Merchants National Bank Asbury Park NJ Deposit Envelope c1910s-30s
$ 6.86
Description
Merchants National Bank Asbury Park NJ Deposit Envelope c1910s-30s. This engraving is a notable design choice, conveying stability and architectural gravitas. The verso of the envelope is a plain, unprinted kraft paper side with a curved top flap, showing the utilitarian construction of the item. This item is a vintage deposit envelope from the Merchants National Bank of Asbury Park, New Jersey, a piece of printed ephemera that documents early twentieth-century banking practices and the commercial identity of a prominent seaside resort town. The front of the envelope, printed on light orange-tan paper, bears the bold word “DEPOSIT” above a classical illustration of the bank’s building, a structure featuring columns and a pediment framed by decorative elements resembling hourglasses. This engraving is a notable design choice, conveying stability and architectural gravitas. The printed text within the bank’s seal identifies the institution as the “MERCHANTS NATIONAL BANK / ASBURY PARK, N.J.” and makes the competitive claim, “Is the Only National Bank in Asbury Park, N. J.” This assertion, likely dating the envelope to the 1910s through 1930s, highlights the era when a national charter was a significant differentiator in local banking, implying a period before other federally chartered banks were established in the city. The envelope also lists the bank’s fiduciary services, noting it “Also Acts as / Executor / Administrator / Trustee / Receiver, Etc.,” reflecting the full-service role such institutions played for both residents and the seasonal population of this Monmouth County resort. Handwritten in pencil on the front are the depositor’s name, appearing as “Wishes,” and an amount of “$9.00,” a modest sum typical of personal transactions. The verso of the envelope is a plain, unprinted kraft paper side with a curved top flap, showing the utilitarian construction of the item. A faint handwritten “2-” in the upper right corner likely represents an internal sorting or batch number used by bank tellers. The envelope exhibits age-related toning, slight edge wear, and a rectangular patch of darker discoloration on the front, consistent with storage in a collection. As a survival from a specific local financial institution, this deposit envelope offers a tangible link to the commercial life of Asbury Park, illustrating the typography, design, and banking language of its period.
