Three-page autograph letter signed to Horace Stearns, hatter, Cornhill, Boston
Smithfield: December 18, 1823. 4to, in ink, approx. 55 lines, approx. 300 words, on integral sheets, with docket, postmark, and address panel on verso of the second sheet; very good. Seal with small triangle cut out, no loss. Very legible. Written in the Quaker style, Thomas Buffum of Thos & Arnold Buffum, importers and hat manufacturers, writes to his dealer in Boston: "When we first made thee a Consignment of hats thou proposed to give us a guarantee from thy Uncle James Stearns for the amount thou might Sell if thou canst now give us his guarantee we would make an arrangement to supply thee with a good aportment of Fur & Cotton hats both for wholesale & retail on much more favorable terms ... for all sold at wholesale we would still allow a Commission we wish the guarantee to run to Richard M. Smith Agent of the Beaver Hat Company Providence." Buffum notes "We are making very handsome Napped hats finished in best New York Style ... at $2.50 a piece." He includes a list of various other types of hats he makes including "beaver hats, mens cotton ditto, youths ditto ... full trimmed Yorkies at 1.25," etc. Arnold Buffum (1782-1859), father of Elizabeth Buffum Chace, was also known for his abolitionist sympathies and was the first New England Anti-Slavery Society agent. An article was written on his work in William Lloyd Garrison's The Liberator on Sept, 8, 1832. Horace Stearns was one of the furrier and merchant family in business since 1810 and in 1821 was at 22 Cornhill Street under the name of Thomas Stearns & Company (Horace S.), hat manufactory, Brattle Street. Item #56066
Price: $275.00
