Manuscript commercial letter addressed to John Fairfax & Sons, Sydney, New South Wales, from B. Smith & Son, London, 27 July 1863.

Manuscript in ink, 2 pp., quarto, on blue laid paper watermarked ‘A. C. & S.’; duplicate commercial letter headed ‘7 Wine Office Court, Fleet Street, London, July 27th 1863’, addressed to the publishing firm of Messrs J. Fairfax & Sons, Sydney; written and signed by Henry Durrant on behalf of B. Smith & Son, ink manufacturers; Durrant advises shipping information for a recent large order of printing ink supplies, which has been shipped on board the “Colonial Empire”, Captain Ross, for Sydney; he also informs Fairfax of the death of his proprietor, Mr. B. Smith, after a short illness; the second page is a manuscript duplicate of the invoice, made out to John Fairfax & Sons; outer side with address panel, with 6d postage stamp postmarked ‘London EC / 6 / AU20 / 63’ and with circular ‘SHIP LETTER / SYDNEY / NO16 1863’ arrival cancellation in black; original folds, in very good condition.

An interesting piece of trade ephemera from the early years of the Fairfax publishing dynasty.

‘Aged 18 years, James Reading Fairfax began working for his father and in December 1856 with his elder brother, Charles, became a partner in the firm, John Fairfax and Sons. Following the death of Charles in 1863, James Reading became the principal partner in the development of the Herald.’ (Wiki.)