The booklet gives information on a variety of tours to
various countries in Europe (France, Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom, etc.).
There is text about each country, some of the key attractions, itineraries,
etc. There are black & white photos of some of the attractions (such as Big
Ben in London).
Most tours range in cost from $1,250-$2,500 (the equivalent
of nearly $18,000 to $36,000 in today’s dollars!); these tours were for the wealthy.
The booklet contains 100 pages and measures approximately 6
x 9.25 inches.
The Raymond and Whitcomb Agency, opened in Boston in 1879,
become the gold standard for luxury travel in the late 19th and early 20th
centuries. A Raymond and Whitcomb trip was
going to involve private rail cars, first class service and luxury hotels. “See
America First” author Marguerite S. Shaffer wrote, “Early on tourist agencies
such as Raymond and Whitcomb offered a sense of exclusivity and refinement,
assuring elite tourists that they would circulate among people of their own
social standing.”
Initially the company booked trips to the White Mountains
in New Hampshire and to Washington, D.C. and later added transcontinental
voyages. Here are some sample Raymond and Whitcomb offerings:
1887 – Raymond’s Vacation Excursion to Washington, D.C. –
leaves from Boston. “Five days in the national capital. Carriage ride to the
public buildings and other points of interest. Visit to Mount Vernon.”
1888 – Raymond’s Yellowstone National Park Excursion –
leaves from Boston, New York and Philadelphia. “A grand excursion to the
Yellowstone National Park with incremental trips to Chicago, Milwaukee, the
Dells of the Wisconsin, Minneapolis, St. Paul, Niagara Falls, etc.”
1906 – Raymond and Whitcomb’s Tour of California – leaves
from Boston, New York and Philadelphia. “Excursion to the Pacific Coast via the
Santa Fe route. Through Pullman Vestibule Cars to Los Angeles without change.”
By the 1920’s the agency was offering cruises to Latin America
and the Mediterranean, around Africa and around the world.