Artifax Books

Paper and Ephemera For Sale

All items are subject to prior sale, so e-mail me before paying to check that what you are interested in is still available, to confirm shipping cost, or to ask questions. In the winter we may be out west in our trailer and might not have your item with us (although we can place a hold on an item to reserve it for you). Our email address is

We accept US payment by paypal.com (made to any of our email addresses), by money order, or by personal check with your shipping address imprinted on it. Foreign payment may be made by paypal or by international postal money order. If you pay by mail, let me know and I will hold your item for you.

Shipping costs are not cumulative. If you are interested in different items, I will provide shipping cost. Some small items will ship with a bug at no added cost. But others may be best shipped separately; for example, it is cheaper to ship a few knobs (first class mail) separate from a book (media mail) since knobs cannot be included with media mail.

For newer posts to this page you can click on the small photo for a larger version.

Order of Railroad Telegraphers membership card. "Join up" with an original ORT card from the 1920s. These 2-1/2 x 4 inch cards were all issued to an operator on the B&LE System, Division 51. The second photo shows (left side, top to bottom) 1921 to 24, and (right side, top to bottom, 1925 to 28. Photo 3 shows 1929 at top, and a couple of reverse sides (some stamped B&LE, some not).
AVAILABLE CARDS ARE: 1921, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29. Examine the photoc carefully and specify your selection. Second photo. Third photo. Your choice $10.00 each postpaid in USA.

Collecting early telegrams can be an interesting adjunct to your display of the instruments themselves, especially if they are railroad related or the subject matter is unusual. Blank telegram forms make interesting correspondence notepaper. We will list telegrams and blanks below.

Western Union blank telegram form.. These original, unused forms measure 8-1/4 x 6 inches. The front notes that the president was W.P. Marshall, and identifies (and dates) the form as "1206 (4-55)." The reverse (second photo) lists the terms and the classes of service.
Second photo.

SOLD

Postal telegraph form. A one-sided, 8-1/2 x 5-1/2 inch Postal Telegraph form. The printing is a dark color (not black). Postal was acquired by Western Union in 1943. I acquired a few dozen of these in an estate some years ago; they appear to be original, but I can't guarantee that.

Four for $6.00 postpaid in the USA