Showing minor signs of age, wear and handling - mostly top left edge toning. Expected fold creases from posting. No major issues to note. Eye-catching bold header typefaces / fonts. Overall, in good to very good condition. Will display well in your collection. You will receive the exact sheet shown in the photos. It measures approx. 6" x 9 1/2"

===============================================================

Clarke Bros. & Co. – Peoria, Illinois – November 11, 1915 – Clarke's Pure Rye Whiskey – Payment Acknowledgment to Bateman-Switzer Company, Great Falls, Montana An original November 11, 1915, business correspondence and invoice-form letterhead from Clarke Bros. & Co., distillers of Clarke's Pure Rye Whiskey, of Peoria, Illinois, addressed to the Bateman-Switzer Company, 416 Central Avenue, Great Falls, Montana. The document acknowledges receipt of a substantial payment on the Montana firm's account, providing an interesting record of the interstate wholesale whiskey trade during the years immediately preceding national Prohibition. The stationery features an attractive, predominantly purple-blue printed design, with the company name “Clarke Bros. & Co.” prominently displayed in large ornamental script. Beneath it appears the firm's specialty, “Clarke's Pure Rye,” also rendered in flowing script. The letterhead identifies Peoria, Illinois, as the company's location and incorporates a preprinted acknowledgment form above a ruled invoice section occupying approximately the lower third of the sheet. Company History – Clarke Bros. & Co. Clarke Bros. & Co. was associated with Peoria's historically important whiskey-distilling industry, which flourished during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The firm marketed its product under the Clarke's Pure Rye name, reflecting the popularity of rye whiskey in the American liquor trade before Prohibition. Peoria was one of the nation's leading distilling centers during this period. Its location along the Illinois River, access to abundant Midwestern grain supplies, and extensive railroad connections made it particularly well suited to large-scale whiskey production and distribution. By the late nineteenth century, Peoria had become nationally recognized for its distilleries and related industries, including cooperage, grain handling, warehousing, and transportation. Distilling also represented an important source of local employment and federal excise-tax revenue. Clarke Bros. & Co. participated in this commercial environment, supplying rye whiskey to wholesale liquor dealers and other customers. Its branded stationery reflects the importance of establishing a recognizable product identity in a highly competitive national market. Contents of the November 11, 1915 Correspondence The document acknowledges receipt of a letter dated November 8, 1915, from Bateman-Switzer Company, enclosing a bank draft for $334.70. Clarke Bros. & Co. confirms that the payment has been applied to the Montana firm's outstanding account and properly credited according to the accompanying statement. The acknowledgment is completed using typewritten entries inserted into a preprinted business form. The correspondence concludes with the company name and the typed initials “M.P.”, presumably identifying the employee responsible for handling the account. The lower portion of the sheet contains an unused ruled invoice form headed “To Invoice,” indicating that the stationery was designed to serve multiple bookkeeping and correspondence purposes. The combination of acknowledgment letter and invoice form is an interesting example of the economical, standardized business stationery employed by wholesale suppliers during the early twentieth century. Bateman-Switzer Company – Great Falls, Montana Bateman-Switzer Company was an established wholesale liquor concern operating in Great Falls during Montana's pre-Prohibition period. Its address at 416 Central Avenue placed it in the city's principal commercial district. Great Falls had developed into an important regional wholesale and transportation center, supported by railroad connections, agricultural development, mining, and industrial activity. Wholesale liquor merchants supplied saloons, hotels, restaurants, and other establishments throughout north-central Montana. This correspondence documents an established commercial account between the Montana wholesaler and an Illinois whiskey supplier, illustrating the extensive interstate distribution networks that supported the American liquor industry before Prohibition. The 1915 date is particularly noteworthy, as Montana was approaching the statewide prohibition of alcoholic beverages, approved by voters in 1916 and implemented at the end of 1918. National Prohibition followed in January 1920.

==============================================================

**Shipped securely in a poly sleeve, sandwiched in cardboard, inside a small rigid mailer via USPS Ground Advantage service w/ tracking**

Click HERE to see matchbooks I have available.
Click HERE to see transit and trade tokens I have available.
Click HERE to see billheads I have available.
Click HERE to see letterheads I have available.

For U.S. based orders, the shipping cost for the first purchase is $4.00 and no extra cost for additional similar items such as billheads, letterheads, tickets, patches, post cards, trade cards, stock certificates that can safely be shipped in the same package.

I have over 65,000 unique items here on eBay - Click HERE to visit my store & save with combined shipping for multiple buys.

For U.S. orders on a PC, use the "add to cart" feature to select multiple items before paying. If the cart does not combine shipping costs, I will refund excess fees as I pack your order the following morning.

I have enjoyed buying and selling vintage collectibles for over 40 years. Unless noted otherwise, all items I offer are original and not reproductions.

Please review photos for condition issues (if any) as they are part of the description, and contact me with questions before bidding or buying.

All items are securely packed and shipped via USPS. Please rely on my 25+ yr. 13,000+ 99.9% feedback rating as a guide to your buying decision.

I hope all is well with you and your family — thanks for stopping by!
– Jerry