Showing minor signs of age, wear and handling - mostly light, if any, toning throughout. Expected fold creases from posting. Has pin holes in the top left corner. No major issues to note. Eye-catching "Protective Bureau" stamp and 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. 7" x 8 1/2"

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Armstrong Cork Company – Chicago, Illinois – March 26, 1917 – Brewers' & Bottlers' Supplies Invoice – National Protective Bureau Revenue Stamp Original March 26, 1917, commercial invoice from the Armstrong Cork Company, manufacturers and importers of machine-cut and hand-cut corks and brewers' and bottlers' supplies, located at 318–322 West Randolph Street, Chicago, Illinois. The invoice is addressed to Bateman-Switzer Company of Great Falls, Montana, and documents a substantial wholesale purchase of corks for the bottling trade. The attractive letterhead features the Armstrong Cork Company name in large blue Gothic lettering, accompanied by two prominent circular trademarks containing the letters A and B. The firm's specialties, address, and telephone numbers are printed beneath. A small printer's notation at the upper left, "20M. 9-25-16," indicates that 20,000 copies of this form were apparently printed or ordered on September 25, 1916, providing an interesting detail concerning the company's commercial stationery. Company History – Armstrong Cork Company The Armstrong Cork Company traces its origins to 1860, when Thomas Morton Armstrong established a cork-cutting business in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The company initially specialized in manufacturing cork stoppers for bottles, an essential product for the rapidly expanding American brewing, wine, spirits, pharmaceutical, and food industries. During the late nineteenth century, Armstrong developed into one of the country's important cork manufacturers, benefiting from the increasing demand for machine-produced bottle closures and other cork products. The business eventually expanded into cork insulation, corkboard, and flooring materials, laying the foundation for its later prominence in the American building-products industry. In 1891, the company was incorporated as the Armstrong Cork Company. Its continued expansion led to the establishment of manufacturing and distribution facilities serving customers throughout the United States. By 1917, Armstrong was a well-established national enterprise, and its Chicago office supplied corks and related merchandise to businesses across the Midwest and western states. The company subsequently became particularly well known for its flooring products, eventually adopting the name Armstrong World Industries. Contents of the March 26, 1917 Invoice The invoice records five separate quantities of corks, totaling 460 gross, or 66,240 individual corks. The merchandise is described by numbered sizes, with the designation XX Regular, presumably indicating a particular grade and style of cork. Quantity Cork description Amount 150 gross No. 5 XX Regular $99.36 200 gross No. 6 XX Regular $146.88 50 gross No. 7 XX Regular $43.20 50 gross No. 14 XX Regular $118.80 10 gross No. 12 XX Regular $18.72 Total 460 gross $426.96 The document also contains pencil calculations and accounting notations, including a prominently written 80%, apparently associated with subsequent pricing or bookkeeping calculations. The printed payment terms include 90 days net or a 2% cash discount within 10 days, with exchange on Chicago specified. National Protective Bureau Stamp – March 1917 An especially interesting feature is the small red illustrated stamp affixed near the lower center of the invoice. The stamp reads "Members of National Protective Bureau" and depicts the Statue of Liberty within an ornamental rectangular frame, with March 1917 printed along the bottom. This is a private commercial or organizational label rather than a United States government revenue stamp. Such labels were used by business organizations to indicate membership, participation, or association with commercial protective services. These organizations were concerned with matters such as credit information, fraud prevention, and safeguarding business transactions. The stamp's dated design and Statue of Liberty illustration make it an attractive example of early twentieth-century commercial cinderella material. Its presence on the invoice is particularly noteworthy because it survives attached to an original business document rather than as a loose stamp. Historical Background – The Cork and Bottling Industries During the early twentieth century, natural cork remained one of the principal materials used to seal bottles containing beer, wine, whiskey, medicines, and other liquids. Before the widespread adoption of modern synthetic closures and screw caps, cork manufacturers supplied enormous quantities of stoppers in different sizes and grades. Corks were commonly sold by the gross, consisting of 144 pieces, with wholesale customers purchasing thousands or tens of thousands at a time. The substantial quantities recorded on this invoice illustrate the scale of supply required by businesses engaged in bottling and distributing beverages. The date is also significant. In March 1917, the United States was only days away from entering World War I, while the American brewing and liquor industries were facing increasingly restrictive state and national prohibition legislation. Montana had approved statewide prohibition in November 1916, although the law would not take effect until the end of 1918. Consequently, businesses such as Bateman-Switzer were still operating within the state's legal liquor trade when this invoice was issued.

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