Unlocking History number (UH#)

UH6314

Original

Jefferson, Thomas, 1743-1826; autographed letter (3rd person), [18]18 Dec. 28, Monticello, to Mr. Leschot. Jefferson sends his daughter's watch for repair and asks for a bill for other purchases made and work done for the family; invites Leschot to dinner. AMs 0459/8.

Model and research notes

MIT Libraries, Unlocking History Research Group archive, MC0760, Box 55.

Letterlocking Unique Video number(s) (LUV #s) & Instructional video(s) URL

LUV314

YouTube URL: https://youtu.be/Ozwys8hr8pA

Vimeo URL: https://vimeo.com/letterlocking/jefferson

Instructional video info transcription

Closed captions for video

0:00:00.000,0:00:02.000. Finish writing the letter.
0:00:07.006,0:00:13.011. Fold the paper in half long-edge to long-edge, then unfold.
0:00:13.011,0:00:18.015. Roll fold bottom edge to centerfold. Keep folded.
0:00:18.015,0:00:28.023. Roll fold two more times. Keep folded.
0:00:28.023,0:00:31.025. Diagonal fold the letter creating two "legs", one longer than the other.
0:00:31.025,0:00:34.027. Rotate the packet so the long leg points down and the short one points to the side.
0:00:34.027,0:00:41.033. Diagonal fold the short leg. The legs lay parallel and flap away from each other.
0:00:41.033,0:00:43.001. Rotate the packet clockwise.
0:00:43.001,0:00:46.003. Diagonal fold the long leg so both legs stack
0:00:46.003,0:00:51.007. forming the pentagonal shape.
0:00:51.007,0:01:00.014. To lock, criss-cross the legs
0:01:00.014,0:01:03.017. Flip the packet over. Turn clockwise 90 degrees.
0:01:03.017,0:01:05.017. Write the address across the letter packet panels.
0:01:05.017,0:01:29.004. Unlock the letter.
0:01:29.004,0:01:39.012. Flip it over. Can you see the address panels with the writing? The End

Letterlocking Category number (LC #)

LC01Z

Letterlocking Format number (LF #)

Security score

Zero

Assessment of confidence in assigning LC#

Attested

Substrate

Paper

Dimensions

Opened (in mm): H130mm x W152mm

Height: 130 mm ÷ 25.4 = 5.118 inches (about 5.12")
Width: 152 mm ÷ 25.4 = 5.984 inches (about 5.98") [1, 2, 3]

Letterpacket (in mm): H 50mm x W 70mm

Height (50 mm): Divide by 25.4 to get 1.9685 inches
Width (70 mm): Divide by 25.4 to get 2.7559 inches [1, 2, 3]

Manifestation

Opened

Distinctive letterlocking style(s)

Pentagon

Locking mechanism

Fold

Security enhancements

Text across lock and address panel, tiny letterpacket

Letterlocking category formula (shorthand)

LC1, Fold, (F)

Letterlocking manipulation sequence (shorthand)

Fold + fold + fold + fold + fold + fold + fold

Locking instructions

Fold long-edge to long-edge fold. Keep folded.

Diagonal fold. Keep folded.

Reverse diagonal fold so “legs” are parallel. Keep folded.

One “leg” is longer than the other.

Reverse diagonal fold the longer “leg” so the two “legs” end overlap.

The pentagonal letterpacket shape emerges.

Lift and fold back the longer leg end.

Lift and fold back the shorter leg end.

Lay down the longer leg end.

Lay down the short leg end.

The legs are not overlapping and lock the letterpacket.

Writing manipulations

Flip packet over.

Turn the pointed edge of the letterpacket to the right.

Write Mr on the left triangle and Leshot on the visible diamond panel.

Alt Text

Two hands show how Thomas Jefferson wrote and folded a letter into a letterlocked pentagonal-shaped packet. They also unfold the letter and flip it to show the address side.

Images

TBD

Foldable(s)

TBD

Step-by-steps

TBD

Substrate map

TBD

Manipulations

Writing: NA

Postal: Postage marks and address ink (from a different letter)

Opening: NA

Filing (Storage, Display): NA

Repair: NA

Damage

Ink Corrosion

Features

Dirt on panels/ in crease

Transcription

Letter text

Th:Jefferson sends to mr Leshot miss Eppes’, watch

needing repairs, and the key needing a new snipe.

her servant will be here till the middle of the week

And it is hoped mr Leshot will [textual info lost in crease] in time for him

to carry back, as she lives at a great distance, and

opportunities of sending it are very rare. Th: J. will

pay the cost of repairs, and will hope to receive from

mr Leschot at the same time the amount of the work

done for him and the family at various times, which

With the cost of the gold watches first bought

and which has been so long left in his hands, he

proposes to pay him in a few days.

he wishes mr & mrs Leshot could come and

dine here some day. he will send for them any

day which will suit them, & he salutes them with

Friendship and respect. Dec. 28. 18.

Address side

Mr. Leschot. Capital letter loop and postmark from a different letterpacket.

Context

Jefferson sends his daughter's watch for repair to Mr. Leschot, asks for a bill for other purchases made and work done for the family; and invites Leschot to dinner. The letterpacket size and lack of postage suggests it was inserted in another letter or a hand-delivered note.

Book

Jana Dambrogio and Daniel Starza Smith with the Unlocking History Research Group. Letterlocking: The Hidden History of the Letter. Cambridge and London: MIT Press, 2025.

Further resources

Rosenbach, A.S.W. Collected cats. 17:354
https://rosenbach.catalogaccess.com/archives/32797
Monticello encyclopedia: Louis Leschot

Citation for the letter(s)

UH6314

Original

Jefferson, Thomas, 1743-1826; AL (3rd person), [18]18 Dec. 28, Monticello, to Mr. Leschot, Catalog Number: AMs 0459/8.

Donor Credit Line

Rosenbach bequest, transfer from Rosenbach Company

Model