Urban Archeologist: Beware of The Traveling Salesmen!

In this age of identity theft, I must apologize for my interest in researching the names and stories of the things I find. The thing has a story to tell, sure, but when it can be personalized I find it has much more meaning.

I sometimes wish my "finds" were all possessions of well-known people from long ago, but that would be boring. We already know too much about the famous. I like to find the belongings of the not-so-famous from long ago.

Hence, this item from the "common" man is actually a letter opener giveaway from the Fuller Brush Company.  A well known army of door-to-door salesman of the mid 20th century. This was a "free" gift for the lady of the house that doubled as a calling card.

Ernest sounds like an honest man who was trying to make a living in a difficult job. Apparently, some salesmen were scoundrels! Click here to read this personal account of the kind you should be wary of.