I am a member of the APS and a bunch of other philatelic societies (and if you, are not, suggest you check out the American Philatelic Society as they are great!) I guarantee your satisfaction. Completely. If for any reason you are not completely and totally satisfied and happy that you made the purchase up to 60 days (or 90 if you want to send something to be expertized!) I will reimburse your entire price and shipping.
I have been doing this for a while so please check my Ebay references. I travel for work so while I usually get material out within a day or so of your payment, it can sometimes take 3 or 4 days to mail if I am away.
While I try to describe my items as accurately as possible, I am bound to make the occasional error though, so if for any reason you are not delighted with your purchase, I will provide a full refund if notified within 60 days. I also have scanned many of these to get transcriptions and historical/geneological significance and will enclose the printout. US Andover, MA 05 JUN 1848 Boston 5c
Circular postmark, manuscript "5" rate, stampless FL. Ballard Vale
textile manufacturing business letter signed by agent John Marland to J. P.
Bradlee regarding wool, flannel mills, looms production, and company
partnership dissolution. Item Summary Date Sent: 05 JUN 1848 (Letter written 05 JUN 1848
at Ballard Vale) Country of Origin: United States Country of Destination: United States (Same as
origin) Town Sent From: Andover, Massachusetts (Ballard
Vale) Town Sent To: Boston, Massachusetts Distance Between Towns: Approximately 23 miles Philatelic Details: Black circular town postmark
ANDOVER / JUN / 5 / Ms.. Black manuscript rating 5 indicating the 5-cent postal
rate for single sheet letters sent under 300 miles under the U.S. Act of 1845.
Docketed on address flap: "Ballard Vale June 5th / Recd June 5th 1848 /
John Marland". Names of Sender and Receiver: Sender: John Marland, Agent (per Joseph A. Call)
for Ballard Vale Manufacturing Company. Receiver: J. P. Bradlee, Esq. (Josiah Putnam
Bradlee), Boston, Massachusetts. Sociological, Historical, & Genealogical
Significance: John Marland (1803–1865): Son of pioneer
industrialist Abraham Marland. John Marland was a prominent Massachusetts
textile manufacturer who co-founded the Ballard Vale Manufacturing Company in
Andover in 1835, establishing early woolen and flannel mills along the
Shawsheen River. Josiah Putnam Bradlee (1810–1887): Prominent
Boston merchant, industrialist, and financier who later acquired full ownership
of the Ballard Vale Mills. Historical Context: The letter offers primary
economic and industrial documentation of 19th-century New England textile
manufacturing. It details monthly production statistics across specific weaving
mills ("Brick Flannel Mill", "Wooden W. Mill"),
fabric varieties (Flannels, Merinos, Orleans, Plaids),
shipments of wool to Hooksett, New Hampshire, and formal notice of the
dissolution of the dyeing partnership with Edward Murgatroyd. Transcription & Research Notes Transcription [Address Leaf / Outer Wrapper] ANDOVER JUN 5 Ms. 5 J. P. Bradlee Esqr Boston, Ms. Docketing on fold: Ballard Vale June 5th Recd June 5th 1848 John Marland [Letter Body] B. Vale June 5th 1848– J. P. Bradlee Esqr Dr. Sir,– Annexed please find Invoice 2 Bags Wool to Hooksett –
This is all we have on hand suited for them. Also Invoice 10 Cases Worsted
Goods to Stone House. Mr. William F. Atkinson desires us to inform you of the
dissolution of copartnership with Edward Murgatroyd, in the Dyeing business,
from 1st Instant. Mr. Atkinson alone is responsible and carries on the work
from that date. We have about 4 or 5000 pounds of Fine Noils, which will
send you tomorrow. We checked as correct, the weight per hundredweight,
which we pay for, in the Sagamon bill Warps, but we had not time to examine the
extension, of total pounds and so forth. We have taken from the Looms last month – viz– 3216 pieces Flannels } Brick Flannel Mill 96 " 3/4 Merinos } 104 " 5/4 do } 116 " 6/4 do } 533 " 5/4 Orleans } Wooden W. Mill 618 " Merinos } 18 " 6/4 do } 20 " 5/4 Plaids } Respectfully Yours John Marland Agent per Joseph A. Call Historical, Social, & Genealogical Research Notes Philatelic Significance: This stampless folded
letter illustrates the United States postal rates set by the Act of July 1,
1845, which reduced domestic letter postage to 5 cents per single half-ounce
sheet for distances up to 300 miles. Industrial & Regional History: Ballard Vale
(Ballardvale) was one of Andover’s major industrial mill villages powered by
the Shawsheen River. Founded in 1835 by John Marland and associates, the
Ballard Vale Manufacturing Company became nationally recognized for producing
fine woolen textiles, worsted goods, and high-grade flannels. Business Operations: The text highlights
mid-19th-century textile production terminology: Noils: Short fibers removed during the combing of
wool, used for secondary woolen spinning. Orleans & Merinos: Popular 19th-century dress
fabrics woven from fine wool and cotton warps. Mill Infrastructure: References to the distinct
operational divisions within the complex, specifically the Brick Flannel
Mill (built 1835) and the Wooden W. Mill (built by Marland in 1844).
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