Thomas Jefferson Papers

To Thomas Jefferson from Nathaniel Colley, 22 January 1791

From Nathaniel Colley

Norfolk. Jany. 22nd. 1791.

Sir

I have shipt by the Bearer Capt. Anderson, your Tables which I had made in London for you Which I hope will meet your Approbation, as I made it a point to find out the Mr. Titt you Recomended me to, he has Remov’d from Cheapside to Hatten Garden. I think they are well made but he has charged too high a price for them. As you see by his Account which I shall Enclose to you as also a Bill of Loading, they are packd up Agreeable to your Directions in Baise and the Box Covered with Oil Cloth. I can find no person here that wants a Bill on philadelphia or I should take the Liberty of Drawing on you for the Amount of the Above.1 I am just now Setting of with the Brigg for City point to Load again for London Where I shall Esteem it a singular favor to be honoured with A few Lines from you on your Receipt of this, or any other Commissions that you may have to London, as I will most willingly Execute any that’s within the Reach of my Power. I shall forward you A Copy of this by Post, for fear of A Miscarriage. I am Sir with the Greatest Respect your Honours Most. Obdt. Hb. Svt.

Nath. Colley

P. S. I must beg the favour of your presenting my most Respectfull Compliments to your Daughters if they are at Philadelphia.

RC (MHi); endorsed by TJ as received 11 Feb. 1791 and so recorded in SJL. Dupl (MHi); at head of text: “Duplicate of one sent by Captn. Anderson”; with variations in phraseology, one of which is noted below; addressed and postmarked; endorsed by TJ as received 3 Feb. 1791 and so recorded in SJL, though erroneously assigned the date of 7 Jan. 1791. Enclosures: (1) Account of Samuel Titt, London, 25 Nov. 1790, charging £6 6s. for “a fine Solid Mahagony Secret flap Table Taper feet fluted and Therm’d” and £3 18s. for a small one; to these sums were added the cost of green baise, oil cloth, shipping, exchange for Virginia currency (at one-third discount), customs duties at Norfolk, and freight to Philadelphia, making the total sum £18 10s. 10d. (MS in MHi; Dupl in same). therm’d: Therming or thurming—the process of achieving the effect of square moulded work or the tapered form of foot on the square legs of tables (Edwin Foley, Book of decorative furniture, London [1911], ii, 384). (2) Bill of lading dated at Norfolk 21 Jan. 1791 for “one Box Merchandize” shipped to TJ on Isabella, Captain Atcheson Anderson (MS in DLC).

1At this point Dupl included the following sentence: “Therefore shall leave it till it may be Convenient for you to Direct me in what Manner will be Most Convenient for you to Remit it.”

Index Entries