(SLAVERY ABOLITION) Slaves Valuable Cooks Washers Ironers H

Sale 2598 - Lot 30

Price Realized: $ 10,000

?Final Price Realized includes Buyer’s Premium added to Hammer Price

Estimate: $ 2,500 - $ 3,500

(SLAVERY & ABOLITION.) Slaves! Valuable Cooks, Washers, Ironers, House Servants, Blacksmith and Slater. Letterpress broadside, 14 1/2 x 9 1/4 inches; folds, light dampstaining, minor wear, laid down on early linen. [New Orleans, LA], 22 May 1858

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Additional Details

This auction broadside not only lists 13 enslaved people and their ages, but also comments on their skills and abilities. This being New Orleans, many were bilingual, and they possessed a wide range of skills. "Mary, aged 27 years, creole, a superior French and American cook." "Victorine, negress, aged about 19 years, creole, speaks French and English, Cook, Washer, and Ironer, No. 1 woman, extra likely." "Peter, negro man, aged 29 years, Confectioner and Pastry cook." "Ben, aged about 39 years, house servant, carriage Driver and somewhat of a Plasterer." Some of them are described with enough detail that they might be possibly traced through to freedom, which came to New Orleans just four years later.

The auctioneers N. Vignie and R.W. Long are named, but not the consignors. The preview was held in their offices, and the auction in the rotunda of the St. Louis Hotel, which doubled as one of the city's main slave markets. The building was on the site of today's Omni Royal Orleans hotel.