Letters to Amos Rhodes, 1793

“

Philadelphia 4 m.20.1793

My dear Friend,
Thy favor with the shoes &ce¹ by Capt Chapman came safe to hand – am sorry to inform

you that Shoes are extremely dull² and are selling by several traders from L(ynn) & Salem at 5/3 gum bottom Florentine³ – 4/6 to 4/9 Lasting – I really don’t believe there ever were so great a glut in (the) market⁴ – if thine had been all large court & common heels⁵, they would have sold much better, french heels are getting much out of use – our first Ladies now wear Spring & court heels – I advise thee not to take any shoes for this place with pinch heels – got very large ones and with common & court heels.

I have sold none higher than 6/ even the best buff⁶ – Irson sold Buff his best at that and 6 months Cr. – I shall write thee by post, first —

I am with much
Affection,
E Breed

A Rhodes —

---

1 &ce = ”etc” = and so on
2 Dull = not selling
3 Gum bottom Florentine = a fancy women’s shoe
4 Glut in the market = lots of people are trying to sell the same items
5 Court & common heels = lower heels are coming into fashion and high, “French” heels are going out
6 Buff = light tan colored

---

Philadelphia 5 m.16.1793

My dear Friend,
I herewith enclose thee a bill (of) lading¹ for Sundry goods² the invoice shall send on by

post.
I wrote thee a few days since by the post – Capt. Needham leaves us tomorrow and by what

I can learn he intends to be in the Shoe business – Viz³. to lend the Shoemakers money on the usual Interest with the privilege of taking his pay in Shoes and for them to allow him 5 pct. O **** from Selling, let him for what price he can – this mode of business will no doubt do for him, but how will it prove for our business & why it is my opinion and always has been that I can never do any thing here while Shoes are brought here and sold in such a manner, but if it must be so I prefer Capt. Needham to many others – he has a right to do it – it is a free country.

I think if several of us could join and take such a quantity of Shoes at Lynn as to make them more difficult for so many Hawkers⁴ to get, it would be an advantage, but we might as well think of raising Egg rock⁵ from its bed and bringing it to Philadelphia on our shoulders to exhibit for a show in the streets – and in fact by this I think we should make much more money – farewell –

Eben Breed

Amos Rhodes, Esq.

---

1 Bill of lading = receipt or bill
2 Sundry goods = various items
3 Viz = therefore
4 Hawkers = sellers
5 Egg rock = a rock in the ocean off the coast of Lynn