Collection of Return Certificates, Liverpool England, 1877.
Ephemera.
Full folio sheets, 13 x 16 inches, and half sheets. Pre-printed and filled out in manuscript.
Price: $50
If, like me, you’ve occasionally lost sleep wondering which ships brought what sorts of goods to Liverpool from New York in 1877, this is the lot for you! It consists of 29 folio sheets and half sheets of “Return Certificates.” Apparently, the purpose of these documents was to record goods brought into Liverpool from New York for the information of the American Collector of Customs. Information includes invoice number, name of shipper, consignor, description of goods, value in pounds of each item listed, and name of ship. These documents list hundreds of items shipped – everything from heavy machinery to cotton to figs. Or, maybe it’s goods bound for New York from Liverpool. Either way, I’m sleeping better these days. Each document is signed by the US Consul at Liverpool.
