The Winterthur Library

 The Joseph Downs Collection of Manuscripts and Printed Ephemera

Henry Francis du Pont Winterthur Museum

5105 Kennett Pike, Winterthur, Delaware  19735

Telephone: 302-888-4600 or 800-448-3883

 

 

OVERVIEW OF THE COLLECTION

 

Creator:         Powers, N. C.  (Norman Clinton), 1866-1944

Title:               Letters

Dates:             1910-1917

Call No.:         Col. 435

Acc. No.:        67x138.10-.26

Quantity:        18 items

Location:        34 J 2

 

 

 

BIOGRAPHICAL STATEMENT

 

N.C. Powers ran a store in White River Junction, Vermont, where he sold stoves and ranges, furniture, and house furnishings, and also served as an undertaker.  Norman Clinton Powers was born in Stockbridge, Vermont, in 1866, the son of Ellen Taylor and Mark R. Powers.  He married Lettie French, and they had two children.  Although Powers’ store was in White River Junction, by 1900, he was living across the state line in Lebanon, New Hampshire, where he died in 1944.

 

 

SCOPE AND CONTENT

 

These letters (plus one small trade catalog) addressed to N.C. Powers between 1910-1917 (but chiefly 1911-1912) primarily concern orders for household items, chiefly furniture, placed by Powers for his business, and the advertisement of new items for sale.  Bookcases, toilets, porch swings, camping furniture, wallpaper, desks, upholstered furniture, mattresses, mirrors, and lamps are mentioned.  All letters are on pictorial stationery featuring a variety of lithographs and some chromolithographs.  Firms were located in various cities including Boston, New York, and Chicago.

 

           

ORGANIZATION

 

The letters are in chronological order.

 

 

LANGUAGE OF MATERIALS

 

The materials are in English.

 

 

RESTRICTIONS ON ACCESS

 

Collection is open to the public.  Copyright restrictions may apply.

           

 

PROVENANCE

 

Purchased from N. D. Scotti. 

 

 

ACCESS POINTS

 

Topics:

            Desks \v Catalogs.

            Advertising.

            Camping - Equipment and supplies.

            Commercial correspondence.

Furniture.

            House furnishings.

            Letterheads.

            Lithography - Specimens.

            Plumbing fixtures.

            Toilets.

Wallpaper.

Letters.           

 

 

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE COLLECTION

 

Location: 34 J 2

 

 

All accession numbers begin with 67x138; all are addressed to N. C. Powers

 

 

.10       from Allen & Paisley Co., furniture, Boston, March 15, 1910: unable to ship sectional bookcases to him because he neglected to give them his address;

                        Printed letterhead: sideboards, tables, hall stands, chamber sets, book cases, desks & china closets; illustrated with sectional bookcases

 

.11-12  from French & Heald Co., furniture manufacturers, Milford, N.H., January 12, 1911: smoothing over an misunderstanding about an unpaid bill;

                        Printed letterhead: illustrated with view of factory, where make chamber sets, chiffoniers & buffets

 

.13       from The Sun Manufacturing Company, Columbus, Ohio, February 1, 1911: encloses catalog [no longer present] and solicits orders, especially for porch swings, lawn chairs, and cots and stools for camping;

                        Printed letterhead: illustrated with view of factory, where make show cases, coffee mills, money drawers, wooden ware specialties, and camp furniture

 

.14       from The Robert Graves Co., manufactures of wall papers, New York, February 3, 1911: please inform when plan to be in town so Mr. Graves will be there to assist him;

                        Printed letterhead: illustrated with view of salesroom on Fifth Ave. and the company’s works in South Brooklyn; letterhead stamped as coming from the Boston office

 

.26       from S. Karpen & Bros., upholstered furniture, Chicago, March 1911: circular letter: urging recipient to order newspaper cuts for Karpen furniture in order to advertise that his store sells that line;

                        Printed letterhead: illustrated with view of factory

 

.15a-b  from Moon Desk Co., Muskegon, Michigan, March 18, 1911, with small catalog: sending him two catalogs, one for oak line and the other for mahogany line, plus price lists;

also the catalog [really, just a pamphlet] for the mahogany line of desks, several of which include room for a typewriter;

                        Printed letterhead: illustrated with the man in the moon looking at a desk

 

.16       from Rockford Standard Furniture Company, Rockford, Illinois, March 21, 1911: do not do special orders as too busy with its regular line;

                        Printed letterhead: manufacturers of fine and medium furniture, illustrated with view of factory and the company’s logo

 

.17       from John Holman & Co., bedding, mattresses, Boston, April 3, 1911: circular letter: calling Powers’ attention to their best Silk Floss Mattress and soliciting his business;

                        Printed letterhead: illustrated with a bedroom setting

 

.18a     from The Robert Graves Co., manufactures of wall papers, New York, May 15, 1911: please return the goods mistakenly shipped to him;

                        Printed letterhead: illustrated with view of salesroom on Fifth Ave. and the company’s works in South Brooklyn;

 

.18b     from New York Furniture Exchange, New York, May 20, 1911: giving reasons for advancing the date of the New York furniture exposition; expecting 350 manufacturers at the exposition;

                        Printed letterhead: with dates of the 41st exposition printed in red ink, illustrated with view of the Furniture Exchange building

 

.19       from J.P. Eustis Manufacturing Co., The Brasscrafters, Cambridge, Mass., May 21, 1911: requesting more information about the bathroom mirrors he desires;

                        Printed letterhead: manufacturers of metal frame French plate mirrors, portable and fixed shower baths, and staple bathroom necessities; on back: map of Boston and Cambridge showing “how to get to us,” including the new subway to be opened in late 1911

 

.20       from S. Karpen & Bros., upholstered furniture, Chicago, June 30, 1911: circular letter: a private individual has been advised to call on Powers to see the Karpen furniture;

                        Printed letterhead: illustrated with view of factory

 

.21       from McKenney & Waterbury Co., electric, gas and oil fixtures, Boston, Mass., August 24, 1911: about an order for globes and holders for someone’s bracket lamps;

                        Printed letterhead: illustrated with a chandelier lighting the world

 

.22       from French & Heald Co., furniture manufacturers, Milford, N.H., October 7, 1911: dresser will be shipped at once, but still making the chiffoniers;

                        Printed letterhead: illustrated with view of factory, where made chamber sets, chiffoniers & buffets

 

.23       from The Robert Graves Co., manufactures of wall papers, New York, 1911: circular letter: sending the new sample books;

                        Printed letterhead: illustrated with view of salesroom on Fifth Ave. and the company’s works in South Brooklyn;

 

.25       from Fellows & Co., Wooden Novelties, Boston, Mass., January 22, 1912: letter has been cut off, only the printed letterhead remains;

                        Printed letterhead: housefurnishing [sic] specialties: clothes dryers; step, common, and extension ladders; wash benches; ironing tables; pastry boards; lawn settees and swings; hammock chairs, Paris Mfg. Co., sleds and wagons; wholesale dealers in wooden and willow ware

 

,24       from Peck & Hills Furniture Co., New York City, June 27, 1917: am issuing a tracer on the missing shipment;

                        Printed letterhead: wholesale furniture; illustrated with view of office and salesroom