The cover was sent from the American Consular Service to Mr. E.F. Mahady, 671 Boylston Street, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America. The blue 2½d ‘Roo on Map of Australia’ stamp was cancelled with a roller postmark SYDNEY/ MY 8 – 2PM/ 1915/ N.S.W. There was no backstamp on the reverse (Figure 1).
Interesting information was obtained concerning the company from an advertising post card that had been sent to perhaps a client, Mr. B. de F. Lambert, 70 Wannalanset St., Lowell, Mass. It was postmarked with a roller cancel BOSTON-MASS/ SEP 8/ 7.30 PM/ 1932, the stamp having been removed (Figure 2).
The reverse showed a photo of the E.F. Mahady Co. Harvard Branch at 602 Huntington Ave Boston. The wall above the bookcase was adorned with HARVARD, NAVY, ARMY, PRINCETON and DARTMOUTH college banners, and in addition to the books, there was a doctors bag as well as instruments, pens and pencils (Figure 3).
The items that the E.F. Mahady Company at 671 Boyston St. Boston sold was very diverse and mainly devoted to students and practitioners of the Health Sciences, Medical and Nurses’ books, microscopes for Bacteriological and Pathological Laboratories, as well as Hospital Surgical Supplies and Physicians’ Office Furniture, as described in the advertisement (Figure 4).
However the company was best known for Orthopedic Appliances for use in orthopedic surgery as well as patient-oriented supplies, including arch supports, abdominal belts, elastic stockings, special splints, braces and trusses. “Having our own shop on the premises, we are prepared to execute special orders promptly. We have expert workmen and both male and female fitters.” This advertisement appeased in the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery in April 1928, Volume X, No. 2 (Figure 5).
Edward Francis Mahady (born 23 January1876 at Cambridge Mass., died 24 March1934, and was buried in the Walnut Hills Cemetery, Chestnut Hill, Mass). He was a son of Daniel James Mahady who was born in Cambridge Mass.of Irish stock on 20 March 1848, and Daniel married Joanna Carr in August 1871. Edward married Alice Gertrude Littlefield in Boston, Mass. on 21 November 1900 and their only child (of the same name as her mother) was born 5 November 1910. Details of Edward’s schooling, any college education, early working life and the date of the founding of his company have not been found. The company was still in existence in 1969, thirty five years after Edward’s death.
The E.H. Mahady Company thrived and it was one of several companies that were sued by the Boston Medical Supply Company, the appellant, which was engaged in Boston in the business of selling medical and dental books and supplies at retail. The appellant filed a complaint in Massachusetts seeking an injunction and treble damages against six companies, including E.F. Mahady & Co., all of which sold both wholesale and retail. Two of the defendants, including the Mahady Co., together controlled the wholesale supply and distribution of the books in the Boston area, and adversely affected the appellant. The results of the legal case were not revealed.