Prices in colonial times?

[heidi]

The Eldest Boy has been searching the internet for almost an hour to try and find the price of a silver bowl, and of a fishing net, circa the American Revolution.

Anyone know where he can find this info? We have tried The Google to no avail, and I don't want him wandering the internet with no guidance because who knows? Maybe he'll end up on some ugly Geocities-inspired page and have his eyeballs scarred for life.

Comments

[ancarett]

I'll take a look around. I am not an 18th century American specialist, but my first impulse is to look at Colonial Williamsburg's website for historic economic information since they're pretty good on these things. And my husband has a book from the silversmith's shop there, somewhere here (*flails around digging through our miles of bookshelves*) that I think has some prices!

I have a book of English prices from the 17th century at my office that would surely include these goods, but it's probably two or three generations earlier than he'd like.

[kimmparker.livejournal.com]

Try here http://www.stmaryscity.org/ They've got some things for kids and if he doesn't need the answer by tomorrow you can probably call them and get an asnwer from one of the people there since it's a small place.

It also will depend on where he's looking for information on. Here in MD (and I'd assume VA and the Caolinas as well) everything was based on tobacco. You basically bought stuff on credit and then paid the "store" in barrels of tobacco.

[huntress69.livejournal.com]

My eyeballs have been scarred for life!!

Try Paul Revere House. They don't list bowls, but maybe you can make an approximation? And I can't find a darn thing on fishing nets.

[acusa-dora.livejournal.com]

What about checking out PBS's show Antiques Roadshow. On the website you can search for items they've appraised. http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/roadshow/

[heidi8.livejournal.com]

They didn't say specifically where they needed to have the prices from, but we'll give them a call tomorrow and try and find out. Thanks!

Also? Good times never seemed so good!

[heidi8.livejournal.com]

Yep, technically they need prices from the late 18th century, but it can't hurt. Much appreciation for anything you can find!

He's looking around the Williamsburg site now, which is good because he doesn't know that we're going there in July!

[heidi8.livejournal.com]

Still no bowls, so he may have to do some approximating. And yeah, those Geocities days were crazy things!

[heidi8.livejournal.com]

Hm, isn't the info there the current prices? He's supposed to find the prices of things back in the late 1700s. Cool site, though!

[fiiishy.livejournal.com]

I have no help for you with the colonial stuff, this comment is just to squee over Geocities!

X-D

[kimmparker.livejournal.com]

Its random the things you pick up growing up in an area like this history wise, well that and my alma mater being at a meusem basically....

I know its odd but the smell of "tabacca" drying in a barn takes me back to my childhood.

[ancarett]

Okay, after a lot of research, I have determined that this is a very tough question because of the volatility in silver values (i.e. nobody much advertised prices).

I'd run with 14 shillings for a small bowl (porringer) based on some of Revere's wares prices:
Or, see http://www.paulreverehouse.org/bio/silver.shtml

[copperbadge.livejournal.com]

The Boston Museum of Fine Art has a number of Revolutionary-era silver pieces, and has a pretty vibrant folk arts department. Their website won't help in terms of pricing but you could probably find the name of the American Arts and Crafts curator and call them up. :)

[unreckless.livejournal.com]

Reading Johnny Tremain, eh?

[heidi8.livejournal.com]

No, he read it almost three years ago - but they are learning about colonial America, and had been planning a class trip to Boston (since cancelled beause it was OMGpricey). We did go back to the book and there are some prices in there, but he thinks the teacher wants it from factual records, not a story...

With apologies to You Gabba Gabba

[heidi8.livejournal.com]

Webrings are you friends!
Blinky text your friends!
Tiled backgrounds are your friends.
So let's be nice to them. We can learn from them!

Aren't flashbacks wonderful?

[heidi8.livejournal.com]

Ah, the fellytone! A useful device in these circumstances!

[acusa-dora.livejournal.com]

Duh! It was a long day. :)

[meggitymeg.livejournal.com]

The Massachusetts Historical Society holds many of Paul Revere's ledgers - I remember looking at this sort of thing many a time, though of course I can't remember any specifics. If Harry needs a specific citation/primary source, you can contact them for help. Not sure of the timeframe involved with this project, or of the effectiveness of the current staff, as I don't know any of them these days, but it's exactly the sort of reference question I answered for three years. :)