Manuscript Letter and Account Book of New York Textile Merchants James Rushton & Son, 1813-1822
Folio ledger in original reverse calf binding, with c. 180 pages used. Boards worn and detached, contents very good and easily legible. A valuable record of commercial activity in early nineteenth century New York City, as seen through the records and correspondence of textile merchant James Rushton (1769-1845[?]) and his son Joseph Rushton (1798-1861). The first c. 50 pages of the ledger are taken up by detailed records of expenditures and income in 1812 and 1813; the remainder consists of copies of correspondence by both men dating from 1818 to 1822. The accounting section shows that the Rushtons dealt primarily in textiles, with numerous transactions recorded for broad cloth, drugget (a coarse woolen), Holland (a plain linen used for upholstery), serge, crepe, and shalloon (a lightweight woolen used for linings). However, they also frequently bought and sold wine (French, Lisbon, Oporto), tobacco, hops, and pepper. Each transaction includes the quantity of goods purchased, name of the other party involved, and price. The Rushtons were originally from Yorkshire, and they retained strong ties in England, importing goods and serving as agents for several British textile manufacturers and merchants. A contract for one such arrangement, with Leeds cloth manufacturer John Garforth, is laid in. They corresponded regularly with their business associates, occasionally sharing personal and family news, but primarily reporting sales and discussing the prices and demand of various types of cloth. On October 9, 1818, for example, James writes to Manchester merchant Nathaniel Briggs: “This may inform thee that I have made sales of the Bale N3 except one piece…and may inform thee that fine goods is very dull at present, but expect they will sell better in a few months…Blues is the best coller at present. Shawls has been very plenty in the market but they are getting scarce and would sell well at present. Bottle green and red browns is very bad collers for cloths. Thou may have an idea by the sales what is the best collers….” He also reports on changes in import laws (“there is a new law at the customs house to open one package out of every shipment to have it appraised that people may be detected if they invoice these lower than the cost”) and the best procedures for moving material though customs (and possibly avoiding duties: “the customers like the cloths a great deal better to be tilited [i.e, to have customs information stamped on the bale] and lay the cost on the cloth and not to mention the cost on the invoice.”.
Item #18164
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