- Joined
- May 8, 2015
- Location
- Pittsburgh, PA
Is there perhaps a clearer, darker version of that middle ad? I can't read it.
Is there perhaps a clearer, darker version of that middle ad? I can't read it.
Thanks very much!Let me look this evening, unfortunately the book deals mostly with military wares, though there is one chapter on miscellaneous.
Is there perhaps a clearer, darker version of that middle ad? I can't read it.
New Supply of
Watches Jewelry
Solid ‘s Silver and Plated Ware.
The subscriber has lately purchased a very extensive supply of the above articles. His purchases being made directly from the manufacturer, he is therefore enabled to sell at a very small advance on cost and persons may rest assured that all his articles are warranted to be what he represents them to be.
Watches and clocks carefully repaired and will receive my personal attention.
R. E. Beckwith
Ad first run in this paper Nov. 27, 1861
I checked several more issues, going to the end of February '65. By mid '64, I began to see watches mentioned (no details) in personal sales and auctions of private possessions. So by then, watches could probably be more easily purchased from distressed citizens than runners.Thank you for that, Dave. I was trying to assess how many watches might have come through the the blockade. While I haven't found much data on confiscated blockade runner cargoes, I am reaching the conclusion that the paucity of watches for sale in the South, as suggested by the rarity of watch ads there, would suggest that the supply of new watches had been pretty effectively choked off.
The ad you cited was for a single watch, rather than for a supply of watches, which further tends to attest to the scarcity of the commodity.
I did not see any listed, again the primary purpose of the book was to highlight the military cargo, as they hold the most interest in the collecting community.Do you have a copy of that book, P4? I'm wondering whether you or someone else can tell me whether pocket watches are listed among the cargoes.
Remember that we are looking at ads for public auctions. Watches could have been brought in on an account, for the Government, or sold before the auction ads were compiled. I would still think sailors and officers bringing in small quantities for their own private sale was likely. I'm saying we cannot read too much into the silence of the ads.