Letter from Gilbert Davis to Otard... (1841)

NRA-L-000425 / 1841

Letter from Gilbert Davis to Otard, Dupuy & Co ordering five half-pipes of brandy and discussing quality and reputation, 1841-11-05

Gilbert Davis orders five half-pipes of fuller-flavoured brandy from Otard, Dupuy & Co for shipment from Bordeaux, criticizes the quality of a previous consignment, reports damage to the house's reputation in New York and comments on weak demand during the temperance movement.

Neruda Archives
NRA-L-000425

NRA-L-000425 image 1 showing the folded manuscript address panel on cream paper, with the written delivery address, postal markings and closure evidence. — **Image 1**Address panel and postal evidence.

NRA-L-000425 image 2 showing page 1 of the English commercial letter on cream paper, including the closing and signature. — **Image 2**Letter text and signature.

Archive Record

Identifier: NRA-L-000425
Date: 1841-11-05
Original date: Newyork Novr 5' 1841
Type: Commercial correspondence
Language: English / en
Sender: Gilbert Davis
Recipient: Otard, Dupuy & Co
Places: New York, New York, United States / Cognac, Charente, France / New York–Cognac; requested shipment Bordeaux–New York
Extent: 2 documentary sides: Address panel and postal evidence; Letter text - page 1; 2 digital images.
Citation: Neruda Archives, NRA-L-000425.

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Transcript and readable English text

working scholarly aid

Address panel

Original transcript

Messrs Otard, Dupuy & Co
Cognac
France

Notes

Editorial notes:
Address and trade-house wording were verified against the authoritative address-panel image and are preserved as one entity.

Address panel

Readable English text

Messrs Otard, Dupuy & Co
Cognac
France

Notes

Editorial notes:
Address and trade-house wording were verified against the authoritative address-panel image and are preserved as one entity.

Letter text - page 1

Original transcript

(Duplicate)
Newyork Novr 5' 1841
Messrs Otard Dupuy & Co
Cognac
Gents
I wish you to send
me by the first good vessel from Bordeaux Five
half pipes of your best Brandy, at Ten francs the velte
the last I had cost 9.40 this is not good enough for
me I want better Brandy, the article is of dull sale
I am sorry to say see much or rather some of your
Brandy last Summer sold in this city at low prices
and the quality rather common indeed I rather doubted
the genuineness of the mark for it had your brand on the
cask which I supposed was a counterfeit but was
told afterwards it was from yr house, since that time
much has been said in regard to yr brandy, Mess
Stevens & Son, Mr John Caswell & myself, have permitted
to use yr name upon so poor an article I want Five
half pipes of good, and not to cost over Ten francs
the velte I want a full rich flavoured Brandy, such
as I had the first time from you and such as you
we usually bought from houses here, Ten years since
Brandy is dull sale owing to our Temperance mania
and will remain so for a long time no doubt. I
cannot pay any commission or higher price
Yours Respectfully
(Signed) Gilbert Davis

Letter text - page 1

Readable English text

(Duplicate)
New York November 5, 1841
Messrs Otard Dupuy & Co
Cognac
Gentlemen
I wish you to send me by the first good vessel from Bordeaux Five half pipes of your best Brandy, at Ten francs the velte. The last I had cost 9.40, this is not good enough for me. I want better Brandy, the article is of dull sale. I am sorry to say I see much or rather some of your Brandy last Summer sold in this city at low prices and the quality rather common indeed. I rather doubted the genuineness of the mark for it had your brand on the cask which I supposed was a counterfeit but was told afterwards it was from your house. Since that time much has been said in regard to your brandy, Messrs Stevens & Son, Mr John Caswell & myself, have permitted to use your name upon so poor an article. I want Five half pipes of good, and not to cost over Ten francs the velte. I want a full rich flavoured Brandy, such as I had the first time from you and such as we usually bought from houses here, Ten years since. Brandy is dull sale owing to our Temperance mania and will remain so for a long time no doubt. I cannot pay any commission or higher price.
Yours Respectfully
(Signed) Gilbert Davis

Discovery Terms

Cognac trade
Commercial correspondence
Brandy orders
Brandy quality
Brand reputation
Temperance movement
Otard, Dupuy & Co
Gilbert Davis
New York
Bordeaux
Otard Dupuy
United States

Transcriptions and English translations are provided as working scholarly aids, not as replacements for the images of the original documents. Some readings may remain uncertain, especially where handwriting, spelling, damage, abbreviations, names or places are difficult.

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