Details
FRANKLIN, Benjamin, Printer. Printed form confirming receipt of papers and verbal testimony that a naval vessel has been taken as a prize (by a Captain holding a proper Commission from Congress), authorizing the Captain to proceed to the sale of its cargo at auction. Passy: n.d. [1778-1779].
Broadside folio (12¼ x 7 15/16 in.), headed "Passy..." at top with a space for the date to be added, text with blanks for manuscript insertions.
A very rare printed form, this example unused. As early as March 1776, the U.S. Congress authorized the issuance of Letters of Marque to American ship captains, permitting them to lawfully seize English merchant vessels and sell at auction the ship and its cargo in the nearest friendly port. This amounted to officially sanctioned piracy, and American privateers during the Revolution proved adept at the business, taking some 660 such prizes of a total value of some $18 million. On 27 September 1778, a reciprocal agreement was reached between the U.S. and its ally France, providing for the sale of prizes taken by French vessels in American ports and the sale of prizes taken by American privateers to be sold in French ports. Franklin, as U.S. Minister in France, undertook the printing of the necessary certificates at his Passy press. THESE EPHEMERAL CERTIFICATES ARE EXTREMELY RARE. Livingston, Franklin and His Press at Passy, no.24.
Provenance: John F. Fleming.
Broadside folio (12¼ x 7 15/16 in.), headed "Passy..." at top with a space for the date to be added, text with blanks for manuscript insertions.
A very rare printed form, this example unused. As early as March 1776, the U.S. Congress authorized the issuance of Letters of Marque to American ship captains, permitting them to lawfully seize English merchant vessels and sell at auction the ship and its cargo in the nearest friendly port. This amounted to officially sanctioned piracy, and American privateers during the Revolution proved adept at the business, taking some 660 such prizes of a total value of some $18 million. On 27 September 1778, a reciprocal agreement was reached between the U.S. and its ally France, providing for the sale of prizes taken by French vessels in American ports and the sale of prizes taken by American privateers to be sold in French ports. Franklin, as U.S. Minister in France, undertook the printing of the necessary certificates at his Passy press. THESE EPHEMERAL CERTIFICATES ARE EXTREMELY RARE. Livingston, Franklin and His Press at Passy, no.24.
Provenance: John F. Fleming.