(Alaska Fur Trade, 1831) "Brig Smyrna, laying Tongass (Russian Alaska) October 17th, 1831". Dateline on folded letter addressed to Charlestown (Boston) Mass., carried by ship to the U.S. east coast where it entered the mails with red "Nantucket Mass. May 9" oval datestamp with date in manuscript, matching "Ship" straightline handstamp and magenta "14 -1/2" rate, interesting content from Joseph Knox to his brother Henry related to his experience on the fur trade ship Smyrna and its captain "(who) has the name of being a great tyrant", discussion of the Northwest Coast (Alaska) and the Aleutian Islands, which he describes as a "dissipated place...They do not think it any disgrace to be seen drunk, and every other house is a grog shop or gambling house.", minor corner splits

VERY FINE. A RARE AND EARLY ALASKA COAST COVER TO THE UNITED STATES, SENT FROM A FUR TRADING VESSEL WHILE ALASKA WAS STILL A TERRITORY OF RUSSIA.

The Russian-American Company was chartered in 1799 to open new settlements in Alaska centered around the fur trade. As Russia struggled to supply the outposts and bring furs to market, American and British captains exploited the void and operated along the coast, often in fierce competition with one another. The American brig Smyrna was engaged in the sea otter fur trade during the period this letter was written. Sea otters were the main target of the trade until populations dramatically declined and the trade was forced to diversify.

Accompanied by transcript of letter and history of the fur trade and the Russian-American Company

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