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Charles Fisher’s Ad Caught Customers’ Attention

Advertisers have always tried to make their ads pop out. I don’t know if the eye-catching arrangement above was thought up by coppersmith Charles Fisher or the newspaper publisher, but it worked for me.

Charles Fisher was the son of famed York County clockmaker John Fisher. This advertisement is from the November 29, 1831 York Gazette. Since the ad is dated September 27, it must have appeared regularly for a time in the paper. In case you have trouble reading sideways, it reads:

CHAS. F. FISHER
COPPERSMITH, SHEET IRON AND TIN WORKER
Informs his old friends and the public, that he has removed his shop to Main St. above the store of Geo. Small & sons, and one door above Clement Stillinger’s tavern, where he intends to carry on the business as heretofore, keeping and manufacturing every article in his line.
Thankful for past favors, he solicits the continuance, and pledges himself to do all in his power to please his customers.
N.B. The highest price given for old copper, brass and pewter.
Sept. 27

I’m glad they were recycling even then, but I do wonder if some of those old copper, brass and pewter Fisher was melting down were nice pieces or if they were just broken and dented household items.

Geo. Small & Sons store was on the northeast corner of the square, so Fisher’s new shop would have been a little farther east, perhaps around the present M&T Bank or the parking garage.