Letter of Williamsburg, Virginia silversmith James Craig to an unidentified recipient. Craig writes that he is overstocked with certain goods and wishes to sell them on reasonable terms. Craig was not comfortable sending the items on credit so he suggested the recipient of the letter send someone to the meeting of the General Court in Williamsburg to conduct business with him.

On April 7, 1768, Craig ran an advertisement in the Virginia Gazette announcing the arrival of a shipment from London aboard the Matty. The advertisement listed many of the items subsequently offered in the letter.

This letter may be Craig's first letter to Edenton, North Carolina silversmith and jeweler Thomas Agnis. In Virginia Silversmiths ... Catherine Hollan writes that Craig sold silver and jewelry to Agnis in July, 1761. Agnis sent his enslaved man, Joe Baker to Williamsburg with payment.

Recto

sir

I Rec^d two letters from y^e where
y^e mention y^r wanting to Corraspond w^t
me, y^e say y^e want 4 Salts & some stones
& many other things, I have got a great many
of them things by me now. I had lately from
London about seven hundred pounds sterling of
Jewellers work, & some small plate, & silver
Toys. I have a great many Earrings about 3, 4,
5, & 6 pounds price, great Variety stone Buttons
in gold, stoned studs in silver   Neat Gold & silver
seals well sett   silver handled cork screwes
stoned Rings, & other things. y^e artickles I
mentioned above. I am over stocked w^t & should
be glad y^e wold take some of things if it suits
ye, but sir y^e are quit a stranger to me
so I hope y^e will excuse me for not sending
y^e things w^t out y^e money, but if y^e wold
send y^e money to some friend of y^rs in

Verso

Virginia any man that comes to our Gene
rall Courts at Williamsburg y^e may Depend
on being well used, y^e shall have everything
as Cheap as I can afford, to have a living
profit on them, I asure y^e sir I take no
advantages of any man, & shall be very
glad to Corrispond w^t y^e on them Terms
& wold be likeways be much obliged to y^e
to y^e Bargain, an Answer to this wold
much oblige y^r friend & hum.
Ser^t
James Craig

Wmsburg may 23^d 1761

p s I expect in a large Cargo soon