Robert Gosling, Goldsmith, Jeweler and Hardwareman of London

Robert Gosling, goldsmith, jeweler and hardwareman, was located at 160 Fenchurch Street, London between 1770 and 1784, though he was in business both before and after these dates.

 Trade Card for Robert Gosling

© The Trustees of the British Museum

This firm was also doing business with John Hatley Norton between March 23, 1761 and January 17, 1766 as well as John Norton & Sons, Merchants in Gould Square, London, from June 30, 1772 and August 23, 1774. John Hatley Norton had taken over his fathers business in Virginia in the 1760s.

Wallace Davidson and Johnson also did business with Robert Gosling in 1772. The firm wrote to Joshua Johnson, American born partner of the Annapolis firm, residing in London for the firm, on March 22, 1772 advising him "that if Mr Gosling would take back such of his goods as would not sell here [they] would would in that case a great many from him or you & he may send them without waiting for further orders. Johnson wrote to the firm on June 22, 1772 where he mentions that Gosling had sent out all his jewelry on the terms desired, but that Johnson would rather the firm sell them for cost and charges rather than return them as it would hurt the firm.

Below is the order book entry for the order placed with Robert Gosling in 1772.

(from Maryland State Archives, Chancery Court (Chancery Papers, Exhibits) Wallace, Davidson Johnson, Order Books, 1771/4/25-1775/11/16. MSA S 528-27/28)  

For Wallace, Davidson and Johnson
March 20, 1772

Jewellry of Goslings
5 doz ladies neat pocket books with instruments some good some large
12 cards mocoa & past[e] buttons sorted
12 neat lockets some sorted good
1 doz sett combs sorted
12 neat past[e] egrets sorted
2 doz neat cheap earrings
5 cards neat guilt sleeve buttons sorted
12 neat garnet rings sorted
2 doz neat stone rings sorted
1 doz neat gold night earrings
1/2 doz neat garnet & gold shirt buckles
1 doz gold shirt buckles
1 doz past[e] knee buckles
6 stock do
6 pr shoe do
12 sets plain pinchback buckles well guilt
12 stock do
6 pr plain shoe do
12 pr neat plain silver shoe buckles
12 pr neat plain silver knee do
12 neat tooth pick cases sorted
6 pr silver boot buckles for under the hams
6 pr silver spurs sorted
10 doz very neat hair pins sorted some of them roses & some single stones
6 tortoishell snuff boxes sorted
2 doz scals some silver the rest double guilt
6 pr neat wrought silver shoe buckles
6 neat covals & bills sorted
2 doz black hair pins & spriggs for mourning & 2nd mourning
1/2 doz garnet hair pins or spriggs
1 doz neat silver steel top thimbles

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