Offered here is an original 1911 stock certificate for the Consolidated Telephone, Telegraph and Electric Co., incorporated under the laws of the Territory of Arizona.

This is Certificate No. 138, issued for 50 shares at $100 each and dated May 27, 1911. The certificate was issued to J. C. Adams and retains its original attached transfer stub.

What makes this example especially interesting is the stock provenance recorded on the stub. It states that the 50 shares represented by this certificate were transferred from Epes Randolph, specifically from original Certificate No. 38, also for 50 shares.

Epes Randolph was one of the most important railroad, utility, and development figures in Territorial Arizona. He later became president of the Arizona Telephone and Telegraph Company and was closely associated with the development and financing of Arizona's early telephone system. Contemporary financial sources later identified Randolph and his associates as holding the controlling interest in the Consolidated Telephone enterprise.

Please note that Randolph's name on the stub is a company transfer notation and is not being represented as his autograph.

The face of the certificate is signed in manuscript by:

C. W. Hinchcliffe – President
J. B. Henderson – Secretary

Charles W. Hinchcliffe was an important early Arizona telephone executive and later served as vice president and general manager of the Arizona Telephone and Telegraph Company.

The reverse transfer is signed by J. C. Adams and witnessed by Garrett B. Schuller, dated May 27, 1912, giving this piece an unusually long documented corporate ownership history extending from Arizona's Territorial era into the period of consolidation of the state's telephone systems.

Certificate Details

• Consolidated Telephone, Telegraph and Electric Co.
• Incorporated in the Territory of Arizona
• Certificate No. 138
• 50 shares
• $100 par value per share
• $2,500,000 stated capital
• Dated May 27, 1911
• Issued to J. C. Adams
• Original stock source noted as Epes Randolph, Certificate No. 38
• Signed by C. W. Hinchcliffe, President
• Signed by J. B. Henderson, Secretary
• Reverse signed by J. C. Adams
• Transfer witnessed by Garrett B. Schuller
• Printed by W. P. Jeffries Co., Los Angeles
• Large gold corporate seal
• Attractive allegorical female vignette
• Original attached transfer stub
• Blue cancellation markings

The certificate shows expected age and handling, including folds, staple/pin holes, cancellation markings, and a larger punched area in the attached stub. Please review all photographs carefully for exact condition.

A particularly desirable piece for collectors of Arizona Territory history, early telecommunications, Epes Randolph material, railroad and utility history, Western Americana, or scripophily.