15th Century Merchant Letters

Aleppo correspondence : two manuscript letters dated, 29 April 1484 and 19 September 1485, addressed to merchants in Tripoli.  (Bell 1484 Al)

These two letters record the delivery of commodities from one merchant to another, and are examples of the methods used in Mediterranean commerce in the fifteenth century.  Each have intricate trademarks to identify the letter with the cases of goods being delivered.  The 1484 letter notes “please receive by the bearer two cases of rhubarb....”  The other letter records the delivery of a consignment of gallnut and two cases of Bergamask cloth.

Moro, Michiel.  Letter, 1444 September 25, London to Laurenzius Dolpfin.  (Bell 1444 Mo)

Moro was a Venetian commercial agent in London and Bruges.  The letter includes a request for news of the ship Dolphin, a complaint about the difficulties pirates are causing to shipping, suggestions for organizing the next voyage to London, market information concerning the value of spices, and information about trade goods for import into Venice, most notably textiles.