Subject: Inflation (Finance)

A one-page letter written on January 29, 1781, in Hartford, Connecticut, by Caleb Bull to Aaron or Joseph Lopez. Bull discusses trade issues, specifically goods being held by an intermediary, and the need to obtain goods from Boston. The letter reflects concerns about trade and the currency crisis of the time. This is letter 8 of 14 letters in the collection, dating from June 21, 1779, to October 1, 1781, concerning trade between Caleb Bull and/or Josiah Blakeley (merchants in Hartford) and Aaron or Joseph Lopez. The letters detail business transactions involving rum, ostrich plumes, flour, and fish, and discuss the challenges posed by the unstable Continental currency. The letters show signs of age including staining, edge wear, toning, creasing, and some illegibility due to moisture damage.

A one-page letter written by Josiah Blakeley in Hartford, Connecticut on November 22, 1779, to Aaron Lopez. The letter discusses Blakeley's disappointment with the instability of Continental Currency and his hopes for improvement once the French occupied Newport. It also includes personal greetings from Mrs. Blakeley. This is letter 5 of 14 in a collection of letters dated between June 21, 1779 and October 1, 1781, concerning trade between Blakeley and Caleb Bull (merchants in Hartford) and Aaron or Joseph Lopez. The letters detail business transactions, focusing on the challenges posed by the currency crisis. The collection's letters are stained, edge-worn, toned, creased, and some portions are illegible due to water damage. The letters reveal the impact of the Continental Currency crisis of 1779 on trade and commerce, highlighting the depreciation of the Continental currency and its effects on merchants like Aaron Lopez.