The
The Joseph Downs Collection of Manuscripts and
Printed Ephemera
Henry Francis du Pont
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.]