ritchie edward samuel (1 Ergebnisse)

Very rare inventory for whaling ships from New Bedford, printed during the peak of New Bedford whaling. It offers an exhaustive list, arranged in thematic categories, of all the items that had to be packed for the multiple-year whaling voyages, including gear, tools, supplies, provisions, and raw materials. It also includes several blank pages for annotations. The present work was used for the 13th voyage of the Hibernia in 1849 and has been annotated by the ship's master, with quantities and supplies added or crossed out. As such, it provides a fascinating insight into the logistics of whaling in the 19th century.New Bedford, on the south coast of Massachusetts, was one of the most important whaling ports in the world in the first half of the 19th century. At the height of the whaling industry (1820-1857), 329 whaling and trading vessels were registered there. One of them was the Hibernia, which was built in New York in 1811, and owned by the brothers Robert and Alfred Gibbs. The former was also the first owner of the present work, as he extensively annotated it and signed his name on the final page. Gibbs used it to assemble the inventory of the Hibernia for her four-year whaling expedition to the Caroline Islands and Western Australia from 1849 to 1853. He added quantities throughout, such as 26 coils of Manilla towline, 18 boxes of hard soap, and "plenty" of marking irons. He also mentions when he has completed a section of the list, and occasionally the cost of the items. The final page includes a copy of an agreement with captain Archelaus Baker Jr (1815-1898), neatly handwritten in ink and signed by Robert Gibbs. In this agreement, Gibbs agrees to advance to Captain Baker's wife "at different times to the amount of five hundred dollars" while the Hibernia was away.The present work is undated, but must have been printed in 1849 at the latest. Nearly identical works from around this time are known, that were also printed in New Bedford, but by different ship chandlers. Apparently ship chandlers provided these works to their clients at the time to help them perfect their inventory, and to promote their own wares. The work is now very rare. We have only been able to find two copies in sales records and two in institutions, but none of the present Ritchie issue.With a contemporary manuscript annotation in brown ink on the front wrapper ("Sailed Oct 2 1849 Ship Hibernia 13th Voyage"), extensive annotations throughout, and another manuscript note on the final page, apparently all by Robert Gibbs, one of the ship's owners. The wrappers are browned and (water) stained, with some loss of leather at the foot of the spine. Some of the leaves are lightly foxed. Otherwise in good condition.l Cf. WorldCat 1127292396 (2 copies, other issue). Original quarter leather and printed stiff paper wrappers. The work is printed on blue paper. Pages: 32, [8 blank] pp.