Description:

Colonial Massachusetts Merchant Ledger, Ca. 1747, Fantastically Detailed

Approximately 45 bound leaves (90 pages), measuring 12.5" x 8.5" , Massachusetts, dated Ca. 1747-1800. A merchant ledger on heavy laid paper, hand stitched with linen cord, with all but one cord missing. The volume is a fascinating merchant account ledger from c.1747 to c. 1800, with a scripted note "Thomas Man Book of Accounts / 1747". It documents the daily entries of sales, work, jobs, and payables to and from his various customers. Many of the pages have the customer name at the top, followed by a detailed accounting list of interactions, sales or jobs conducted, and prices paid with dates. Extensively scripted and detailed with a few examples of content as shown below:

"Oct 18 1771 Betty Turner came to live with me at night... paid Betty 4/10 in full"
"To Mack, 4 barrels & three quarters of cidar"
"Jan 13:1773 Lent you Seven Dollars/Jan 23:1773 Rec'd Seven Dollars in full"
"July 13, 1772 Capt Shepards Horse came to Pasture stayed 12 days paid down, Sept 3: came again, carried him home stayed one week and one day. Paid"
"Nov 4 4: 1783: to a Journey to Boston/as witness to a Will"
"Jan 1784: To tanning four sheep skins 0.4.0"
"Nov 27 1782: To ye Oxen & Cart one day to Cart Wood 1.9.9"
"Sept 17:1767 to setting a shoe on my horse/3"
"July 7th, 1768 Paid Abi griggs 11/9.2 in full for her work 16 Days to make clothes"
"May 4th 12:1766 Your cow came to pasture 21 weeks... 0.10"
"Oct 12 To your mare to carey my wife to providence"
"No 4 2:1768 To your mare to providence to fetch my wife"

A handsome ledger and perfect as a display piece. One could spend hours reading the ledger, and studying how people of that period bargained, traded, bartered, and exchanged in early colonial days. The ledger's binding is fragile, with covers mostly detached and chipped, lacking most of the spine. Pages within have heavy edgewear and chipping. Toning, foxing, and some ink spotting throughout. Handling marks throughout.

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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May 26, 2021 10:30 AM EDT
Wilton, CT, US

University Archives

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