In the development of our modern industrial society, the form of marketing institutions have constantly been in flux. New types of distribution have been brought forth to meet changing conditions only to become obsolete as a result of further change. An institution that became influential after the War of 1812, reached its heyday by 1825, and then declined into relative unimportance by 1840 was the wholesale auction system. In the Society's possession are the records of Jacob Peabody and Company, a Boston auction and commission house that operated in this era of the auctioneer. Study of the papers of this collection not only gives considerable detail on methods of conducting an auction business, but also discloses much on the historical development of the auction system in this period.

Letters asking persons to become agents for a novel device or a patent medicine, although grossly exaggerating the qualities of the advertised product, are not unusual; but when a counterfeiter pens a letter to secure an agent for the distribution of illicit dollars, it is indeed a curiosity. Two such extraordinary letters may be found in the files of the Society.

In these days we hear much in praise of collective and controlled enterprises. It is, therefore, especially interesting to note that the first business contract signed in this country of which we have record was to establish an undertaking of just such a sort. This event occurred at Plymouth in 1626, when Governor William Bradford, Captain Miles Standish, William Brewster, John Alden, and several others drew up an agreement with the Colony and with the Merchant Adventurers of London, England, whereby they assumed complete control of the trade of the Colony for a period of six years.

An interesting sidelight on the attitude of white laborers toward potential competition from slaves in the pre-Civil War period is found in the Baker Library's Baldwin collection.

As a result of an invitation from the Pan American Union of Washington, D. C., to participate in the commemoration of Pan American Day on April 14, the Baker Library has installed a special exhibit of materials on the industry and commerce of all Central and South American countries.

Arrogant knights, dashing Vikings of the North, wild Indian hunters, and colorful naval battles are a few of the stirring scenes depicted in the picturesque advertisements of the early California clipper ships, found in the Society's collection of trade cards.

Perusal of these yellowed but still gay cards reveals that the illustrations are seldom directly tied up with the shipping trade. More often the scenes are pictorial expressions of the ship's name. Robin Hood and his merry men step right out of history to advertise the sailing of the clipper ship bearing the gallant bandit's name.

For over forty years at the beginning of the railroad era, the Taunton Locomotive Works constructed engines of all shapes and sizes for railroads in every section of the country. Fragments of the fascinating history of this company may be recaptured by reading the two locomotive record books and one sales book now in the possession of the Baker Library.

In the history of America, war has proved a powerful stimulus to industry. Naturally, hostilities will bring forth increased activity in most branches of trade, which enhancement of activity lasts only during the persistence of the war stimulus. However, there have been a few industries in each major war that have been permanently advanced. A survey of the diversified collections in the Society's possession calls to mind certain industries that normal development would have caused to bloom at a much later date and others that might never have been developed had it not been for the exciting influence of war.

Collecting historical data possesses a lure somewhat akin to the joy of solving a tantalizing puzzle. A bit of information here, a manuscript there, and finally that last scrap of material is found which places the historical event in its true perspective. This process of building up certain business historical information into an understandable whole is often evidenced in the operations of the Business Historical Society.

The records of one of the first joint railroad operating agreements in this country, made between the Boston and Worcester Railroad and the Western Railroad in 1839, may be found in the archives of the Society. Under the agreement, freight and traffic was to be handled cooperatively over the lines of the two roads. The contract covered such items as the through fare on the two roads from Boston to Springfield, division of profits on fares and tariffs collected, joint operation of passenger and freight trains, and reimbursement for services performed for each other.

The rapid growth of the sales tax movement in the United States and the results and implications of this development are discussed in a recently published book, “The Sales Tax in the American States,” by Robert Murray Haig and Carl Shoup.