Item Specifics:
Date of Creation: August 1, 1857
Subject: Antebellum Cotton Market Report, Global Crop Projections, Memphis Commission Merchants & Cotton Factors
Addressee: M. Patton, Esq. (William Patton Plantation)
Sender: Wilkinson, Parham & Co. (Memphis, Tennessee)
Provenance & Estate: William Patton Plantation Archive (spanning the 1820s–1978)
Condition: Large format folded manuscript circular letter showing crisp iron-gall ink script, original postal fold lines, and a historic wax-seal tear hole on the exterior address panel (see photos).
A Large-Format 1857 Antebellum Cotton Factor Market Circular Letter Addressed to the Patton Plantation
Up for sale is a magnificent, large-format original commercial circular letter dated August 1, 1857, sent from the prominent Memphis cotton factors and commission merchants Wilkinson, Parham & Co. to M. Patton, Esq.
Printed and extensively written across a large folio sheet, this document offers a deep dive into the pre-Civil War Southern agricultural economy. It details international and regional cotton market conditions, crop shortfall estimates for 1856, Liverpool stock trends, pricing for bagging and plantation supplies, and financial advances. Large-format market circulars from major pre-war cotton hubs like Memphis are exceptionally scarce primary-source documents.
Historic Provenance: The William Patton Plantation Archive
This document comes with direct, verified provenance from the historic William Patton Plantation estate archives. Established in the early 19th century by pioneering Southern figures, the plantation's multi-generational archive maps out a continuous history of land, agriculture, commerce, and family life spanning from the 1820s through 1978.
📦 Upcoming Listings & Estate Note
Collectors, take note! This is part of an ongoing release from this incredible archive. We will continue rolling out more rare large-format letters, business ledgers, and historical ephemera from the William Patton Plantation estate in the coming weeks. Save our seller profile to catch future listings from this 150+ year collection!
Condition Details
The large document features clear period handwriting, standard multi-fold lines, and the authentic exterior address panel with a period wax-seal tear. Please review all high-resolution photos showing the front, interior spread, and folded back views to assess the exact condition.
Shipping: Shipped securely flat or rolled with rigid backing and tracking.
Combined Shipping: Available for multiple purchases. Check out our other listings!
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