Boston: American Tract Society, [1860). Unbound. This all-over advertising envelope features an illustration of the Tract House at 28 Cornhill in Boston, Massachusetts. Advertising text reads, “Home Evangelization Foreign Distribution / Tracts and Books. / Tract Journals Child At Home / Missionary Colportage.” It is franked with a dull red... More about BUSINESS & LABOR] [COLPORTAGE] [PUBLISHING] [RELIGION] An advertising envelope for the...

[Lowell, Massachusetts]: [United States Cartridge Company], 1908. Envelope or Cover. This advertising cover (AICC #G99) features a six-color illustration of two men cooking their supper at a campsite; the text reads, “US Ammunition U.S. Govt. Tests prove it true.” The envelope is franked with a 2-cent red Washington stamp (Scott..... More about Illustrated advertising cover for the United States Cartridge Company

Liverpool: George Holt & Co., 1841. Unbound. This two-page folded letter and circular measures 15.5”” x 9.5” unfolded. It is addressed to A. Richards, Esq., New York and dated 4 June 1841. The cover has a manuscript annotation that reads, “Via Boston / Steamer Columbia.” There is a “Paid at... More about Two-page folded letter with printed circular sent via the Steamer Columbia from Liverpool to New...

Cleveland, Ohio: The Eclipse Musical Company, 1909. Envelope or Cover. In the early days of musical recordings, the word “phonograph” was strictly applied to the cylinder machines produced by Thomas Edison. His largest rival, Emile Berliner, manufactured disc based machines known as Gramophones. “Talking machine” was a generic term used..... More about Business letter and invoice for a phonograph wholesaler enclosed in an illustrated advertising...

California, Niagara Falls, St. Louis World’s Fair, Hawaii, Philippines, Japan: Early 1900s. Leather album (approximately 7” x 5.5”) with a hand-drawn front-cover illustration of a Philippine mission. Contains 50 photographs (mostly 2.75” x 3.75”) and one introductory card dated April 19, 1905 which reads in part, “A few snap shots... More about Photograph album documenting the travel of a California sugar magnate and his wife

New York to Cognac, France: 1836. Envelope or Cover. This two-page folded letter was written on December 31, 1836 and sent to Cognac, France via the Havre-Whitlock Line’s packet ship Albany. It arrived at Le Havre on February 1, 1827 where a “Bureau Maritime” receipt stamp was applied along with... More about Letter from Ebenezer Stevens & Sons, a New York firm, to Messrs Otard Dupuy, one of the most...

Baltimore: 1833. Envelope or Cover. This one-page folded letter was written on March 20, 1833 and privately carried to the New York forwarding agents DeRham, Islen, and Moore who placed it aboard the Old Line’s packet ship, Henri IV. (The envelope bears ab oval “De Rham Iseling & Moore” forwarding..... More about Letter from Frederic de Graft, a Baltimor Merchant, to Mess. Clossmann, a wine merchant in Bordeaux

New York City: 1869. Unbound. In this three-page letter to Stewart, Little asks to borrow money to pay off a loan for equipment he purchased to re-establish his business after Confederate authorities in Mobile, Alabama seized his entire inventory. A stereoview of Stewart’s four-story, cast-iron, full-block retail “Palace” in New..... More about Loan request sent to the preeminent retailer and one of the wealthiest men in the United States...

Greencock, [Scotland]: 1849. Unbound. Four-page letter. In nice shape with mailing folds and minor soiling. Transcript included. In this letter, a ship captain’s attorney, Jonathon Macdougall, requests information from his client, Captain James Welsh, in order to pursue a legal action in Scotland against a ship owner named Cairnie. It..... More about Letter from a Scottish lawyer requesting information from a ship captain in Baltimore about an...

[Reading, Pennsylvania]: 1922-1929. Faux leather. This 5” x 7.5” notebook contains 120 pages chock full of manuscript production tables, sizing information, test results, assorted notes, clothing labels, elastic samples, receipts, correspondence, certifications and more. A six-page pamphlet extract with information about an automatic sewing machine is laid in. All of... More about Production manager’s notebook for Vanity Fair underwear and stockings

Various locations: Circa 1862-1865. Disbound. This 3.75” x 5.75” notebook contains 77 pages with about 540 entries. In nice shape although its string binding has perished. Entries are in faint pencil but legible; the cover title “Morgan Bond / Account Book Sutler 94th Il Reg,” has faded but can be... More about Civil War account book kept by a sutler traveling with the 94th Illinois Infantry Regiment

Bilbao, Spain: 1831. Envelope or Cover. This three-page stampless, folded letter is datelined “Bilbao 5th Augt 1831.” Although it references an enclosed invoice, the invoice is no longer present. The letter was no doubt favor-carried to Le Havre in France as it bears a faint forwarding agent cachet on the... More about Letter from a Marblehead, Massachusetts merchant in Spain informing his family at home of the...

San Francisco, California: 1849. Envelope or Cover. This three-page, stampless folded letter—in English—is dated “San Francisco 3th July 1849 and addressed to Aristide Servan via “Charle Legaut, Employee des Postes, Paris” Sent "via Panama" from San Francisco, it arrived in Avers (Antwerp), Belgium on 6 September as indicated by a...... More about Letter from a French ship captain to his male lover in Paris explaining that he had chartered his...