Soule, George
1859

Very Rare Antebellum New Orleans advertisement Soule Commercial College

Balance Sheet Circular Soule's Commercial College antebellum New Orleans

DESCRIPTION: Very rare New Orleans imprint antebellum broadsheet advertisement or "Balance Sheet Circular" produced by George Soule to advertise Soule's Commercial College, established 1856 at the corner of Camp Street and Common Street, in New Orleans, Louisiana. A finely detailed lithograph featuring exquisite calligraphy, numerous inset views of commercial activities, and four example financial statements, including at bottom right, "Statement of Steamer Eclipse Trip No. 8 T.R. Winn Master."

An online search found only one copy of Soule's "Balance Sheet Circular", at the Historic New Orleans Collection.

 Antebellum advertisement for Soule's Commercial College, established 1856 in New Orleans, LA.

Soule's Commercial College Balance Sheet Circular

Lithographed by J. Manouvrier. (2) This fine lithograph with beautiful calligraphy was printed in New Orleans in 1859, just after Soule opened the College at Camp and Common Streets. Between 1856 and 1860 Soule's Commercial College graduated a total of more than 275 students. By 1905 the school could boast 1000 students enrolled, 20 teachers, and over 19,000 former students. The school operated in New Orleans continuously, except for a few years during the Civil War, until 1983 when it finally closed.

 Antebellum advertisement for Soule's Commercial College, a view of Jackson Square.

Early View of Jackson Square, New Orleans


George Soule (1834-1926)



Born in Barrington, New York, George Soule (1834-1926) attended Jones Business College, at St. Louis, and St. Louis Law School. In Spring, 1862 Soule entered military service of the Confederate States where he rose from the rank of Captain to Major and Colonel. Soule was one of the founders of the Rex Carnival organization and served as King of Rex in 1887. (1)

Before the Civil War, Soule saw the need for commercial education and established Soule's Commercial College in New Orleans in 1856, which became a significant milestone in the world of professional education. The school taught essential business skills, reflecting his innovative and forward-thinking approach to teaching. With his focus on practical, real-world knowledge, Soule equipped generations of students with the tools necessary for their commercial success. His contribution to business education has left an enduring legacy in New Orleans and beyond, making him an influential figure in the field of vocational education.

(1) Kendall, John Smith. History of New Orleans. Lewis Publishing Company. Vol 2. 1922. pp. 828-830. Online. Google Books.

(2) New Olreans lithographer Jules Manouvrier (1816-1872) was born in Bremen, Germany and arrived in New Orleans in 1838. Trained as a lithographer, he operated Manouvrier & Co. during the Civil War, producing sheet music covers and banknotes. From 1866 until his death in 1872, he partnered with Dionis Simon (1830-1876), another New Orleans-based lithographer, George Soule (1834-1926)

See also: PLATT, R. ERIC, and CRISTIN LEE REYNOLDS. “An Intellectual Biography of New Orleans’s ‘Duke of Education’: George Soulé and the Changing Landscape of College Instruction in South Louisiana, 1856-1926.” Louisiana History: The Journal of the Louisiana Historical Association, vol. 59, no. 3, 2018.

CREATOR: Soule, George

PUBLICATION DATE: 1859

GEOGRAPHIC AREA: United States

BODY OF WATER: Mississippi River

CONDITION: Good.  Strong, flexible paper. Washed. Flattened. Ample margins. Strong impression. Tear at right side has been repaired archivally from the verso. Trace of tape across the tear on the recto.

COLORING: None

ENGRAVER: 

SIZE: 26 " x 21 "

ITEM PHYSICAL LOCATION: 150

PRICE: $6500

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