[Philadelphia merchant account book].

Format:

• Book
• Manuscript

Contributor:

• Carson, Marian S., former owner.
• Kaplan, Arnold Harvey, 1939- donor.
• Kaplan, Deanne, donor.
• Arnold and Deanne Kaplan Collection of Early American Judaica (University of Pennsylvania)

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

• Jewish merchants--Pennsylvania--Philadelphia--18th century.
• Merchants--Pennsylvania--Philadelphia--18th century.
• Merchants.
• Jewish merchants.
• Philadelphia (Pa.)--History--18th century--Sources.
• Pennsylvania--Philadelphia.

Genre:

• codices (bound manuscripts)
• account books

Penn Provenance:

• Sold at auction at Freeman's (Philadelphia) as part of the residual collection of Marian S. Carson, 2002 (dealer description).
• Presented to the Penn Libraries in 2012 by Arnold and Deanne Kaplan (Collectify accession no. 2006.12.26.00771).

Physical Description:

200 leaves : paper ; 360 x 240 mm bound to 370 x 260 mm

Place of Publication:

Philadelphia, 1779-1784.

Summary:

Financial records from 25 April 1779 to 27 September 1784 of a Philadelphia merchant involved in trade, privateering, and ships' insurance. Jewish merchants represented in the records include Michael Gratz, Ezekiel Levy, Isaac Moses, Benjamin Seixes, and Haym Solomon. A few women appear in the records as purchasers or borrowers. Privateering-related entries refer to commissions and prize money. The goods in the transactions include ships' supplies (sail needles, sails, canvas, pitch, anchors), food and drink (beef, pork, limes, rice, flour, salt, pepper, sugar, molasses, coffee, tea, rum, gin, wine), tobacco, cloth and clothing (linen, cotton, calico, lace, shirts, trousers, silk hose, shoes), and arms and ammunition (guns, powder, shot). Expenses are also recorded for services such as blacksmithing, portage, cartage, pilotage, and postage. Payments are recorded in pounds or dollars.

Notes:

• Ms. codex.
• Title supplied by cataloger.
• Collation: Paper, i + 200 leaves; 1⁸ (-1, -2, -3) 2⁸ 3-8⁸ 9⁸ (-8) 10⁸ 11⁸ (-8) 12-13⁸ 14⁸ (-1) 15-25⁸ 26⁸ (-1, -8); contemporary pagination in ink starting on first verso, upper outer corners, 1-135, 138-167, 170-201, 204-281, 283-354, i-v, 360-394, [397]-408; four leaves missing and 282 skipped in pagination.
• Layout: Ruled in five columns, one narrow column on the left for creditor or debtor numbers (perhaps references to a ledger), a wide center column for notes, and three narrow columns on the right for amounts; folio format.
• Script: Written in cursive script by multiple hands.
• Decoration: Verticals ruled in faint red ink.
• Binding: Contemporary (18th-century) calf, blind-stamped; spine lacking; lower cover detached, endbands almost detached.
• Origin: Written in Philadelphia from 25 April 1779 to 27 September 1784.

Cited as:

CAJS MS 56, Codex 018.1

OCLC:

1105465269

Access Restriction:

Access to this item is subject to staff review.