180-- Federal Period, Printed, “Wanted” Printed Broadside, “Black Walnut Gun Stocks, SUITABLE for the muskets of the United States, are purchased by this office...”, by Tench Coxe, as the Purveyor of Public Supplies, Philadelphia, Choice Extremely Fine.
Scarce unissued early American Military Broadside that measures 6.75” x 8” and remains nice and bright with boldly printed in black typeset text. Printed on clean Federal Heraldic American Eagle watermarked period laid paper. Quasi-War Era which was an undeclared war fought almost entirely at sea between the United States of America and the French Republic from 1798 to 1800. This Broadside is in general military preparation for future hostilities, soon in use including against the British during the War of 1812. Here, Tench Coxe as the Purveyor of Public Supplies, prepared this Wanted Advertisment Broadside to acquire the nation’s need for military quality Gun Stocks for American soldiers. This Broadside reads, in full:

“Black Walnut Gun Stocks, --- SUITABLE for the muskets of the United States, are purchased by this office. Proposals to supply will be received by mail, containing the prices, and the number of stocks which will be certainly delivered in one, two, or three months, for cash, after inspection at the arsenal of the United States, on Schuykill. - (Signed in Type) TENCH COXE, Purveyor of Public Supplies.”
Tench Coxe resigned from the Pennsylvania Militia in 1776, turned Loyalist, and joined the British Army under Genral Howe in 1777. He was arrested, paroled, and then joined the Patriot cause.

Coxe served as Commissioner to the Federal Convention at Annapolis in 1786 and as a Member of the Continental Congress in 1789. Coxe was appointed Assistant Secretary of the Treasury on September 11, 1789, and served until the office was abolished on May 8, 1792. He was appointed Revenue Commissioner June 30, 1792, and served until removed by President John Adams. Tench Coxe was appointed by President Thomas Jefferson as Purveyor of Public Supplies and served in that office from 1803 to 1812.
[Federal Period, Quasi-War with France, War of 1812] [Tench Coxe, Military Procurement, Manufacturing] [Broadsides, Ephemera, Printed Americana]