Colenda Digital Repository

[Ledger of Medici forward contracts]

Timespan:
Early works to 1800; 17th century
Date:
1609
Description:
Ledger of forward contracts between Vincenzo de' Medici, son of Carlo de' Medici, and members of other aristocratic families of Florence and the Spanish royal family, as well as smaller private investors, for the years 1609-1611. Often includes the nature of a given transaction and its amount, as well as listing the names of the individuals that act as counterparts in the transaction. Most transactions are related to the textile business, which was of crucial importance for the Medici family. More precisely, the ledger contains detailed summaries of contracts to sell a standardized quantity of a textile product of standardized quality (agreed between the counterparts) at a certain date in the future, at a price determined at the time of writing of the contract. In certain cases a discounted price is offered to a counterpart. The future date in which the transaction is to be settled is also noted.
Language:
Italian
Provenance:
Sold by Bernard M. Rosenthal, 1961.
Subject:
Medici, House of Archives; Medici, Vincenzo de'; Medici, House of; Accounting -- Italy -- 17th century; Textile industry -- Italy -- Early works to 1800; Textile industry; Accounting
Resource Type:
Text
Form/Genre:
manuscripts (documents); codices (bound manuscripts); accounts; ledgers (account books); Manuscripts, Italian; Manuscripts, European
Physical Description:
144 leaves : paper; 415 x 277 mm bound to 436 x 280 mm + 5 notes
Geographic Subject:
Italy
Rights:
http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/NoC-US/1.0/
Notes:
Ms. codex.; Title supplied by cataloger.; Foliation: Paper, i (paper) + 144; each folio has the same number on both recto and verso; rectos numbered [1], 2-62, 64-127, [128], 129-146 contemporary numeration in ink, modern numeration in pencil, upper right recto; versos numbered 1-61, 63-128, 130, 131-146, contemporary numeration in ink, modern numeration in pencil, upper left verso.; Layout: Written in 3 columns with vertical bounding lines in lead; the smaller column on the left with the transaction number, the large central column with the transaction, a brief description of it, including the name of the counterparts and the settlement date, and the smaller one on the right with the amount of the settlement. In certain cases the large central column contains itemized accounts of a transaction within one entry.; Script: Written in a cursive script, perhaps by multiple hands.; Watermark: Similar to Briquet, Couronne 4835 (Lucca, 1565-1566).; Binding: Contemporary vellum, no. 98 (?) on spine; the heading Giornale e ricordanze, no. 264 and letter D with decorative penwork on upper cover; lower cover with remnants of leather ties wraps around upper cover; decorative leatherwork on spine.; Origin: Written in Italy between 1609 (f. 1v) and 1611 (f. 137v).; Forms part of: Gondi-Medici Business Records.; Italian.
Physical Location:
Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts, Manuscripts, Oversize Ms. Codex 1317