Northern Trust Bookends 1989 Century of Service Anchor Faux Marble Corporate Banking Pair

This pair of Northern Trust bookends dates to the company's 1989 centennial and features the Northern Trust anchor medallion marked 1889, 1989, "Principles That Endure," and "A Century of Service."

The substantial faux marble construction and cream coloring give these 1989 corporate commemorative bookends a strong office or library look.

They would fit naturally with banking memorabilia, Chicago business history, corporate advertising pieces, or a working bookshelf where their weight can actually do the job.

Details

• Item: Pair of Northern Trust commemorative bookends
• Item Type: Bookends, set of two
• Era: 1989
• Materials: Heavy cultured faux marble resin, as provided in item notes
• Color: Cream with gray marble style veining and dark blue medallion graphics
• Maker and Mark: Northern Trust branding. Manufacturing company not confirmed from photos
• Pattern or Model: A Century of Service centennial anchor medallion, 1889 to 1989
• Style: Corporate commemorative, banking memorabilia, traditional office decor
• Dimensions: Each bookend approximately 6 inches tall, 4 inches wide, and 3 inches deep
• Special Features: Matching pair with raised circular anchor medallions and black protective felt on the bottoms

Condition Grade: Very Good

Positives

• Graded Very Good: This matching pair is sound and attractive with surface signs of previous use.
• No chips or cracks were found, and the edges feel smooth.
• Both circular Northern Trust medallions remain clearly readable, including the 1889 and 1989 centennial dates.
• Both bookends retain black protective felt across the bottoms.
• The pair remains visually well matched in shape, color, and centennial decoration.

Issues / Wear

• Scattered gray and dark surface marks are visible across the cream faux marble finish, particularly on the backs, bases, and upper surfaces.
• The cream finish shows some uneven coloration and signs of handling visible in the photographs.
• The black bottom felt shows light lint and signs of previous placement on a shelf or desk.

Condition Grade Key

• Near Fine: Almost perfect. Very minor signs of age only.
• Very Good: Shows light use. Sound and attractive with minor flaws.
• Good: Complete and intact. Noticeable wear consistent with age and use.
• Fair: Shows significant wear. Readable or usable but clearly used.

Collector's Notes

Northern Trust was founded in Chicago in 1889, and the dates printed on these medallions mark the company's 100th anniversary in 1989. Corporate anniversary pieces like these preserve a small piece of business history.

The Northern Trust name, centennial dates, and anchor design make the pair especially relevant to collectors of banking memorabilia, Chicago business history, and corporate advertising.

Both pieces survive together as a matching set, with the same medallion and substantial bookend form. That makes them useful as well as displayable.

At 6 inches tall apiece, these have enough presence for a bookshelf without taking over the shelf.

Shipping + Trust (Reading Vintage standards)

∙[Photo-verified condition], no surprises
∙Packed with our protective packaging standard
∙Ships in 1 business day
∙Free Shipping on $35+ (U.S. only)

Disclaimer

All items are vintage and may show signs of age, wear, or use consistent with their history. Photos show the exact condition of each piece, please review them carefully, as they are part of the description.

I do my best to capture colors accurately, but your monitor or device screen may display colors slightly differently from the actual item.

Please Note:
These pieces come from estate collections and have been surface cleaned. You may wish to perform additional cleaning depending on your preference.

How Reading Vintage sources and grades every piece