Item SpecificsType: Handwritten Letter / Document
Date: November 3, 1883
Origin Location: New Ipswich, New Hampshire (N.H.)
Sender: S. A. Thayer
Recipient: A. P. Byam, Esq.
Pages: 4 Pages (2 double-sided sheets)
Subject: Business, Manufacturing Formulas, Wholesale Rates, Proprietary Articles, Household Goods (Blacking, Lemon Extract, Furniture Polish)
Item DescriptionUp for sale is an original, 4-page handwritten manuscript letter dated November 3, 1883, sent from New Ipswich, New Hampshire by S. A. Thayer to A. P. Byam, Esq.
Content Summary:Formulas & Publications: The writer acknowledges receipt of an order for \"Formulas,\" noting that the 1st edition is sold out and a revised/enlarged 2nd edition with over 100 valuable formulas for proprietary articles and family use is currently in press.
Business Opportunities & Materials: Details supplying materials, bottles, corks, and labels for products like Paste Blacking, Liquid Blacking, Extract of Lemon, and Furniture Polish.
Advice & Directives: Discusses business startup advice, wholesale supply pricing, profit margins, and specific recipes (mentioning vinegar, acetic acid, and gum arabic).
New Ipswich, N.H. Nov 3/83
A. P. Byam, Esq.
Dr Sir
Your favor of the 2nd inst is received with order for Formulas and enclosure for same. My first edition is entirely exhausted, but I have a second, revised and enlarged, in press and shall have it ready for delivery in a few days. To this edition I have added more than one hundred valuable formulas of proprietary articles, and many more for family use. It adds greatly to the value of the work. The price is the same as before, however. I will enclose a copy and mail to you as soon as it is out of press. I regret to cause you this delay, but you will be amply repaid for waiting.
Regarding your inquiry for material for manufacturing. I intend to have a full supply on hand at all times, and furnish my agents with complete outfits at the lowest wholesale rates. Owing to pressure of business and constant
[Page 2]attention to the advertising and correspondence department for the past month I have neglected this department and allowed my stock of materials to become depleted. I am now, however, making arrangements for new contracts with leading firms for the coming year and may be able to quote prices to you in a few days. If you desire, however, to order direct from wholesale houses and manufacturers I will assist you all I can; but probably the price I shall be able to quote to you will be lower than you can make terms with them at, unless you purchase in factory lots. In dealing with me you have the advantage of getting your supplies from a single source, whereas if you order from manufacturers and dealers you will be obliged to make several orders, and as I mentioned above, you will probably be compelled to pay higher prices. You can make out a list of articles wanted, with quantities of same, and send to me, and I will endeavor to assist you in procuring them at the lowest rates.
Before entering largely into the business I advise
[Page 3]~~empty promises, and you will find a ready sale in every locality. I do not hesitate to say that a decently smart agent can make his five to ten dollars per day clear of expense on this one article if he goes to work at it energetically and in a proper manner.~~ You may not intend to make this one of your articles of manufacture, and I only mention it as being one of many which will bring any capable enterprising agent a big profit and return for his labor, at a mere nominal outlay, for expense at the start.
With a small capital it is advisable to start on a fast selling article, which makes large returns, and you have in this article, one which will ~~with~~ do all this. With large capital it is perfectly safe to start on a large scale, as there is a ready sale for everything at a good profit. Of course, I cannot advise any one without knowing what they intend to undertake and have some idea of the amount of capital which they propose to put into the enterprise.
I have made selections for many who have gone into the business and, of course, with my experience three
[Page 4]Paste Blacking labels, 1,000, $\\$2.00$. 5,000 $\\$5.00$. 10,000 $\\$7.00$.
Liquid Blacking labels 1,000 $\\$2.50$. 5,000 $\\$6.25$. 10,000 $\\$8.50$.
E. Lemon 1,000 $\\$1.00$. 5,000 $\\$3.25$. 10,000 $\\$5.00$.
I can send you the bottles and corks for 1 gross of E. Lemon, and you can make the extract yourself, at $\\$3.25$.
Furniture Polish labels from $\\$1.25$ pr. M to $\\$4.50$, according to style and size. finish
I can send you the bottles and corks for one gross at $\\$6.00$ and you can make the polish as well and as cheap as I can.
You can use 1 quart of Vinegar instead of the acetic acid. It is well to pulverize the gum arabic and for a very fine quality of polish to double the amount ~~of gum~~.
Shall be happy to hear from you.
Respectfully,
S. A. Thayer.
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