URBANA WINE COMPANY, NEW YORK.


HUSS, JOHN L. 16 Typed Letters Signed and 2 Autograph Letters Signed ("J.L. Huss"), 35 pp, 4to and 8vo, various places, New York, to J.W. DAVIS, Manager and co-founder of the winery, on company letterhead, regarding his efforts as a sales representative for the winery. WITH: A collection of orders and invoices, 1893-1897, most addressed to J.W. Davis, from retail outlets and private collectors, the majority in the tri-state area but some from as far away as Wichita Falls, TX and Detroit, Michigan. Some toning and thumbsoiling throughout.Founded in 1865, the Urbana Wine Company near Hammondsport, NY was one of the most successful wineries in the Finger Lakes region. This small archive features a collection of correspondence from the Winery's New York sales representative, John L. Huss, to his boss J.W. Davis, reporting on his many efforts to promote the wine in the region. Much of Huss's correspondence describes his efforts to socialize with prominent people whose approval could help overall sales of the winery's products. From July 17, 1897, he asks if the company will pay for him to attend the conference for his fraternal organization: "nearly all Hotel men or those interested in the Wine trade are Knight Templars, and as the fraternal feeling is very strong among the members of our order, it might do us a great deal of good. It will certainly increase my acquaintanceship among this class of people, so that should we have occasion to push our wine in other localities, I will have an entree among them." He has also found an upper east side physician who likes to prescribe champagne for his patients. From August 2, 1897: "I wish you would send the following to Dr. Justin Herold, #173 East 80th St., New York City. This gentleman is in a position to do us a great deal of good. He is a great believer in the efficacy of champagnes in many cases of sickness and so orders it. He has a very large practice among the wealthy Jewish people of New York. He stands very high with the medical fraternity of New York. In conversation with him the other day, he became deeply interested in our champagne. I wish you would send him 6 pts. of Spcl. Dry ... If the goods strike him right, our goods will be talked of with great advantage to us. Dr. Herold being a promient Catholic, and in fact being physician to the Arch-bishop can do much in getting our wine before that class of people."The Urbana Wine Company's records from 1881-1885 are at University of Massachusetts, Amherst.