Lot 237

1835 New Orleans Sale Deed for 4 "Slaves for Life," Both "Mulatto… [&] Negro"

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1835 New Orleans Sale Deed for 4 "Slaves for Life," Both "Mulatto… [&] Negro"

Estimate: $300 - $400

Current Bid: $180

(4 Bids)

June 17, 2026 10:00 AM EDT
Live Auction
Wilton, CT, US

Description:

Slavery
[New Orleans, LA], June 26, 1835
1835 New Orleans Sale Deed for 4 "Slaves for Life," Both "Mulatto… [&] Negro"
MDS

A 4pp fair copy of an original document, being a deed of sale for four enslaved persons. June 26, 1835. [New Orleans, Louisiana.] Partly printed and secretarially inscribed on laid watermarked bifold paper, featuring a printed letterhead reading in part: "State of Louisiana, / City of New-Orleans." Signed by the officiating Notary Public, Hilary Breton Cenas (1805-1859), as "H.B. Cenas / Not: Pub." on the fourth page. Docketed and signed by a city registrar on the first page, along a vertical orientation near the left edge, dated March 2, 1840. Two blind-embossed seals are present, one on the first page, and one on the fourth page. A V-shaped cancellation mark runs through all the pages. Contemporaneous ink blots. Expected wear including flattened transmittal folds, isolated water stains, and minor chipped edges, else near fine. 9.5" x 15.25".

The document records the details of a slave purchase. Four enslaved persons, a 15-year-old "Mulatto Boy" named Charles; a 20-year-old "Negro Man" named Darby; and two 18-year-old "Negro Boys" named Tom and William, the last with a leg injury, were purchased at a public sale held by auctioneers Flower & Cenas on May 19, 1835 at the Exchange Coffee House in New Orleans. Together, the slaves were purchased for a total of $3,755. The mixed-race slave, Charles, sold for significantly more than the Black slaves, which was not atypical for the period, as lighter-skinned slaves often performed the duties of domestic house servants. William's having a leg injury reduced his sale price; his exact contemporary in race and age, Tom, was sold for $825 compared to William, who sold for $770. The enslaved men and boys have quotes around their first names, suggesting no legal right to have any; and their ages are approximate, through lack of record-keeping.

The document reads in part:

"Now therefore, in Confirmation of the said adjudication, and in Order to give to said purchaser a more Formal Title to the said Slaves, He, the said Appearer moreover Declared, that He Does, By these Presents in his said Capacity, grant, Bargain, Sell, Convey, assign and Set over unto the said Peter Cunningham here present, accepting and purchasing for himself, his heirs and assigns and acknowledging delivery and possession thereof

The Mulatto Boy, named 'Charles,' aged about fifteen years, valued at Twelve Hundred Dollars; Negro Man, 'Darby' aged about twenty years, valued at Nine Hundred + Sixty Dollars; Negro Boy 'Tom' aged about Eighteen years, valued at Eight Hundred & twenty-five Dollars, and Negro Boy 'William,' aged about Eighteen Years valued at Seven Hundred and Seventy Dollars, All Slaves for Life, and are Hereby fully guaranteed against the Redhibitory vices Maladies and defects prescribed by Law, with the exception of the Boy William, who has got a Sore leg…"

[Redhibitory defects are aspects which are concealed by the seller prior to the sale, which if previously known, would have lowered the price or cancelled the sale. This was an important issue in historical Louisiana law.]

As we can see from the 1840 docket, Charles, Darby, Tom, and William were still enslaved five years later. They would indeed remain "Slaves for Life" if any of them died prior to the Civil War.

The four enslaved males had belonged to James Cunningham, who is mentioned in the opening lines of this deed of sale. We know from contemporary newspaper advertisements published in the February and March 1835 issues of the "New Orleans Bee" that James Cunningham had died six months before the slave auction, on December 20, 1834. These same advertisements, in both English and French, reveal that the deceased had been a partner in the firm Wiley & Cunningham, whose headquarters were located on Philip Street in New Orleans. It is unclear what type of business this was. Philip Street is located in between the Faubourg Livaudais and the Garden District, closer to the Mississippi River than Lake Pontchartrain. The four male slaves were sold to the previous owner's brother and business partner, James Cunningham, who had also placed the advertisements.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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  • Dimensions: 9.5" x 15.25"
  • Medium: MDS

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Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $99 $10
$100 $299 $20
$300 $499 $25
$500 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $2,999 $200
$3,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 + $5,000