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:         J.S. Mason & Co. (Lebanon, N.H.)   

Title:               Business letters,

Dates:             1889-1890

Call No.:         Col. 655

Acc. No.:        02x83

Quantity:        32 items

Location:        34 J 4

 

 

 

BIOGRAPHICAL STATEMENT

 

The J.S. Mason & Co. was located in Lebanon, New Hampshire.  It manufactured furniture, doors, windows, and blinds, but apparently also supplied furniture made by other companies.   The principal in the company was John S. Mason (1831-1902).  (Biographical information about him is filed with the collection.)

 

The Atkinson House Furnishing Co. was founded in 1884.  It had stores in Portland, Bangor, and other locations in Maine.  The company sold furniture, carpeting, shades, draperies, pianos, organs, mirrors, sewing machines, stoves, and ranges.  Isaac C. Atkinson was president and Frank N. Deane was treasurer.

 

H.H. Amsden & Sons of Penacook, New Hampshire, was a furniture manufacturer.  The company was begun by Henry Hubbard Amsden (died 1869); at the time these letters were written, it was run by Charles Hubbard Amsden (1848-1929).  Charles H. Amsden was prominent in New Hampshire affairs and ran for governor in 1888 and 1890.  (Additional biographical information about him is filed with the collection.)

 

 

SCOPE AND CONTENT

 

A small group of letters to J.S Mason & Co., often about problems with shipments of furniture.  A good deal of the correspondence is from the Atkinson House Furnishing Co. of Portland, Maine.  That company reported shortages of chairs, shelves, mirrors, towel racks, and drawer pulls in various shipments, and complained about the difficulties they had with customers on account of these missing items.  Letters from other companies concern shipments of wood and some furniture.  In one letter, Charles H. Amsden mentioned that he was going to New York for the centennial celebration of the inauguration of George Washington.

 

           

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 Charles B. Wood III, Inc.

           

 

ACCESS POINTS

 

Topics:

            Atkinson House Furnishing Co.

            H.H. Amsden & Sons.

            Furniture industry and trade - New Hampshire.

            Furniture industry and trade – Maine – Portland.

            Lumber trade - New Hampshire.

            Business correspondence.

           

 

 

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE COLLECTION

 

Location: 34 J 4

 

 

All accession numbers begin with 02x83.

All items are addressed to J.S. Mason & Co., unless otherwise noted.

 

 

Folder 1 of 1:

 

.1         letter from The Atkinson House Furnishing Co., Portland, Maine, Jan. 3, 1889: do you want burlap returned to Lebanon or Lowell?; mentions mirrors as well;

                        Printed letterhead: parlor and chamber furniture, hall, library and dining room furniture, carpets, shades and draperies, parlor stoves and ranges, [etc.]

 

.2         letter from The Atkinson House Furnishing Co., Portland, Maine, Jan. 7, 1889: still shjort slats, mirrors, and frames; chairs not yet received;

                        Printed letterhead: parlor and chamber furniture, hall, library and dining room furniture, carpets, shades and draperies, parlor stoves and ranges, [etc.]

 

.3         letter from The Atkinson House Furnishing Co., Portland, Maine, Jan. 10, 1889: need glasses and glass frames – don’t have enough for their sets in stock; Bangor store missing chairs;

                        Printed letterhead: parlor and chamber furniture, hall, library and dining room furniture, carpets, shades and draperies, parlor stoves and ranges, [etc.]

 

.4         letter from The Atkinson House Furnishing Co., Portland, Maine, Jan. 30, 1889: will ship mats today; straightens out confusion in accounts;

                        Printed letterhead: parlor and chamber furniture, hall, library and dining room furniture, carpets, shades and draperies, parlor stoves and ranges, [etc.]

 

.5         letter from The Atkinson House Furnishing Co., Portland, Maine, Feb. 7, 1889: about accounts;

                        Printed letterhead: parlor and chamber furniture, hall, library and dining room furniture, carpets, shades and draperies, parlor stoves and ranges, [etc.]

 

.6         letter from H.H. Amsden & Sons, Penacook, N.H., Feb. 14, 1889: [not all is easy to read] – something about get enough at $14;

                        Printed letterhead: manufacturers of pine, birch, ash, oak, and cherry chamber furniture;

                        On back: note: send load of wood to someone’s home

 

.7         letter from The Atkinson House Furnishing Co., Portland, Maine, Feb. 20, 1889: Bangor store reports shortages in ash and oak chairs and rockers; need complete sets in order to sell goods;

                        Printed letterhead: parlor and chamber furniture, hall, library and dining room furniture, carpets, shades and draperies, parlor stoves and ranges, [etc.]

 

.8         letter from The Atkinson House Furnishing Co., Portland, Maine, March 1, 1889: have received complaints because glass shelves were not sent with the ash suits;

                        Printed letterhead: parlor and chamber furniture, hall, library and dining room furniture, carpets, shades and draperies, parlor stoves and ranges, [etc.]

 

.9         letter from G. H. Allen, Bingham House, Philadelphia, March 5, 1889: sent order to Kanawha Lumber & F. Co., to be shipped April 20

                        Printed letterhead for hotel

 

.10       letter from The Atkinson House Furnishing Co., Portland, Maine, March 5, 1889: need ash shelves;

                        Printed letterhead: parlor and chamber furniture, hall, library and dining room furniture, carpets, shades and draperies, parlor stoves and ranges, [etc.]

 

.11       letter from The Atkinson House Furnishing Co., Portland, Maine, March 7, 1889: gives length of bureau;

                        Printed letterhead: parlor and chamber furniture, hall, library and dining room furniture, carpets, shades and draperies, parlor stoves and ranges, [etc.]

 

.12       letter from The Atkinson House Furnishing Co., Portland, Maine, March 25, 1889: have received sets from Clifford & Allen; discusses offering suits without chairs, at a discount;

                        Printed letterhead: parlor and chamber furniture, hall, library and dining room furniture, carpets, shades and draperies, parlor stoves and ranges, [etc.]

 

.13       letter from H.H. Amsden & Sons, Penacook, N.H., March 26, 1889: [not all is easy to read] – hopes he likes sample suit;

                        Printed letterhead: manufacturers of pine, birch, ash, oak, and cherry chamber furniture;

 

.14       letter from The Atkinson House Furnishing Co., Portland, Maine, March 26, 1889: sending sample bar pull, and want more like it;

                        Printed letterhead: parlor and chamber furniture, hall, library and dining room furniture, carpets, shades and draperies, parlor stoves and ranges, [etc.]

 

.15       letter from The Atkinson House Furnishing Co., Portland, Maine, March 28, 1889: please send freight receipt for a shipment in January;

                        Printed letterhead: parlor and chamber furniture, hall, library and dining room furniture, carpets, shades and draperies, parlor stoves and ranges, [etc.]

 

.16       letter from The Atkinson House Furnishing Co., Portland, Maine, April 5, 1889: cannot find pulls or towel racks in last shipment;

                        Printed letterhead: parlor and chamber furniture, hall, library and dining room furniture, carpets, shades and draperies, parlor stoves and ranges, [etc.]

 

.17       letter from The Atkinson House Furnishing Co., Portland, Maine, April 8, 1889: more about pulls and towel racks; their lack causes problem with customers;

                        Printed letterhead: parlor and chamber furniture, hall, library and dining room furniture, carpets, shades and draperies, parlor stoves and ranges, [etc.]

 

.18       letter from H.H. Amsden & Sons, Penacook, N.H., April 15, 1889: [not all is easy to read] – about what supplying, and hopes to receive further orders;

                        Printed letterhead: manufacturers of pine, birch, ash, oak, and cherry chamber furniture;

 

.19       letter from H.H. Amsden & Sons, Penacook, N.H., April 20, 1889: [not all is easy to read] – encloses invoice; needs week to ten day notice for orders;

                        Printed letterhead: manufacturers of pine, birch, ash, oak, and cherry chamber furniture;

 

.20       letter from H.H. Amsden & Sons, Penacook, N.H., April 23, 1889: [not all is easy to read] – encloses a note [for payment]; C.N. Amsden is going to Centennial in New York as one of the commissioners from New Hampshire; “let us know as soon as you can what you will want next and when”;

                        Printed letterhead: manufacturers of pine, birch, ash, oak, and cherry chamber furniture;

                        [The letter was written by Charles Hubbard Amsden; he was a commissioner to the centennial celebration of the inauguration of George Washington.  Additional biographical information about him is in the folder with the letters.]

 

.21       letter from H.H. Amsden & Sons, Penacook, N.H., April 25, 1889: [not all is easy to read] – trade is dull generally although Amsden is busy;

                        Printed letterhead: manufacturers of pine, birch, ash, oak, and cherry chamber furniture;

 

.22       letter from J.S. Mason & Co., Lebanon, N.H., May 18, 1889, to Messrs B.A. Atkinson & Co.: the 100 suits will not fill two [railroad] cars – shall more goods be added to order?;

                        With reply from Atkinson: fill cars with #12;

                        Printed letterhead: manufacturers of furniture, doors, windows and blinds

 

.23       letter from B.F. Andrew & Son, Canaan, N.H., May 10, 1889: enclose bills of wood and lumber shipped to Mead Mason & Co. in Concord;

                        Printed letterhead: manufacturers and dealers in spruce and hardwood lumber, laths, etc., schedules a specialty 

 

.24       letter from H.H. Amsden & Sons, Penacook, N.H., May 22, 1889: not enough #12 suits on hand to find car; will load on Friday, more next week;

                        Printed letterhead: manufacturers of pine, birch, ash, oak, and cherry chamber furniture;

 

.25       letter from The Atkinson House Furnishing Co., Portland, Maine, June 6, 1889: let us know if you can make the chamber set Mason’s agent was told about;

                        Printed letterhead: parlor and chamber furniture, hall, library and dining room furniture, carpets, shades and draperies, parlor stoves and ranges, [etc.]

 

.26       letter from H.H. Amsden & Sons, Penacook, N.H., June 12, 1889: information about a note for payment – please meet me at train station this evening to sign it; will order hinges for next set of suits;

                        Printed letterhead: manufacturers of pine, birch, ash, oak, and cherry chamber furniture;

 

.27       letter from H.H. Amsden & Sons, Penacook, N.H., June 19, 1889: about shipment of wood; have received the hinges and will send them as soon as Mason asks;

                        Printed letterhead: manufacturers of pine, birch, ash, oak, and cherry chamber furniture;

 

.28       letter from Adsit & Bigelow, Burlington, Vermont, Aug. 13, 1889: about order for coal;

                        Printed letterhead: dealers in coal and wood

 

.29       letter from H.H. Amsden & Sons, Penacook, N.H., Sept. 7, 1889: did not find an inquiry about #96; gives price for a six drawer ash chiffonier with bevel [something] and fancy back;

                        Printed letterhead: manufacturers of pine, birch, ash, oak, and cherry chamber furniture;

 

.30       letter from Mt. Kineo Woolen Mills, Sebec, Me., Sept. 11, 1889, to Mead, Mason & Co., Boston: looking for marble top cherry and oak chamber set; please send catalog;

                        With added note: “received this morning, W.H. Gray”

                        Printed letterhead: Wm. Appleyard, proprietor

 

.31       letter from The Atkinson House Furnishing Co., Portland, Maine, Sept. 21, 1889: low on chairs and prefer to have the suits complete;

                        Printed letterhead: parlor and chamber furniture, hall, library and dining room furniture, carpets, shades and draperies, parlor stoves and ranges, [etc.]

 

.32       letter from The Atkinson House Furnishing Co., Portland, Maine, January 24, 1890: please return statement sent last week;

                        Printed letterhead: parlor and chamber furniture, hall, library and dining room furniture, carpets, shades and draperies, parlor stoves and ranges, [etc.]