[Colonial America] [Hunter, Robert] A Scarce Summary of Legal Fees Present in the Colonies of New York and New Jersey, from the Press of William Bradford, the First Printer of New York

An Ordinance For Regulating & Establishing Fees
(New York: William Bradford), 1710. First edition. 4to. 20 pp. Disbound. Signed in type by colonial governor R(obert). Hunter. Scattered toning; some wear to extremities; final leaf loose. ESTC W42635; Evans 1482

William Bradford (1663-1752) began his printing career in London before emigrating to the colonies in 1685, where he established the first printing press in Pennsylvania that year and the first in New York eight years later. A prolific printer of almanacs, newspapers, books, pamphlets, broadsides, and legal notices, in 1689 Bradford was hired to print William Penn's first charter of Pennsylvania, an incident which resulted in official reprimand from Governor John Blackwell. A year later Bradford partnered with German paper maker William Rittenhouse to establish the first paper mill in North America. For nearly two decades, Bradford's was the only operating paper mill in the country. In 1709, he printed the very first example of paper currency for the province of New York.

Bradford's grandson, also named William, was a well-known printer and soldier during the Revolutionary period. In December 1742 he established The Pennsylvania Journal, later famous for featuring numerous essays and letters by Thomas Paine. In 1774 he was named the official printer for the first Continental Congress.

This lot is located in Philadelphia.

[Colonial America] [Hunter, Robert] A Scarce Summary of Legal Fees Present in the Colonies of New York and New Jersey, from the Press of William Bradford, the First Printer of New York