1797 American Slave Ship Letter Detailing The Type Of Slaves To Be Purchased

Croix and transport them to Havana, Cuba. The Schooner Fair Lady out of Boston was a privateer commissioned as a gunboat during the Revolutionary War. It was owned by Benjamin Cobb and Benjamin Homer of Boston.

Following the War the Fair Lady carried on a merchant trade along the East Cost and in the Caribbean. This fascinating, American Slave Trade Letter is written by Benjamin Cobb and signed by both Cobb and the co-owner of the Schooner Benjamin Homer. The Letter is addressed to Capt.

/ Master Schooner Fairlady" in care of "Mr. Durant / Merchant / St Croix. The Letter was transported from Boston to St. The Letter is written on a two page, folding letter sheet of laid paper that measures approx. 7 3/8" by 12" which was folded as a self-folding letter.

The letter is dated April 3, 1797 from Boston. And it is the very earliest Letters we have ever encountered from the Hawaiian Islands. There are no postal markings of any kind. The Letter reads in full.

Our accounts are so contradicting here with us, respecting Havannah(sic) being open as a free port, that we think it prudent at all regards to give you our most positive orders to sell all your cargo that you carry from Carolina at St Croix or San Tomas(sic) & to vest the whole net proceeds in slaves & carry them down to Havannah. The slaves must be of the best kind, good stout male slaves be very careful that you do not go to or by any English Port we recommend the Gratest(sic) Dispatch & remain with sentiments of esteem yrs. (to)Capt Joshua Delano Jr. The Manuscript Letter offered here is written in brown, iron gall ink on laid paper and is unconditionally guaranteed to be original and of the period.

It is guaranteed to be deemed original by any third party authentication service. Interestingly, there exists a Ships Passport signed by President George Washington issued on December 17, 1796 for the Schooner Fair Lady (Joshua Delano Master) carrying Staves, Hoops, Shingles, and Flour bound for St.

Croix and their transport at least as far as Cuba. It is an amazing piece of 18th century Historical Americana and worthy of a place at the heart of even the most advanced Museum or Institutional Collection related to Slavery in the United States. This exceptionally rare and historically important, 1797 American Slave Trade Letter is in very good condition. The Letter Sheet is intact and sound and generally clean and crisp with some foxing to the address panel and two short edge tears as well as some light toning at the original folds around the address panel.

The handwriting is dark and bold and very readable. This Letter was recently discovered as part of a Newburyport, Massachusetts estate and is fresh to the market having never been offered for sale before.

Croix and transport them to Havana, Cuba and worthy of a place at the center of even the most advanced, Museum Quality American Slavery Collection! The item "1797 AMERICAN SLAVE SHIP LETTER DETAILING THE TYPE OF SLAVES TO BE PURCHASED" is in sale since Friday, September 09, 2016. This item is in the category "Collectibles\Cultures & Ethnicities\Black Americana\Other Black Americana". The seller is "walnutts" and is located in Brewster, Massachusetts. This item can be shipped worldwide.