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Original 1845 Philadelphia printed billhead / receipt from William D. Parrish, wholesale dealer in paper, rags, blank books, school books, and stationery, issued to Rev. C. H. Plummer.
Dated Philadelphia, 10th month, 10th day, 1845, this attractive antebellum commercial document was issued from Parrish’s establishment at:
Wm. D. Parrish
No. 4 North Fifth Street
Two doors above Market Street
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
The boldly printed letterhead advertises Parrish as a:
“Wholesale Dealer in Paper, Rags, Blank Books, School Books and Stationery.”
It also contains the particularly interesting period advertising line:
“THE HIGHEST PRICE given for RAGS in CASH or in trade for goods at cash prices.”
This reference is especially evocative of the 19th-century American paper industry, when discarded linen and cotton rags were among the principal raw materials used in manufacturing quality writing and printing paper.
Buyer – Rev. C. H. Plummer
The purchaser is identified here as Rev. C. H. Plummer, a Philadelphia clergyman documented in the city during this period. His name is handwritten prominently above the printed “Bought of” heading.
The transaction appears to concern:
“1–6 qr Letter Book 30c” — $1.80
The notation indicates the purchase of letter-book material or books at 30 cents each, totaling $1.80.
A further manuscript notation beneath the transaction appears to read:
“due 7 mo 1/46”
indicating payment due in the seventh month of 1846.
William D. Parrish
William D. Parrish was a Philadelphia merchant engaged in the city\'s important paper, bookbinding, stationery, and rag trades. His establishment at 4 North Fifth Street, immediately above Market Street, placed him in the center of Philadelphia’s commercial district.
Surviving period material documents Parrish as operating a paper and rag warehouse and bookbinding/stationery concern, making this receipt a tangible artifact from Philadelphia’s antebellum printing, publishing, paper-making, and bookselling economy.
The printed emphasis on purchasing rags for cash or trade is particularly noteworthy. Before wood-pulp paper became dominant later in the 19th century, rag collection was an essential part of the papermaking supply chain. Receipts such as this provide an unusually direct glimpse into that forgotten commercial network.
Historical Interest
A desirable piece for collections relating to:
- Philadelphia history
- Antebellum America
- American papermaking
- Printing and publishing history
- Booksellers and stationers
- 19th-century advertising
- Rag and recycling trades
- Religious / clergy history
- Ephemera and manuscript collecting
The combination of a large typographic merchant heading, manuscript customer and purchase information, early Philadelphia address, and explicit rag-trade advertising gives the document considerably more visual and historical interest than a routine handwritten receipt.
Condition
Original period document with expected age toning, scattered spotting, creases/wrinkles, edge wear, and a small central puncture/tear visible in the photographs. Ink remains strong and the printed merchant heading is bold and highly legible.
Please examine all photographs carefully, as they form an important part of the condition description.
A handsome 181-year-old piece of Philadelphia commercial ephemera connecting a documented clergyman with the city\'s early paper, stationery, book, and rag trade.
