Businessman who was the first prominent member of the Astor family and the first multimillionaire in the United States (1763-1848). ALS, one page, 7.75 x 9.5, March 24, 1810. Letter to Superintendent of Indian Trade John Mason concerning the fur trade, in part: "I have your esteemed letter of the 20th. If you thought it for the interest of the US to have the Deer skins sold here on the terms…last proposed by you when I had the pleasure of seeing you I would agree to bid the price which was than agreed on for the Defferment quantitys but I would not like to engage so long a time before the skins could be brought from Orleans here to bind my self to any price, but if you will have the sale made here you may in that case consider me as agreeing to bid as above mentioned…P.S. Will you have the goodness to inform me in case you do not sell here what the terms of the sale at Orleans will be?" Second integral page is inlaid into a larger sheet; this letter was discovered in an extra illustrated 1867 volume of History of the City of New York by Mary L. Booth. In very good to fine condition, with a repaired separation to one intersecting fold (passing through the signature), and a light block of toning over much of the left side, not affecting readability. Accompanied by an engraved portrait of Astor. By 1809, curtailment of American trade with Europe created a deerskin glut in the United States, and Mason needed to sell a stockpile of over 100 tons of pelts owned by the US Office of Indian Trade. He approached Astor, who had built a fur trading network that extended from Leipzig to Saint Louis, about making a deal. Astor made an offer that represented a steep discount-30 to 40 percent-and after negotiations, the deal ultimately fell through.
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