Description:

John Hancock Signed Whaling Receipt Just After Passage of Intolerable Acts PSA Encapsulated NM 7 

A handwritten receipt, in the hand of Founding Father John Hancock, recording a shipment of whale oil. 1p, measuring 9" x 4.5", Boston, dated May 14, 1774. Signed within the text "John Hancock", with approximately 50 words in Hancock's hand. The receipt states that a shipment of 70 casks of white sperm oil, containing 13 tons and 21.5 gallons, was to be shipped aboard the Brig "Leoparde" by Captain Benjamin Gorham and delivered to the Port of London unto Messrs Hayley & Hopkins. The shipment cost 45 shillings. Countersigned by Benjamin Gorham. With edge toning and chipping. Minor soiling throughout. Bold and clear handwriting. Overall, very good. PSA Slabbed and Graded NM7, measuring 9.75" x 13" overall.

This shipping receipt was written and signed just after the passage of the Coercive Acts, also known as the Intolerable Acts. These Acts were a series of punitive laws passed by the British Parliament in April 1774 after the Boston Tea Party with the aim to punish Massachusetts colonists for their defiance. A total of four acts were passed: Boston Port, Massachusetts Government, Impartial Administration of Justice, and Quartering Acts. The Boston Port Act in particular took effect in this case as it closed the port of Boston until the colonists paid for the destroyed tea. The Intolerable Acts were highly controversial and became one of the chief motives for the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War one year later.

After the death of his father in 1744, John Hancock was sent to live with his aunt and uncle. Thomas Hancock (1703-1764) was a prominent Boston merchant and became the proprietor of the House of Hancock, which exported rum, whale oil, and fish, built ships, and imported books and luxury goods. In his later years, Thomas suffered from several disorders, leading him to turn over control over the majority of his business affairs to his nephew, John.

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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Shipping

Unless otherwise indicated, we do our own in-house worldwide shipping!

Applicable shipping and handling charges will be added to the invoice. We offer several shipping options, and remain one of the few auction houses who proudly provides professional in-house shipping as an option to our clients. All items will ship with signature required, and full insurance. Most items are sent via Federal Express, with P. O. Box addresses being sent through USPS. We insure through Berkley Asset Protection with rates of $.70 per $100 of value, among the lowest insurance rates in the industry. Our shipping department cameras document every package, both outgoing and incoming, for maximum security. In addition, we compare our shipping and handling rates against those of other auction houses, to ensure that our charges are among the lowest in the trade.

Upon winning your item(s), you will receive an invoice with our in-house shipping and handling fees included. ***We will ship to the address as it appears on your invoice. If any changes to the shipping address need to be made, you must inform us immediately.***

International shipments: In order to comply with our insurance provider, all international shipments will be sent via Fed Ex and customs paperwork will show a value of $1.00. International buyers should contact our office directly with any questions regarding this policy.

Third Party Shipping Option: If a third party shipper is preferred, the buyer is responsible for contacting them directly to make shipping arrangements. For your convenience, we have provided some recommended shippers. For your protection, we will require a signed release from you, confirming your authorization for us to release your lots to your specified third party Please copy and paste this following link into your browser: http://universityarchives.com/UserFiles/ShippingInfo.pdf. At that point, our responsibility and insurance coverage for your item(s) ceases. Items picked up by third party shippers are required to pay Connecticut sales tax. Items requiring third party shipping due to being oversized, fragile or bulky will be denoted in the item description.

Please see our full terms and conditions for names of suggested third party shippers.

After payment has been made in full, University Archives will ship your purchase within 10 business days following receipt of full payment for item.

Please remember that the buyer is responsible for all shipping costs from University Archives' offices in Wilton, CT to the buyer's door. Please see full Terms and Conditions of Sale.

May 31, 2023 11:00 AM EDT
Wilton, CT, US

University Archives

You agree to pay a buyer's premium of 25% and any applicable taxes and shipping.

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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