Lot 0020

Earliest known Gold Rush bill of exchange, S.F. 1849

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Earliest known Gold Rush bill of exchange, S.F. 1849

Item Details

Description

Heading: (California Gold Rush)
Author:
Title: Bill of Exchange dated San Francisco 31 Oct. 1849, for payment to Ward, Mersch & Co.
Place Published: San Francisco
Publisher:
Date Published: 31 Oct. 1849
Description:

Partially printed, accomplished in ink. 11x27 cm (4¼x10½").

Rare bill of exchange from gold rush San Francisco, the earliest known extant example. The amount is for Three Hundred Pounds Sterling (£300), to the order of Messrs. Ward, Mersch & Co., on account of Godeffroy, Sillem & Co., evidently an offshoot of the London firm of Messrs. Herman Sillem Son & Co. The bill is endorsed on the back by Ward Mersch & Co. and Ward & Co. Besides being significant as the earliest known example of such a bill of exchange from the California gold rush, the document is of historical value for the merchant associations revealed during those heady days. Samuel Ward, Charles Mersch, Alfred Godeffroy, and William Sillem are all important figures in commercial activity during the early stages of the gold rush. The financial backing of the English firm of Herman Sillem, Son & Co. is also revealing. Of further note, Alfred Godeffroy was the California representative of J.C. Godeffroy and Co. of Hamburg, Germany, who were, apparently, Sam Ward's personal bankers. The businesses of the world did not stand idly by as fortunes were to be made in California.

Condition

Old folds, a few short edge tears; very good.

Buyer's Premium

Earliest known Gold Rush bill of exchange, S.F. 1849

Name: Earliest known Gold Rush bill of exchange, S.F. 1849
SKU: 105806297
Price: 2000 USD
Availability: InStock

Estimate $2,000 - $3,000

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Starting Price $1,000

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