A historically significant bill of exchange issued by Jesup, Paton & Co., the renowned New York investment banking firm co-founded by Morris Ketchum Jesup—one of the most influential American financiers and philanthropists of the Gilded Age.
This financial document not only represents an important vehicle of international trade and finance but is also a rare artifact associated with a titan of Wall Street history. Jesup, Paton & Co. was instrumental in underwriting foreign bonds, including Russian and European securities, and played a vital role in cross-border capital flows during the industrial expansion of the late 1800s and early 1900s.
Morris K. Jesup (1830–1908), the firm’s senior partner, was more than a financier. He was a central figure in American philanthropy and science, notably serving as president of the American Museum of Natural History, a supporter of Arctic exploration (backing Robert Peary’s polar expeditions), and a trustee of key institutions like the YMCA, Tuskegee Institute, and Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Bills of exchange drawn by Jesup, Paton & Co. are rare and speak to the era’s intricate global financial network—especially involving Russia and Eastern Europe. They often facilitated trade, investment, and debt issuance across the Atlantic. Some documents bear revenue stamps or acceptance markings in European financial centers such as London, Paris, or Berlin, linking American capital to foreign enterprise.
