[WESTERN DISTRICT; MARITIME] Ledger book of James Henty & Co., Melbourne, 1873-5.

Large heavy folio, 480 x 330 x 130 mm, weighing 16 kg (!); original binding of reverse calf over heavy boards, external leather bands with decorative lacing patterns (some light staining and edge wear), spine with red and green morocco title-pieces stamped in gilt ‘LEDGER’ / ‘J.H. & CO.’ / ‘No. 5’, and with the Sands & McDougall company mark in gilt at the tail; marbled edges; original marbled pastedowns and endpapers, the front pastedown with the binder’s ticket of Sands & McDougall, Manufacturing Stationers, Melbourne, dated in manuscript 2 November 1870; 601 double-pages, containing the firm’s accounting records for the fiscal years 1873-4 and 1874-5, with many thousands of manuscript entries in the same immaculate copperplate hand throughout, recording the firm’s banking transactions with the Bank of Australasia (the account growing from an opening balance of £31,000 to £153,000 in this period), commissions, salaries, charitable donations, expenditure, and details of client accounts for Melbourne, regional Victorian, extra-colonial and overseas entities, as well as for numerous mercantile vessels for which the firm acted as agents; extremely well preserved throughout.

A wonderful early Melbourne stationery binding containing the accounting transactions of merchants and shipping agents James Henty & Co., the company founded in Melbourne in 1851 by Western District pioneer pastoralist and businessman James Henty (1800-1882).

Although based in Melbourne, James’s firm maintained close ties with his extended family and with other wool-exporters in the Western District. The following is a representative cross-section of the private individuals and commercial entities whose transactions with James Henty & Co. are recorded in this fascinating document:

Henry Henty; William Henty; Mrs S. G. Henty; James Balfour; Kurragong Station; Round Hill Station; Tatong Staton; W. N. Waller; Crawford Maine; Michael Donaghy (Geelong); Ebenezer Shoobridge (Tasmania); Canton Insurance Office; China Sugar Refinery; Jardine, Matheson & Co. (Hong Kong); Maclaine Watson & Co. (Batavia); William Spottiswoode & Co. (Singapore); Armitage Brothers (Colombo); B. A. Barretto & Co. (Manila); Dennistoun, Cross & Co. (London); Neill Company; Lizzie Barque; Earl of Southesk Barque; Mary Belle Roberts Barque; Janet Stewart Barque; Astracan Ship; Sparrowhawk Barque; Bonnie Dunkeld Barque; Matilda Atheling Barque; Maggie Barque; Amur Barque; Sea Ripple Barque.