Mebane Antique Auction Gallery
Live Auction

33rd Annual Carolina Country Store Auction Day 2

Fri, Aug 7, 2026 10:00AM EDT
Lot 2119

Rare U.S. Circuit Court Judges Bond Hughes Durham W.T. Blackwell Trade Mark 1878

Estimate: $100 - $10,000

Bid Increments

Price Bid Increment
$0 $1
$10 $5
$100 $10
$300 $25
$1,000 $50
$3,000 $100
$10,000 $500
$20,000 $1,000
$100,000 $5,000
$300,000 $10,000

Description

Late 19th Century; Original, 9” height, 5.5” width, Double-sided trade card titled “United Circuit Court / Judges Bond and Hughes Presiding” indicating that “ ‘The court doth order and decree that the / said W.T. Blackwell and Co. have the / sole and exclusive right to the word / DURHAM, / as a Trade Mark.’ / Done at Richmond, VA., January 18th 1878.” The trade card has images of W.T. Blackwell's advertising logos. Card has very minor paper loss at edges, otherwise, it appears to be in good condition. Please view photos. Provenance: B.W.C. Roberts Durham N.C. Tobacco Collection

Medium

Cardboard/Paper

Date

Late 19th Century

Condition Report

Good Original

Exhibited

Currently Mebane Antique Gallery and available for preview

Literature

In 1878, W. T. Blackwell & Company operated the world's largest tobacco factory in Durham, NC, producing the iconic "Bull Durham" smoking tobacco. The company's massive success sparked extensive trademark infringement. Consequently, federal judges like U.S. Circuit Judge Hugh L. Bond and U.S. District Judge Robert W. Hughes presided over landmark trademark protection cases validating the brand's intellectual property.

Provenance

B.W.C. Roberts Durham N.C. Tobacco Collection

Notes

Available for live in house bidding and pay-pick up from our gallery, Always bid with confidence with Mebane Auction. Thank you Jon Lambert

Condition

Good Original

Payments

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Shipping Info

We DO offer in house shipping. We DO NOT provide shipping estimates. We at Mebane Antique Auction Gallery, count it a privilege to be able to service our customers through our shipping department. We have and will continue to serve our customers in all 50 states & internationally. ALL items won by bidder will be shipped through the United States Post Office Insured Mail and/or Registered Mail UNLESS OTHERWISE SPECIFIED BY BUYER. Buyer is responsible for paying ACTUAL shipping cost (postage AND insurance), which will be added to the buyer’s invoice as soon as the item is ready to be shipped. Some invoices are subject to a $5 to $10 packaging material fee per box. This fee is based on the size, weight and amount of items purchased. There is no charge for labor or transportation to the post office. All items, will be packaged accordingly with USPS shipping standards or standards from which the company providing service. All packages, will be shipped in a timely manner. A timeline for items shipped will not be provided. Items will be shipped in the order paid invoices are received. Bidders are always welcome to pickup at our gallery in lieu of shipping. MAAG will not arrange shipping for oversized items. It is on the bidder to find a courier or pick up at our gallery. Online Bidders: We will add shipping charges to your invoice once we have your shipping cost. Once payment for the invoice is received, we will have our shipping department package and prepare your items for shipping. That means we automatically prepare items for shipping after payment is collected. We use the address listed on your account for shipping. IF YOU NEED TO USE A DIFFERENT ADDRESS OR DO NOT NEED SHIPPING AND WILL PICK UP, LET US KNOW ASAP AFTER PAYING YOUR INVOICE. We thank you and anticipate any & every item(s) purchased from Mebane Antique Auction Gallery that requires shipping to be an easy & pleasurable experience. If you have any questions, concerns, or special shipping requests please contact Bryan at 919-563-2424. As of March 1, 2025, MAAG is not liable to handle insurance claims. If an item is damaged in transit, it is on the bidder to submit a claim through the post office: https://www.usps.com/help/claims.htm. As of May 1, 2025, if MAAG needs to use a third-party shipper, it is between the bidder and third party to handle shipping, including packaging and cost. MAAG can deliver to a third party, dependent on size, but will not act as liaison between bidder and third party.

B.W.C. Roberts Durham N.C. Tobacco Collection

Lots that are unavailable for in-house shipping are noted in the lot description. If the lot description does not mention shipping, it is available for in-house shipping. We ask all bidders to read carefully and evaluate if arranging a courier or picking up at our gallery is a viable option for them. We do not give courier recommendations.