Manuscript letter addressed to early Adelaide merchant Benjamin Da Costa, from John Relfe in London, regarding Da Costa’s long-overdue payment for prints sent to him by Relfe which were to be sold in

A$680 · Offered by Douglas Stewart Fine Books

Entire letter, bifolium (195 x 160 mm), manuscript in ink written on one side, headed London, March 12 / 44 and signed at the foot Jno. Relfe , the address panel on the outer side with London Ship Letter marking in red dated 13 March 1844, addressed to B M Da Costa Esq, Adelaide, N S Wales [!] ; endorsed in Benjamin Da Costa s hand Relfe: 12 March 44 / Recd 30 Augt 44 / Ansd. 15 October 47 [!] ; complete, clean, and legible. Transcript of letter: Dear Sir, I wrote to you on the 14th Sept. 1843 to solicit your kind prompt attention to the disposal of Prints c acknowledged to have been received by you as per letter received per Mr. Snooke 17th Aug 1842. I have again to solicit your attention to this application beg to repeat that I shall feel much obliged by your forwarding per first opportunity the particulars of Sale Bill for the amt. by so doing you will confer a favor on Yrs. respectfully, Jno. Relfe . Philanthropists Benjamin Mendes Da Costa (1803-1868) and his sister Louisa Da Costa (1806-1898), were the oldest children of Benjamin Mendes Da Costa, a member of a wealthy Portuguese Jewish family that had settled in England in the eighteenth century, and his second wife. Young Benjamin and Louisa were, however, brought up in the Church of England. They emigrated to South Australia together, arriving in Adelaide on the Fairlie in July 1840. Benjamin, a merchant, set up his first business in Hindley Street, and later moved to premises in Grenfell Street. He prospered in Adela

• Binding: Hardcover

Found via Rare Books Intel, a search across rare-book dealers, auction houses and marketplaces worldwide.