Folded letter postmarked Baltimore at Postmaster Mary Katherine Goddard's office

November 25, 1787

Postmark visible in upper left corner of the cover reads “BALTIMORE NOV 25” and the rate is handwritten on the right as 3,8 and 1/8 for 3 grams, 8 pennyweight of silver and conversion to 1 shilling, 8 pence. The single sheet, folded letter is addressed to Nicolas Low, Esq. (1739-1826), in New York, and was written by Robert Gilmor (1748-1822), merchant. At the time Low was a merchant and member of the New York State Assembly, and Gilmor wrote of good including cheese, oysters, wine and madeira, as well as his share in the ship "Asia," under the command of Captain John Barry for trade with India and China.