In 1856 Hunt took a partner, and the company became Hunt & Webster. An interesting account of this company appeared as a feature article in _Ballou's Pictorial_, July 5, 1856, where it was reported that "the North American Shoe Company have over fifty of the latest improved machines, represented in these drawings [fig. 31], now running...." The article also estimated that a 55-million dollar increase in shoe manufacturing in Massachusetts in 1855 was due to the sewing machine. In 1856 the Hunt & Webster machine again won a silver medal at the exhibition. Very late in 1858 the company became Ladd, Webster, & Co. and continued to manufacture both family and manufacturing sewing machines until the mid-1860s. The approximate date of manufacture can be determined by serial number: _Serial Number_ _Year_ 1-100 1853 101-368 1854 369-442 1855 443-622 1856 623-1075 1857 1076-1565 1858 1566-3353 1859 No figures are available for the 1860s. [Illustration: Figure 100.--RIGHT: HUNT & WEBSTER sewing machine of about 1855, serial number 414. (Smithsonian photo 48216-V.)] [Illustration: Figure 101.--LADD, WEBSTER & CO. sewing machine of about 1858, Boston, serial number 1497. (Smithsonian photo 46953.)] [Illustration: Figure 102.--IMPROVED COMMON SENSE sewing machine of about 1870. This machine is so very similar to the New England machines in its feed, threading, looping mechanism, and in its general design, that it is sometimes mistaken for the earlier New England machines (see figs. 112 and 113). Dating from the early 1870s, the Improved Common Sense machine is about 10 inches in width, two inches larger than the New England machine. The spool holder is similar to Folsom's patented design, but is less refined. A page from an advertising brochure of the period verifies the name of the machine, but does not identify the manufacturer. There are no patent dates or identifying names or numbers on the machine illustrated. Although the Empire Co. also produced a machine of this style, their models are marked with their name and with Ketchum's patent date, April 23, 1863. Of the several styles of machine using the Raymond looper, this type seems to account for the largest volume manufactured, as evidenced by the proportionately higher number of examples still extant. (Smithsonian photo 48328-E.)] [Illustration: Figure 103.--JOHNSON SEWING MACHINE, 1857. Another of the all-but-forgotten manufacturers of the 1850s was Emery, Houghton & Co., who constructed the A.F. Johnson machines. Examination of existing machines indicates that they were manufactured in 1856 and 1857, and possibly a little longer. This one from 1857 bears the serial number 624, so we know that several hundred were manufactured. The head is ornately attractive, slightly reminiscent of Wheeler & Wilson models, and of standard size. (Smithsonian photo 48329-B.)]