Exceptional full free frank, measuring 9 x 7.5 unfolded, with center panel measuring 4.5 x 3.25, addressed by Jefferson to “Capt. Seth Jenkins, at the town of Hudson, state of New York,” and crisply franked in the lower left, “Th: Jefferson.” In fine condition, with a few trivial stains to the address panel and a couple larger stains to adjacent panels. Jenkins was a Nantucket whaler who founded the whaling port of Hudson, New York, and later became a wine distiller. The National Archives has one record of a letter from Jefferson to Jenkins, dated June 21, 1791, in which he tells Jenkins that he should look into distilling spirits from wine rather than molasses, believing that it could create a higher quality product at a decreased cost. In arguing that better and cheaper spirits could be produced from wine than from molasses, Jefferson hoped to lessen American dependence upon the British West Indies and to increase trade relations with France. An extraordinarily desirable free frank, bearing a particularly bold and unusually large signature. Pre-certified John Reznikoff/PSA/DNA and RR Auction COA.
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