Guide to the Milton D. Eisner Papers, 1854-1961 (bulk 1933-1958)

Processed by Albert Park, Jenny Yoshida, and Joanne Chung
The Bancroft Library.
University of California, Berkeley
Berkeley, California, 94720-6000
Phone: (510) 642-6481
Fax: (510) 642-7589
Email: bancref@library.berkeley.edu
URL: http://bancroft.berkeley.edu
© 2003
The Regents of the University of California. All rights reserved.

Guide to the Milton D. Eisner Papers, 1854-1961 (bulk 1933-1958)

Collection number: BANC MSS C-R 155

The Bancroft Library



University of California, Berkeley

Berkeley, California

Contact Information:

Processed by:
Albert Park, Jenny Yoshida, and Joanne Chung
Date Completed:
March 2001
Encoded by:
James Lake
© 2003 The Regents of the University of California. All rights reserved.

Collection Summary

Collection Title: Milton D. Eisner Papers,
Date (inclusive): 1854-1961
Date (bulk): (bulk 1933-1958)
Collection Number: BANC MSS C-R 155
Creator: Eisner, Milton Daniel, 1886-1959
Extent: Number of containers: 2 cartons, 1 box, 4 oversize folders

Linear feet: 3.1
Repository: The Bancroft Library
Berkeley, California 94720-6000
Abstract: Consists of papers from the Eisner/Reinstein family and subject files collected by Eisner regarding postal and express services in early California and the West, philatelic and numismatic materials, miscellaneous materials relating to San Francisco and the Bay Area, Californiana, and Americana. Also includes transcript of a radio interview with Eisner about express mail pioneer Pilsbury "Chips" Hodgkins and a biographical sketch of Hodgkins. Formats include: printed ephemera, clippings, publications, and correspondence.
Physical Location: For current information on the location of these materials, please consult the Library's online catalog.
Languages Represented: English

Information for Researchers

Access

Collection is open for research.

Publication Rights

Copyright has not been assigned to The Bancroft Library. All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Head of Public Services. Permission for publication is given on behalf of The Bancroft Library as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by the reader.

Preferred Citation

Milton D. Eisner papers, BANC MSS C-R 155, The Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley.

Related Collections

Title: Photographs from the Milton D. Eisner Papers,
Identifier/Call Number: BANC PIC 1962.025
Title: Page, Bacon & Co. Records,
Identifier/Call Number: BANC MSS C-G 297

Material Cataloged Separately

  • Printed materials have been transferred to the book collection of The Bancroft Library.
  • Photographs have been transferred to Pictorial Collections of The Bancroft Library.

Administrative Information

Provenance

The Milton D. Eisner Papers were given to The Bancroft Library by Mrs. Milton D. Eisner in 1961.

Biographical Sketch

Milton Daniel Eisner was born in San Francisco on July 15, 1886. His father, Milton S. Eisner was a prominent San Francisco attorney, his mother, Lena Reinstein Eisner was a member of a prominent San Francisco family, her brother Jacob B. Reinstein, having served as a Regent of the University of California at the turn of the century. Both of Eisner's parents were native Californians. He obtained his primary education in the San Francisco schools, graduating from Lowell High School in 1905. He was a student at the University of California during a part of 1905 and 1906. He married Belle Bluckman, a schoolmate, on September 11, 1910, and they had three children, Robet H. Eisner, Helen Eisner Rice, and Willard B. Eisner.
Eisner worked in real estate, and his business activity included long service with Citizens Federal Savings & Loan Association. Eisner served as Cititzen's director in 1921, its president from 1932-1953, and was the chairman of the board of directors until his death.
Notwithstanding his dedication to business activities, Eisner devoted much of his time to helping others. A leading member of the San Francisco Pacific Philatelic Society, Eisner conceived of the idea of introducing patients in Children's Hospital to stamp collecting. When that program was well established, Eisner then undertook to establish a similar program at Letterman General Hospital, becoming known as "Mr. Stampman" to the sick and wounded servicemen there. Eisner was also deeply involved in Boy Scouts of America, and served that organization for 35 years. In recognition of his services he was made a member of BSA's Court of Honor.
Eisner also took great interest in the accumulation of documents relating to the early history of the West, particularly California. He was an enthusiastic member of the California Historical Society for 25 years.
Milton Eisner died on Sunday, December 17, 1959.
(Adapted from Colbert Coldwell's tribute to Milton D. Eisner in the California Historical Society Quarterly, Vol. XXXLIX, No. 1, March 1960, pp. 77-79.)

Scope and Content

The Milton D. Eisner Papers, 1854-1961 (bulk 1933-1958), consist of correspondence, clippings, and ephemera from Eisner and his mother, Lena Reinstein Eisner, but the papers are primarily composed of subject files gathered by Eisner. Much of Eisner's philatelic collectibles were sold, and some of the notable Californiana collectibles (such as the Page, Bacon & Co. Records) have been cataloged separately.
The bulk of the subject files are in regard to postal and express services in early California and the West. Additional subject files include philatelic and numismatic materials, and materials relating to the San Francisco Bay Area, California, and America.

Carton 1, folders 1-16

Series 1: Biographical and Family Materials, 1873-1959

Scope and Content Note

Arrangement

Divided into two subseries: Milton D. Eisner and Family. Arranged chronologically.
Consists of correspondence, business ledgers, notes, clippings.
Carton 1, folders 1-10

Subseries 1.1: Milton D. Eisner

carton 1, folder 1-4

Correspondence 1947-1958

carton 1, folder 5

Ledger 1933-1942, n.d.

carton 1, folder 6

Wants of collectors 1946-1950, n.d.

carton 1, folder 7

E Clampus Vitus - Clampers 1948-1959

carton 1, folder 8

Radio interview about "Chips" [Pilsbury Hodgkins] 1950

carton 1, folder 9

Harrison & Eisner Real Estate n.d.

carton 1, folder 10

Miscellany n.d.

Carton 1, folders 11-16

Subseries 1.2: Family

 

Lena (Reinstein) Eisner

carton 1, folder 11

Miscellany 1873-1916, n.d.

carton 1, folder 12

Correspondence with Warner Family 1891-1922, n.d.

carton 1, folder 13

Luncheons 1902

carton 1, folder 14

Will 1924

carton 1, folder 15

Photo of Lena R. Eisner with children Milton D. Eisner and Helen Eisner Friedman 1924

 

Reinstein/Eisner Family

carton 1, folder 16

Miscellany 1880, 1895, n.d.

Carton 1, folders 17-62, Carton 2, folders 1-79, Box 1, folders 1-41, Oversize folders 1-4

Series 2: Subject Files and Collectibles, 1849-1961

Scope and Content Note

Arrangement

Arranged hierarchically. Divided into six subseries: Historic Mail Service and Philately Materials, Numismatic Materials, San Francisco and Bay Area, Californiana, Americana, and Miscellaneous Collectibles.
Includes Eisner's notes, articles, newspaper clippings, event programs, catalogs, and some collectibles.
Carton 1, folders 17-62, Carton 2, folders, 1-15

Subseries 2.1: Historic Mail Service and Philately Materials, 1854-1959

Scope and Content Note

Arrangement

Arranged alphabetically.
Includes notes, articles, clippings, programs, awards concerning stamp collecting and the history of mail delivery in the Old West.
carton 1, folder 17

Adam's and Co.'s Shasta Express n.d.

carton 1, folder 18

American Philatelic Society Convention Program 1939

carton 1, folder 19

The American Philatelist 1932, 1933

carton 1, folder 20

American Philatelist clippings ca. 1920's-1957

carton 1, folder 21

Auction Programs 1934-1959, n.d.

carton 1, folder 22

Banta's Bicycle Mail 1894, n.d.

carton 1, folder 23

Black Bart, P.O. 8 1947, n.d.

carton 1, folder 24

Brown's Express 1933, n.d.

carton 1, folder 25

California Ocean Mail 1940, 1943

carton 1, folder 26-28

California Post Offices 1892-1958, n.d.

carton 1, folder 29

The City Delivery Letter Expresses of San Francisco 1944

carton 1, folder 30

Covers Estimate of Values 1908-1959, n.d.

carton 1, folder 31

Directories n.d.

carton 1, folder 32

Dated Revenues - Match and Medicine Envelopes 1945-1953, n.d.

carton 1, folder 33

Eastern Express n.d.

carton 1, folder 34

Everts, Davis, Snell, Wilson 1854, 1931, n.d.

carton 1, folder 35

Expresses Western 1940-1955, n.d.

carton 1, folder 36

G.B. Post 1935

carton 1, folder 37

Gregory's Express 1944, n.d.

carton 1, folder 38

Harnden's Express 1931

carton 1, folder 39

Horsley and Brastow Express ca. 1856, 1933, n.d.

carton 1, folder 40

Hunter and Co.'s Express n.d.

carton 1, folder 41

Kicking Mule 1935, 1958, n.d.

carton 1, folder 42

Langton's Express 1854-1949, n.d.

carton 1, folder 43

Lemp n.d.

carton 1, folder 44-47

Letterman Army Hospital Stamp Club 1948-1959

carton 1, folder 48

The National Stamp Exhibition of 1934 1934

carton 1, folder 49

Oregon postmarking 1943-1952

carton 1, folder 50

Overland Mail 1934-1944, n.d.

carton 1, folder 51

Overland Mail Centennials 1958

carton 1, folder 52

Pacific Express 1863, 1936

carton 1, folder 53

Philatelic awards and newspaper clippings 1934-1958, n.d.

carton 1, folder 54

Philatelic booklets 1941-1956, n.d.

carton 1, folder 55

The Philatelic Californian 1896

carton 1, folder 56-57

Philatelic miscellany 1885-1956, n.d.

carton 1, folder 58

Pioneer and Spear 1949-1950, n.d.

carton 1, folder 59

Pony Express 1929-1957, n.d.

carton 1, folder 60

Postmarks - California cancellations 1929-1950, n.d.

carton 1, folder 61

Postal Markings 1942-1943

carton 1, folder 62

Postal Markings of the U.S. 1847-1851 1938

carton 2, folder 1

Reynolds and Todd Companies 1932, n.d.

carton 2, folder 2

Rumrill's Express 1930, n.d.

carton 2, folder 3

Schedule of Nicaragua Steamship Line and California Ocean Mails 1937-1939, n.d.

carton 2, folder 4

San Francisco Stamp Society 1934

carton 2, folder 5

San Jose Stamp Club 1952

carton 2, folder 6

Sonora, SF View Data, Cascade City 1942-1952, n.d.

carton 2, folder 7

Stamp articles 1933-1947, n.d.

carton 2, folder 8-9

Stamps and covers 1905-1958, n.d.

carton 2, folder 10

State revenues 1940-1947, n.d.

carton 2, folder 11

Steinberger's P.O. 1958, n.d.

carton 2, folder 12

Theo F. Tracy and Company's Express 1935-1941, n.d.

carton 2, folder 13

Western Cover Society 1951-1958

carton 2, folder 14

Western franks, cuts, articles and letters 1864, 1933, n.d.

carton 2, folder 15

Wines Express n.d.

Carton 2, folders 16-18

Subseries 2.2: Numismatic Materials, 1938-1956

Scope and Content Note

Arrangement

Arranged alphabetically.
Includes coin collecting catalogs and bulletins.
carton 2, folder 16

The American Catalogue and Premium List of All United States Coins 1938

carton 2, folder 17

Numismatic Bulletin 1948

carton 2, folder 18

Numismatic miscellany 1956, n.d.

Carton 2, folders 19-75

Subseries 2.3: San Francisco and Bay Area, 1849-1958

Scope and Content Note

Arrangement

Arranged alphabetically.
Includes clippings, articles and programs concerning life in San Francisco and the surrounding Bay Area. Also includes series of views of San Francisco after the 1906 Earthquake from the San Francisco Examiner.
carton 2, folder 19

Bay bridges 1908, 1934-1936

carton 2, folder 20

Behind Your Faucet 1947-1950

carton 2, folder 21

Billy Mulligan 1950

carton 2, folder 22

Broderick - Terry duel n.d.

carton 2, folder 23

The Charter of the City of Oakland 1910

carton 2, folder 24

Churches 1871-1914

carton 2, folder 25

Cornwall, P.B. 1849

carton 2, folder 26

Denman School Souvenir 1911

carton 2, folder 27

Early San Francisco newspaper clippings 1878, 1916, n.d.

carton 2, folder 28-38

Earthquake of 1906 from the San Francisco Examiner 1906

 

Birdseye View of San Francisco from Twin Peaks

 

Birdseye View of the Ruins of San Francisco

 

Market Street - Looking Toward Ferry

 

Panorama of ... Russian Hill to Telegraph Hill

 

Panorama of ... Telegraph Hill to the Base of Rincon Hill

 

Panoramic View ... from the Fairmont Hotel

 

Panoramic View of San Francisco from the Waterfront

 

Panoramic Views of the Ruins of San Francisco

 

Refugee Camp at Golden Gate Park

 

Ruins of China Town

 

The Stretch of Ruin from Nob Hill to Russian Hill

carton 2, folder 39

Pass 1906

carton 2, folder 40

Emergency Cistern Supply article 1942

carton 2, folder 41

Emperor Norton (Joshua Abraham Norton) 1945, 1955

carton 2, folder 42

Event programs 1886-1958

carton 2, folder 43

Girls High School 1884-1914

carton 2, folder 44

La Peninsula 1957, 1958

carton 2, folder 45

Laurel Heights Home Digest 1948

carton 2, folder 46

Life of Pilsbury Hodgkins 1892

carton 2, folder 47

Lincoln Elementary School 1883-1931

carton 2, folder 48

Lowell High School 1905-1956, n.d.

carton 2, folder 49

Marin County, California by Sir Francis Drake 1915

carton 2, folder 50

Memoirs of George H. Murray 1952

carton 2, folder 51

Menus and Hints on Housekeeping ca. 1870's

carton 2, folder 52-55

Newspaper clippings, articles and letters 1866-1958, n.d.

carton 2, folder 56

Notes and articles on San Francisco post office 1940-1954, n.d.

carton 2, folder 57

Oakland and Alameda County 1870-1943

carton 2, folder 58

Oakland High School 1899-1900

carton 2, folder 59

Pacific Diary for 1873: San Francisco 1873

carton 2, folder 60-61

Real Estate 1887- ca.1950s

carton 2, folder 62

San Francisco Fire Department 1850, n.d.

carton 2, folder 63-64

San Francisco - General 1914-1958, n.d.

carton 2, folder 65

San Francisco Mint 1948, n.d.

carton 2, folder 66

San Francisco street cars 1875-1948, n.d.

carton 2, folder 67

San Mateo County 1946-1950, n.d.

carton 2, folder 68

Schools 1874-1908

carton 2, folder 69

Stanford University 1891-1933

carton 2, folder 70-71

Theatre 1890-1914

carton 2, folder 72-73

University of California, Berkeley 1899-1953

carton 2, folder 74

Woodward's Gardens 1956

carton 2, folder 75

Miscellany n.d.

Carton 2, folders 76-79, Box 1, folders 1-15, Oversize folders 1 A, 2 B

Subseries 2.4: Californiana, 1853-1961

Scope and Content Note

Arrangement

Arranged alphabetically.
Includes articles, brochures, pamphlets, catalogs and other miscellany relating to California.
carton 2, folder 76

Bret Harte article n.d.

carton 2, folder 77

Brochures and pamphlets 1905-1958, n.d.

carton 2, folder 78

California and the West catalogue 1957

carton 2, folder 79

California Historical Society 1950-1959

box 1, folder 1-2

Centennial Celebrations 1946-1950

box 1, folder 3

Horn's Magazine 1947

box 1, folder 4

Maps 1954, 1961, n.d.

box 1, folder 5

Masonry - early California lodges 1854-1958

box 1, folder 6

Miner's Ten Commandments n.d.

Oversize folder 1 A

The Pictorial Union [reproduction] 1855

box 1, folder 7

Pioneers of the West 1853, 1891, n.d.

box 1, folder 8

The Prospector 1950

Oversize folder 2 B

Residence and Farm of Benjamin Ely, Winters, CA n.d.

box 1, folder 9

Raynes, Alonzo E. 1933, n.d.

box 1, folder 10

Society of California Pioneers 1882-1894

box 1, folder 11

Sonora n.d.

box 1, folder 12

Wells Fargo and Co. 1891-1958, n.d.

box 1, folder 13

Wilson, Miles 1937

box 1, folder 14

Wine industry articles 1955, n.d.

box 1, folder 15

Miscellany 1888-1958

Box 1, folders 16-26

Subseries 2.5: Americana, 1849-1957

Scope and Content Note

Arrangement

Arranged alphabetically.
Includes legislative bills, insurance company documents, a facsimile Declaration of Independence made for the United States Centennial, as well as articles, notes, and clippings regarding the United States of America.
box 1, folder 16

Legislative Acts and Bills 1890, n.d.

box 1, folder 17

Biographical Sketches of Presidential Candidates 1912

box 1, folder 18

The Chicago Fire and the Fire Insurance Companies 1871

box 1, folder 19

Declaration of Independence Centennial 1876

box 1, folder 20

Four Centuries of Americana 1556-1954 1954

box 1, folder 21

Hawaii 1888-1959

box 1, folder 22

Nevada 1935, n.d.

box 1, folder 23

Personalized American History 1956

box 1, folder 24

Railway Express Service 1928

box 1, folder 25

Spanish American War 1898

box 1, folder 26

What Do You Know About Old Glory? 1939

Box 1, folders 27-41, Oversize folders 3 A, 4 A

Subseries 2.6: Miscellaneous, 1852-1958

Scope and Content Note

Arrangement

Arranged alphabetically.
Includes miscellaneous bank check forms, liquor licenses, receipts, stocks and bonds, and other documents.
box 1, folder 27

Airplanes ca. 1942-1945

box 1, folder 28

Autographs 1929-1934, n.d.

box 1, folder 29

Bank checks 1890-1896

box 1, folder 30

Business cards 1911, n.d.

box 1, folder 31

Electric Oil Stoves 1894-1895

Oversize folder 3 A

The Ladies Home Journal 1891

box 1, folder 32

Liquor licenses ca. 1880, 1911

Oversize folder 4 A

National Guard of California, membership and discharge of M.H. Strout 1873-1874

box 1, folder 33

Maps 1849-1957, n.d.

box 1, folder 34

Receipts 1852-1876, ca.1900

box 1, folder 35

Stocks and bonds 1876-1946

box 1, folder 36

Tickets and sports memorabilia 1904-1958, n.d.

box 1, folder 37

Transportation fares, tickets, passes and transfers 1871-1906

box 1, folder 38

U.S. and state stamped checks ca. 1870's-1947

box 1, folder 39

War ration book 1942

box 1, folder 40-41

Miscellany 1884-1958