Summary: Prominent Cincinnati color lithographer noted for posters, labels, and advertising work in the early 1900s. In 1925 the firm was acquired by the Strobridge Lithographing Company.
postcard publisher mark
About the circled “H” postcard mark
A small H in a circle + 3-digit number appears on some American humor postcards circa 1905–1907. There is a reference here, which is widely accepted reference.
Overview
Henderson Lithographic Company operated in Cincinnati with roots in Henderson–Achert and Henderson–Achert–Krebs partnerships. The company specialized in multicolor advertising lithography and occasionally issued postcards (documented examples appear in the 1910s).
Quick timeline
- 1890s – Active in Cincinnati; lineage from earlier partnerships.
- 1900s – Major producer of chromolithographed advertising; many jobs uncredited.
- 1925 – Acquired by Strobridge Lithographing Company.
Postcards
Henderson is documented as a postcard printer in the 1900s. Earlier Cincinnati promotional mailers by Henderson also survive. Attribution lines are often absent, which was common for trade printers.
Related: A. Yerkes checklist
H 779 – “Vat! Somedings for Nodings”
Corrections or primary evidence welcome. If you have a card showing the circled-H mark and a printed Henderson credit, please share scans.
Working production model (1905–1907 humor cards)
- Concept/Art: A. Yerkes draws or scripts the gag.
- Publisher/Marketer: U.S. Novelty Co., Cincinnati, O. issues and distributes certain titles.
- Printer: Henderson Lithographic Co., Cincinnati prints the cards.
Why this model fits: Some cards bear a U.S. Novelty Co. line, Yerkes’s printed copyright, and a small ⓗ + number in the imprint area. The ⓗ device appears across multiple related comics and functions like a house series code.
Status: This is a well-supported hypothesis. To elevate it to “confirmed,” we seek a single card (or trade ad) that shows both a U.S. Novelty publisher line and the ⓗ-number, or a printer’s credit to Henderson on an H-series title.
Evidence table (specimens so far)
- H 779 — “Vat! Somedings for Nodings” — front shows Copyright 1905 by A. Yerkes and ⓗ779; no publisher/ printer line visible on the example.
- H 781 — “Von’t you be mein” — Yerkes credit + ⓗ781; mailed 1906; no publisher/ printer line on the example.
- H 782 — “And he winked the other eye” — Yerkes credit + ⓗ782 (museum image); no publisher line noted in record.
- H 836 — magician gag — ⓗ836 on front; no Yerkes credit; undivided back, mailed 1906.
- U.S. Novelty Co.— separate examples exist with “Comic Series — U.S. Novelty Co., Cincinnati, O.” lines and Yerkes-style art; we’re looking for overlap with the ⓗ series.
Have a card that shows the U.S. Novelty line and the ⓗ-number together (or any Henderson credit)? Please share scans—those will lock the chain.
