1906 Morristown NJ Trade & Craft History Archive – 2-Piece Lot: F. Pantaenius Painter & Decorator Receipt & Order on Treasurer
Up for sale is a uniquely compelling two-piece historical archive from 1906 capturing an authentic glimpse into the physical craftsmanship and furnishing of the Odo de St. Amand Commandery No. 12 Knights Templar lodge room in Morristown, New Jersey.
This matching lot connects a local artisan trade transaction directly to the internal financial bookkeeping of the Commandery.
This Two-Piece Historical Lot Includes:
- Original F. Pantaenius Billhead Receipt: An authentic commercial receipt issued by local craftsman F. Pantaenius, explicitly printed with his trade title: "To F. Pantaenius, Dr, Painter and Decorator." The handwritten line items detail a $1.25 charge for custom lodge room property work: "for staining, varnishing and lettering top book box."
- Official "Order on Treasurer" Document: The matching, internal Commandery voucher authorizing the chapter treasurer to release the exact payment of $1.25 to pay F. Pantaenius for his professional services. Features authentic signatures from the presiding Commandery officers of the 1906 Masonic term.
Why This Collection is Highly Collectible:
Documents that explicitly record the physical work of early 20th-century Painters and Decorators on specific ritual storage containers (like a ceremonial book box) are highly prized by collectors over dry administrative receipts. This archive is perfect for:
- Masonic Material Culture & Ritual Historians: Direct historical proof of how local chapters commissioned, painted, and lettered their ceremonial lodge room property and ritual book repositories.
- Local New Jersey Business & Trade Ephemera: A premier archival piece for municipal historians detailing local trade networks in Edwardian-era Morristown.
- Genealogists & Archivists: Offers clean, authentic names and signatures tracking the Pantaenius family and active Morristown Masonic officers of 1906.