1865 Brown and Sharp Corner Card with Double Rate Postage

Rhode Island Stampless Covers & Letters
1865 J. R. Brown & Sharp - Machinists - Providence, RI
(Very Early Example) of a Brown & Sharpe Corner Card
Sent at Double Rate to S. G. Hilliard - Theresa, NY
(Scroll Down for Background and Historical Information)

The cover above is one of the earliest known Brown and Sharp Corner Cards. It is canceled with a Red November 3, 1865 Providence Circular Date Stamp (CDS) and two fancy cork killers tie the stamps to the cover. The stamps are the 3-cent Rose Washington issue of 1861 to 1862, (Scott #65) and pay the double rate.

Joseph R. Brown first set up a machine shop in 1831 and in 1848 the business moved to the address, (115 South Main Street) shown on the corner card above. On March 1, 1853 Lucian Sharpe joined with Joseph R. Brown and formed J. R. Brown & Sharpe. At this time the business employed 14 workers and occupied a space of only 60 by 30 feet.

In 1861 Joseph Brown invented the first "Universal Milling Machine" and the first "Formed Cutter." The firm has continued to be on the cutting edge of technological innovation to the present day and is currently one of the largest employers in the State of Rhode Island.