[CCHarrison]

Gordon

I have cracked the HBH story !! From "The Photographer's Friend" Volume 2, 1872:

"On January 1, 1869, the celebrated manufacturers Messrs. Holmes, Booth & Hayden, conducting the leading Photographic Stock House, in the U. S. advised him that they desired to abandon the Stock trade, remarking in their letter that " if all our customers, were as prompt, correct and business like, as you are, we should never think of leaving this most interesting business." Not wishing to remove to New York, the bulk of their stock was purchased, and that House, after closing the business in the Photographic Stock Department, issued the following complimentary circular to the Trade. " Having permanently retired from the Photographic Stock Trade, we would cheerfully reccommend, to our friends and customers in that department, the very reliable House of ' Richard' Walzl, in Baltimore, who is a gentleman of fine business qualifications, and we feel confident will give complete satisfaction to all our former customers, who may extend to him their patronage," signed " Holmes, Booth & Hayden."

So, HBH sold its entire photographic inventory to Richard Walzl's photographic emporium on Jan 1, 1869..