1876 Certificate of Award to Nelson, Matter & Co. for a bedstead and dressing case.
A marble topped wash stand and dressing case stand inside the bed frame. Bedroom suites were often shown this way.
A bedroom suite with burled overlay and incised designs.
Two chests of drawers, one with an incised design on the drawers and brass pulls, the other with burled pulls.
Four wooden-top wash stands are displayed, and a small chest at the top is shown in a closed and open position.
The same photograph appears in the 1876 catalog, but to much less advantage. See Related Items below.Nelson, Matter & Co., Trade Catalog
1880
The brown leather furniture catalog is stamped in gold with the names of M. L. Fitch and Nelson, Matter & Co. of Grand Rapids, Mich. The catalog is not dated, but the sequencing of numbers on the furniture follow closely upon the numbers used in the 1876 catalog. Also, including a copy of the certificate awarded at the 1876 exhibition might imply that this is the first catalog issued after that award. The quality of the catalog, particularly the layout of the pages, has vastly improved since 1876. This volume was Milford Fitch's sample book, which he would have used while selling to the trade.
Subjects
Full Details
| Title | Nelson, Matter & Co., Trade Catalog |
|---|---|
| Date | 1880 |
| Format | Catalog |
| Notes | Milford L. Fitch was a traveling agent for Nelson, Matter for at least ten years, from around 1876 until approximately 1889. He is listed as a traveling agent for Nelson, Matter in city directories; in 1889 he is still listed as a traveling agent, but no company is named. |
| Collection | Coll. 232-28.5, Grand Rapids History & Special Collections |
| Rights | Reproduction and copyright information regarding this image is available from Grand Rapids History & Special Collections, Archives, Grand Rapids Public Library, Grand Rapids, MI |
| Institution | Grand Rapids Public Library |
| Physical Storage Location | Grand Rapids Public Library, Main Branch |