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Ruber Shoes or can you read this?

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Author	Topic: Ruber Shoes or can you read this?
wev Moderator Posts: 4121 Registered: Apr 99	posted 10-29-2005 12:48 PM After something of a dry spell, I found another interesting letter, which may or may not be silver related, though the writer, Horace Wilcox of Meriden CT, is. It is dated 31 May 1847 and addressed to Hart & Lewis of Naugatuck, "Manufacturers of Ruber [sic] Shoes." Unfortunately, Mr. Wilcox wrote a rather erratic hand; here is what I have puzzled out so far (with --- indicating unreadable words): quote: Meriden May 31st 47 Messer Hart & Lewis Gent Sirs I shall have about 30 Hundred of old Ruber Shoes by the first of July and I understood that you buy and if you want a lot deliverd at the Meriden Depots free of Expense Please write [Me] if you want a lot there and how much you will take at 17 cts and if you will writ me to New York as I shall be there a few days. I can get you a lot as I traid [sic] with all the --- --- --- as far east as Maine Mr L Candee has had --- for the last year or two but he has yet a large stock on hand he pays the expenses on it from where ever I buys it and has paid me a biger Price the last 6 months than I ask you Yours --- H Wilcox write to Horace Wilcox New York What are these "old Ruber shoes" and why would someone have "30 hundred" of them? Are they literally shoes for the feet or some sort of machine part? I suspect that the L. Candee mentioned is Lewis Burton Candee, silversmith of nearby Woodbury; if true, are these things something to do with making silver goods, that he has paid a better price to get them for several years? Altogether a confusing missive; I couldn't be more pleased. If you'd like to assist in the deciphering, I have uploaded a good-sized (700KB) scan here Hopefully, one of you will be more clever than I and fill in the blanks. IP: Logged
wev Moderator Posts: 4121 Registered: Apr 99	posted 10-29-2005 02:39 PM Well, as too often happens, I wasn't close, at least about Mr. Candee. Rather than Lewis Burton, it is Leverett, founder of Candee Manufacturing Company of New Haven. Originally a maker of india rubber overshoes using his patented vulcanizing process, he later introduced a new shoe with laced canvas uppers and vulcanized rubber soles that proved enormously popular and eventually became today's ubiqitious tennis shoe. So Mr. Wilcox's "Ruber Shoes" really were just rubber shoes and he was doing a bit of Yankee trading before joining his brother Dennis the next year to begin manufacturing silverplate britanniaware in Meriden. IP: Logged
June Martin Forum Master Posts: 1326 Registered: Apr 93	posted 10-29-2005 09:21 PM Nonetheless, a good and interesting find, wev. Thanks! IP: Logged
Ulysses Dietz Moderator Posts: 1265 Registered: May 99	posted 12-06-2005 10:05 AM I know Newark has a pair of patented child's rubber overshoes from 1846 from a Newark manufacturer, and I'm sure they were a hot ticket in this period! We got them in 1944,and they're rigid like plastic now. [This message has been edited by Ulysses Dietz (edited 12-06-2005).] IP: Logged
wev Moderator Posts: 4121 Registered: Apr 99	posted 12-06-2005 11:44 AM Given the descriptions I've read about the conditions of city streets in the 1840s, the demand for foot protection shouldn't be a surprise. I've had an interesting exchange with the Naugatuck Historical Society. While the Lewis family is well known there, they had no record of a Hall & Lewis, Rubber Shoe Manufacturers, so were pleased to have scans and a transcript of the letter. Shame it wasn't about silver, but satisfying all the same. [This message has been edited by wev (edited 12-06-2005).] IP: Logged

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