[Rarebooks] FS: 1864 Shaw & Clark Sewing Machine Brochure

[Joslin Hall Rare Books]

TITLE: “Shaw & Clark Sewing Machine Company”

Printed in Biddeford, Maine in 1864.

DISCUSSION: An advertising brochure for Shaw & Clark sewing machines,
illustrating several of the machines as well as the factory. The text
describes the machines in great detail, cautions those who might be
tempted to avoid infringing on Shaw & Clark's patents, and ends with a
page of glowing testimonials from satisfied customers, all dated 1864.

An article in the International Sewing Machine Collectors Society bulletin
#32 adds some detail to the story of the company-

"Of all the unlicensed pirate operators who produced machines without
succumbing to paying license fees to the big patent holders, the
Biddeford, Maine, company was probably the most successful, with its
Monitor machine proving the mainstay of its business. But it could not
hope to get away with it forever and, in early 1864, a massive law suit
instigated by the Sewing-Machine Combination forced it to go legitimate.
And in an attempt to make the best of a bad job, Shaw & Clark went
overboard in its advertising. Now that the company was paying license fees
of $7 per machine, it wanted to make sure that no other pirate
manufacturers could get away with the scam that it had enjoyed in the
previous years. It pointed out time and again that it was the only maker
of cheap machines which could legally be used in America. The honourable
Charles A Shaw was, in fact, a former mayor of the city of Biddeford.
James R Clark was a member of the legislature of Maine and his son,
Timothy Clark, was a registrar of deeds for York County. In a further
attempt to capitalize on money paid in license fees, Shaw & Clark went so
far as to suggest that anyone using an unlicensed machine could well be
sent to jail. Each Shaw & Clark made after the date which the company
began to pay license fees was sold with a brass plate listing the patents
for which licenses had been bought. Two basic models were produced, one
with a circular-section fire-hydrant top and skirted bottom, and the other
with a square pagoda-topped hydrant which could come in open or closed
form. Today these later "paid-paid" models are far rarer than the pirate
Monitors. The company produced these machines for around three years
before moving its operation to Chicopee Falls, Mass, where it produced a
third model, again with the brass patent seal. But the company folded very
shortly after."

With- the original decorated envelope the brochure was mailed in.

DESCRIPTION: 8"x11", 3 pages and cover, illustrations of two sewing machines.

CONDITION NOTES: Folded several times, some light soil and wear and small
rips (please see the photos).

PRICE: $125-

SOME PICTURES =>

<http://www.joslinhall.com/images382/th-38383-cover.jpg>
<http://www.joslinhall.com/images382/th-38383-cover2.jpg>
<http://www.joslinhall.com/images382/th-38383-page1.jpg>
<http://www.joslinhall.com/images382/th-38383-page2.jpg>

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