MANUFACTURERS

The six items in very good condition, lightly aged. ONE: 'Trade List' by 'Henry Stone & Son, Wholesale Stationers and Box Manufacturers, Banbury', for 'Wedding Cake Boxes'. Printed in green on one side of a piece of 25 x 18.5 cm cream paper. At head are engravings for 'No. 21, with Tabs' and 'Nos. 27 and 28, Orange Blossom Design'. Numbers, names, dimensions and prices are given for six 'White Satin Watered Paper, with Lace Flies', and two 'Special New Design | Orange Blossoms on a Silver Ground'.

The Victoria County History volume for the County of Oxford, Banbury Hundred, describes the firm of Stone & Son as an 'important firm [...] founded by Henry Stone, a Banbury bookseller, who in 1871 started to manufacture a patent letter-filing box invented by his brother-in-law, John Cash of Coventry; first the business developed into general cabinet-making and cardboard-box manufacture, then into high-grade colour printing, and finally into fine-art reproduction.

The three items are in good condition, lightly-aged. The layout, design and typeface of the two calling cards is entirely different, although the text of both reads 'Bluthner & Co., | Pianoforte Manufacturers, | 7 to 10, Wigmore Street, Cavendish Square, London W.' Items Two and Three (the second calling card and the compliments card) are in the same typeface, but are of different design. ONE: Printed in red, with grey-green strips at head and foot, on one side of a 9 x 12 cm piece of white card.

The report is 3pp., 4to, on a bifolium. Signed on behalf of the firm: 'Hoping that this information of our proceedings will be satisfactory to you | We remain | Gentlemen | Your Obedt Servants | Bathe & Kindon'. The letter begins: 'Gentlemen - | A Meeting of the London Floor Cloth Manufacturers, was held yesterday - & the result was, a rise of 2d. pr Sq: Yard, on their respective prices - this was carried, after considerable discussion, whether the rise should be 2d or 3d - but the majority decided for the 2d - at present'.

These items not only constitute survivals from one of the leading Lancashire textile manufacturers, in an era when the industry in that area was world-renowned, but also of what was considered to be one of the very best of the north of England's celebrated working men's colleges. A total of 507pp., 4to., in four folders. In addition to Frank Mallalieu's meticulous course notes, diagrams and calculations (with occasional tutors' markings), the contents include 99pp. of mimeographed course notes and 47 swatches of material.

96 black and white photographic prints, each cloth-backed and with the landscape dimensions 20 x 25 cm. In black leather loose leaf album by Wilson Jones Co., Kansas City. Stamped in gilt in bottom right-hand corner of first leaf, 'HAROLD C. HARVEY'. The prints are in good condition, curling a little at the fore-edge, and with slight creasing at right-hand margin of the first two. The binding is somewhat worn, but still tight, with the three original metal screws holding the album together.

One page, on leaf roughly six and a half inches by eight wide. Aged and creased. Unobtrusively repaired with archival tape. Attractive letterhead (according to which the firm, previously at 41 Coleman Street, was established in 1819) with illustration showing a gentleman angler in top hat fishing in rushes by river beside a crouching servant holding a net. 'ARTIFICIAL BAITS OF EVERY DESCRIPTION MADE BY H. J. ALFRED.' In the spirit of the times Fellows took all of eighteen months to pay a bill of thirteen shillings. Signed 'Recd W H Alfred'.