (6 1/2 x 8 1/2) $25 Framed (8 x 10) $45 Click to Enlarge Click HERE to Order     #13. Brass Tacks? Black and white print and text. Print Only (7 x 10) $15 Matted (11 x 14) $25 Framed (13 1/2 x 16 1/2) $45 Click to Enlarge Click HERE to Order   #14. Six Thieves Light green background behind title in black text. Print Only (6 1/2 x 5 1/2) $20 Matted (8 1/2 x 7 1/2) $30 Framed (13 1/2" x 16 1/2) $50 Click to Enlarge Click HERE to Order   #15. Silver Anniversary Silver anniversary of auto insurance, first page Print Only (7 x 10) $100 Matted (11 x 14) $110 Framed (13 1/2 x 16 1/2) $150 Click to Enlarge Click HERE to Order     #16. Chasing the Rabbit Drawing in deep green. Print Only (7 x 3) $10 Matted (9 x 5) $20 Framed (11 x 7) $50 Click to Enlarge Click HERE to Order   #17. Parcel Post Postman in black with bright orange background. Print Only (7 x 10) $20 Matted (11 x 14) $30 Framed (13 1/2 x 16 1/2) $50 Click to Enlarge Click HERE to Order   #18. Hazardous Touring Initial W in dark green, drawing and text in black. Print Only (7 x 10) $20 Matted (11 x 14) $30 Framed (13 1/2 x 16 1/2) $50 Click to Enlarge Click HERE to Order     #19. Stutz No. 10 Black & white drawing. Print Only (6 1/2 x 4 1/2) $20 Matted (9 x 7) $30 Framed (13 1/2 x 16 1/2) $45 Click to Enlarge Click HERE to Order   #20. Hare and Tortoise Drawing in black and white. Print Only (3 1/2 x 7) $15 Matted (5 1/2 x 9) $25 Framed (7 1/2 x 11) $45 Click to Enlarge Click HERE to Order   #21. Tourist Floater Black and White with green rule across top. Print Only (10 x 15) $50 Matted (14 x 19) $75 Framed (16 x 21) $80 Click to Enlarge Click HERE to Order     #22. Thanksgiving Turkey Black and white. Print Only (7 x 10) $20 Matted (11 x 14) $30 Framed (13 1/2 x 16 1/2) $60 Click to Enlarge Click HERE to Order   #23. Local Agency System Pages from The Accelerator. Print Only (10 x 14) $75 Matted (14 x 18) $150 Framed (18 x 22) $200 Click to Enlarge Click HERE to Order   #24. Windstorm Mufflers in green, as is initial "W." Balance in black. Print Only (10 x 14 1/2) $100 Matted (14 x 18) $150 Framed (18 x 22) $200 Click to Enlarge Click HERE to Order     #25. Whaling Black and white drawing. Print Only (3 1/4 x 7) $15 Matted (6 1/4 x 10) $25 Framed (13 1/2 x 16 1/2) $60 Click to Enlarge Click HERE to Order   #26. Selling Without Punch Black and white drawing, initial S in red. Print Only (7 x 10) $20 Matted (11 x 14) $30 Framed (13 1/2 x 16 1/2) $60 Click to Enlarge Click HERE to Order   #27. When the Wind Blows Black and white drawing, The Accelerator in dark green. Print Only (6 1/2 x 8) $35 Matted (8 1/2 x 10) $50 Framed (10 x 12) $100 Click to Enlarge Click HERE to Order     #28. Aircraft Damage Red plumes following planes. Initial O in red. Print Only (7 x 10) $20 Matted (11 x 14) $30 Framed (13 1/2 x 16 1/2) $60 Click to Enlarge Click HERE to Order   #29. Agent Advertising Words on board in red, initial "A" and rule at top in red. Print Only (14 x 10) $100 Matted (18 x 14) $150 Framed (22 x 18) $200 Click to Enlarge Click HERE to Order   #30. The Home Office Title in bright orange, drawing in black. Print Only (7 x 10) $25 Matted (11x14) $50 Framed (13 1/2 x 16 1/2) $60 Click to Enlarge Click HERE to Order     #31. Paul Revere's Home Title in red, drawing in black. Print Only (7 x 10) $25 Matted (11 x 14) $50 Framed (13 1/2 x 16 1/2) $75 Click to Enlarge Click HERE to Order   #32. The Clipper Ship Ocean blue sky behind ship in full sail. SOLD   #33. Fire Watch - Boston Title in red as are titles of articles, balance in black. Print Only (7 x 10) $75 Matted (11 x 14) $120 Framed (13 1/2 x 16 1/2) $150 Click to Enlarge Click HERE to Order     #34. Wayside Inn Title in orange, drawing in black. Print Only (7 x 10) $25 Matted (11 x 14) $50 Framed (13 1/2 x 16 1/2) $70 Click to Enlarge Click HERE to Order   #35. Paul Revere Dark blue sky with stars behind Paul Revere and horse. Print Only (7 x 10) $75 Matted (11 x 14) $100 Framed (13 1/2 x 16 1/2) $125 Click to Enlarge Click HERE to Order   #36. Longfellow's House Title in orange, drawing in black. Print Only (7 x 10) $25 Matted (11 x 14) $50 Framed (13 1/2 x 16 1/2) $75 Click to Enlarge Click HERE to Order     #37. The Mayflower Title in orange, background in orange, ship in black. Print Only (7 x 10) $75 Matted (11 x 14) $100 Framed (13 1/2 x 16 1/2) $150 Click to Enlarge Click HERE to Order   #38. Tools for Touring Service card for agents, headline in orange-red Print Only (6 3/4 x 6 1/2) $20 Matted (9 x 8 3/4) $30 Framed (11 x 12) $45 Click to Enlarge Click HERE to Order   #39. House of Seven Gables Title in green, drawing in black. Print Only (7 x 10) $25 Matted (11 x 14) $50 Framed (13 1/2 x 16 1/2) $75 Click to Enlarge Click HERE to Order     #40. Pilgrim's Thanksgiving Title in blue, blue window, balance in black. Print Only (7 x 10) $20 Matted (11 x 14) $30 Framed (13 1/2 x 16 1/2) $60 Click to Enlarge Click HERE to Order   #41. South Meeting House, Boston Black, no color. Print Only (7 x 10) $20 Matted (11 x 14) $30 Framed (13 1/2 x 16 1/2) $60 Click to Enlarge Click HERE to Order   (Return to Top) These drawings are the original covers and pages from The Accelerator, a slim publication produced by The Boston Insurance Co. (incorporated 1873) and The Old Colony Insurance Co. (1906) for their agents from May 1918 to 1937.  I came upon these issues some years ago, bundled together in a second-hand book store in Brooklyn, New York.  Drawn by the quaint and colorful cover illustrations, I purchased all the copies.  Since it is doubtful there are any other issues of The Accelerator extant, these prints can be considered as ones of a kind. The stylized drawings on the covers and ones inside reflect the insurance companies' main lines of business—marine, fire, and auto—so there are sailing ships, great fires in US cities, famous homes and early automobiles.  The magazine also focused on patriotic themes and figures, depicting Washington, Franklin, Paul Revere and others, some (General Joseph Warren?) are hardly remembered today. Most of the drawings are in one color besides black.  Over the years, they changed in style and treatment.  The ones in the thirties have an art deco look.  The earlier ones have a pleasing amateur appearance.  The scene depicting Mrs. O'Leary's crumpled-horn cow kicking over the lantern that legend suggests started the great 1871 Chicago fire is particularly likable. More than once, The Accelerator proudly trumpeted the one historical first claimed by The Boston Insurance Co.:  It asserts it wrote the first auto insurance policy in the United States on June 2, 1902, by using a marine insurance policy.  The car was a “two-seater, surry style, single cylinder Stanley Steam.”  Insurance of $950 was placed on the car, and $50 on “tools, implements and personal effects.”  The premium was 3 percent of the coverage. These slim booklets have brief articles intended to motivate the companies' agents to push unusual insurance products from time to time—parcel post insurance, tourist floaters, rain insurance, sprinkler leakage, use & occupancy, riot & civil commotion.  Reproductions of the company's ads and service cards also had a prominent place in the issues.  One reads like a public service announcement as it catalogues what tools a 1926 motorist needed to take along on a motoring trip:  Tire chains, rim wrench, pipe wrench, monkey wrench, socket wrench set ... good jack, block of wood on which to stand the jack in mud .... The Boston Insurance Co., which held most of the stock of The Colony Insurance Co., became part of The Continental Insurance Co. on June 6, 1966.  The Boston was liquidated and the name of the Old Colony was changed to The Boston Old Colony.  In 1995, Continental merged with CNA.  The Boston Old Colony still operates as an active insurance company, especially in ocean marine. Since each print is surely one of a kind, once it is sold, that's it.  From time to time, additional illustrations from The Accelerator will be displayed until the supply is exhausted.  Browse through the prints shown above and place your order today before the prints you fancy become someone else's treasured possessions. (Return to Top)

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