HANDWRITTEN LETTER (ALS) AND SHIP'S INVENTORY, ADDRESSED TO N & WW BILLINGS AT NEW LONDON, CONNECTICUT, DATELINED PHILADELPHIA, OCTOBER 8, 1829 by Shober & Bunting Co - 1829

Philadelphia, 1829. Original manuscript. Very Good. 3pp, quarto, in sepia ink. In part: "...Should you be in want of a Ship of the class of the Old English John for a right whaler we hand you her Inventory....She is offered for $5000....The sperm oil in market now is generally inferior and 70 is the best it brings....Whale is selling at 35....Whale bone holds....[signed] Shober & Bunting." [Small piece torn from letter when clay seal was opened roughly, partial loss of one word.] An integral leaf lists the ship's inventory referred to above. "Inventory of Ship John 385 75/9574 Tons Register." The full-page list includes: "4 Top Sails, 3 Top gallant sails...1 Jib, 1 main stay sail...1 Spanker, 2 Bowen chains, 2 Top mast steering sails...2 Bower Anchors...2 Handspikes...2 water casks, 2 water butts...2 Steamers, 1 Gridiron, 1 Brass tell tale, 1 Cabin table & cloth, 1 Looking Glass...5 Wine Glasses, 2 Pitchers...2 Brass Candle sticks, 1 Medicine Chest...2 Bibles & 2 Testaments...1 Horn Lanthorn...1 Binnacle Lamp & Feeder...1 Tin Speaking Trumpet...1 Deepsea lead...1 Ships Bell. Ship coppered and copper fastened, her copper is now in very good order. She has had on board 1377 Bales New Orleans Cotton...688 Hhds of Maryland Tobacco...." [The Shober Bunting Co. were Philadelphia dealers in spermacetti candle & lamp oil, as recorded in O'Brien's Philadelphia Wholesale Business Directory.] [N&WW Billings Company "was established in 1823 and ceased operations in 1851. During this period the company managed at least twelve whaling vessels which, by the end of business, had made it one of the most successful whaling agencies in New London....In addition, the company operated a soap and candle making business that used oil and spermaceti, etc. taken by their whale ships" (from Mystic Seaport records).].