Description:

Whaling
Boston, MA, October 23, 1769
Colonial Whaling Ledger From 18th C. Boston: Whale Oil & Bone
MDS

A 1p manuscript document signed, being a ledger showing the proceeds from a colonial whaling voyage, signed at its conclusion by one Captain David Tilden on behalf of the mercantile firm of Pool & Clarke, owners of the sloop "Joa & Polly." October 23, 1769. Boston, Massachusetts. Two columns containing six entries are beautifully secretarially inscribed on laid watermarked paper. Docketed verso. Expected wear including flattened paper folds, isolated closed tears and chipped edges. Toning, and scattered foxing and ink bleed-through. Else near fine and quite legible. Measures 12.25" x 5.375" fully unfolded.

This ledger lists the itemized proceeds from a whaling voyage of the sloop "Joa & Polly," commanded by Ezk.h (Ezekiah?) Hopkins. Captain David Tilden has verified the accounts at bottom, signing on behalf of the owners Pool & Clarke as: "David Tilden for himself and other owners." Edward Clarke and Fitch Pool were shipowners who leased fishing craft and merchant vessels, and operated a chandlery at Green's Wharf, Boston in the 1760s.

The sloop "Joa & Polly" cannot be traced, but should probably yield some interesting discoveries. Was the half-Portuguese, half-American sloop's name inspired by a crew of Portuguese-speaking whalers? Or did it suggest that the sloop sailed into Caribbean or South American whaling grounds? Right whales during this period could be found relatively close to shore, so it is unclear how far afield these colonial whalers ventured.

The ledger lists the type and quantity of whale oil and bone collected - in gallons, casks, and tons - with the much-coveted right whale oil listed separately from that of other whales, in part:

"1769
Octo.r 23 To our Share of Oil, Bone &c. taken of s.d Sloop
of Settlement this Day………106.15.19

1769
Octo.r By 233 1/4 le Whale Bone… @ 2/8.. £31.2.0
By 13 Casks right Whale Oil, cont. @ 455 3/4
Gallons, is 1 3/4 Tons & 14 3/4 Galls @ 14.13.4 of Tons………26.10.6…"

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: 12.25" x 5.375" fully unfolded
  • Medium: MDS

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