Union White Lead Manufacturing Co. Handwritten Letter and Rules Governing Sale of White Lead

New York, New York: Union White Lead Manufacturing Co, 1880. Very good. Short tear to right-hand margin of letter. Minor toning. Letter folds.. From before lead paint was found to be poisonous: this item is a handwritten letter on company letterhead from B.W. How of the Union White Lead Manufacturing Co. to prospective clients, stating that he "shall be much pleased to receive your orders at any time for Pure Lead, Red Lead, Linseed oil or anything in our oil line". Measures 9" by 5.75", verso blank save a pencil annotation. Accompanied by a printed leaflet titled "Revised and Corrected Rules of the Eastern Association of White Lead Corroders, to govern dealers in the sale of white lead", with brief ink correction at foot ("allowance is made for decline in price"). Measures 8.5" by 5.5", printed in red ink, verso blank. Lead-based paint was widely used due to its durability and availability, but was banned in the United States in 1978 due to its toxicity.