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NEW ENGLAND DECORATED BOX, Mid 19th century, poplar. Dovetailed dome-top box with original paint in good colors and graphic design. Minor wear. 11"h. 23.75"w. 13"d.

Condition: Left facing side has slight warp that has pulled away from front corner dovetails. Small interior split at right hinge. No inpainting shows under black light. Good dry surface.

Sold at Garth’s Auction November 23, 2018.

Estimate: $600-800

Price Realized: $17,100


AMERICAN INLAID DOCUMENT BOX, Mid 19th century, mahogany. Multiple inlays including pinwheels, hearts and compass stars. 5"h. 9.5"w. 5"d.

Sold at Garth’s Auction November 23, 2018.

Estimate: $600-800

Price Realized: $1,920


PENNSYLVANIA PIE PLATE., Attributed to Dryville Pottery, Berks County, mid 19th century. Green and brown slip stylized tulip. Coggled rim. A few glaze flakes. 7.75”d.

Condition: A few light knife scratches, small rim flakes and some darkened crazing in the center.

Sold at Garth’s Auction November 23, 2018.

Estimate: $900-1,250

Price Realized: $3,000


PENNSYLVANIA PIE PLATE, Possibly Diehl Pottery, Bucks County, mid 19th century. Tulip in yellow, brown and green slip. Coggled rim. Small edge flakes. 8.5"d. Ex David Good (Ohio).

Condition: Rim flakes, edge wear, short firing separation that shows on the back.

Sold at Garth’s Auction November 23, 2018.

Estimate: $3,500-4,500

Price Realized: $8,100


AMERICAN CHILD'S BENCH, Second half-19th century. Wagon seat-type bench with original yellow paint and landscape reserves on the back. Old, possibly original, rush seat. Wear and yellowed varnish. 22"h. 26.5"w. Ex William Lewan (New Hampshire).

Condition: Varnish has darkened considerably with a muddy look. Paint in reserves on slats is alligatored and the small stick type figures are difficult to see. Several areas of flaking especially on the legs. Small repair in back top slat at middle post. Top slats have age splits.

Sold at Garth’s Auction November 23, 2018.

Estimate: $200-400

Price Realized: $1,980


AMERICAN REDWARE LOAF PAN, Mid 19th century. Dark brown and yellow slip "comma" decoration, coggled rim. 11.5" x 14".

Condition: Center has knife scratches, several potstones around the top edge, some (approx. 3) have burst and have caused the slip to crack and flake.

Sold at Garth’s Auction November 23, 2018.

Estimate: $1,000-1,500

Price Realized: $4,200


MORAVIAN REDWARE BOWL, First half-19th century. Pale yellow (ivory) and green slip designs including star center. 2.75"h. 10.5"d.

Condition: Very faint hairline from rim approx 1.5". Knife scratches and minor wear on interior. Small rim flake.

Sold at Garth’s Auction November 23, 2018.

Estimate: $2,000-4,000

Price Realized: $4,680


AMERICAN REDWARE JAR, Attributed to E. White, Mercer, Pennsylvania, mid 19th century. Foliate designs in brown glaze. Edge flakes. 4.5"h. Sold at Sotheby's, January 1999, lot 310.

Condition; Burst interior potstone, rim flakes and roughness.

Sold at Garth’s Auction November 23, 2018.

Estimate: $400-800

Price Realized: $4,560


AMERICAN REDWARE PAN, Mid 19th century. Brown slip tulip decoration on a yellow slip ground. Coggled rim. Repair. 3"h. 13"d.

Sold at Garth’s Auction November 23, 2018.

Estimate: $900-1,250

Price Realized: $5,280


AMERICAN CONESTOGA WAGON BOX, Ca.1800, pine. Slant top box with wrought iron strap hinges and bands. Traces of old red and black paint. Wear and age splits. 18"h. 15.5"w.

Sold at Garth’s Auction November 23, 2018.

Estimate: $400-800

Price Realized: $2,125


MOCHA CREAMER, England, 1st half-19th century. Small creamer with tobacco leaf on tan ground. Leaf molded handle. Edge wear and flake. 3.5"h.

Condition: Edge wear, short 1" faint hairline from top edge, small bruise on rim, small flake on bottom edge.

Sold at Garth’s Auction November 23, 2018.

Estimate: $600-1,200

Price Realized: $3,000


PENNSYLVANIA STEPBACK CUPBOARD, Ephrata, Lancaster County, 2nd quarter-19th century, walnut with pine secondary. Two-piece cupboard with cove molded cornice, two doors above with eighteen glass panes and two dovetailed drawers. Pie shelf, turned legs and three dovetailed drawers over two paneled doors. Interior top has old white paint. Back labeled "HK Shirk Ephrata, Pa". Alligatored varnish. 87.5"h. 66.5"w. 20"d. From a North Carolina collection.

Condition: Replaced piece of molding, two cracked panes of glass. Small age split above top right drawer. Front left foot is missing piece. Minor loss to molding on right facing side.

Sold at Garth’s Auction November 23, 2018.

Estimate: $6,000-8,000

Price Realized: $8,125


PENNSYLVANIA SGRAFFITO REDWARE PAN, Early 19th century. Pale yellow slip ground with finely incised flower. Rim wear. 13"d. Old collection tag "Purchased by Library Fund, Vo. 27. 1908". Ex Greg Kramer (Pennsylvania).

Sold at Garth’s Auction November 23, 2018.

Estimate: $1,000-2,000

Price Realized: $5,400


PENNSYLVANIA DECORATED DOME-TOP BOX, Attributed the Compass Artist, Lancaster County, 1st half 19th century, pine. Dovetailed box with tin hasp and hinges. Original pinwheel, star, and tulip painted decoration. Wear and age splits. 7.5"h. 14"l.

Condition: Multiple age splits to lid and bottom board. Overall and surface wear.

Sold at Garth’s Auction November 23, 2018.

Estimate: $4,000-6,000

Price Realized: $9,900


VIRGINIA CHIPPENDALE SECRETARY BOOKCASE, Early 19th century, cherry with oak secondary. Two parts with square nail construction. Top has two doors and twelve glass panes, cove molded cornice and reeded and scalloped applied decoration. Fitted interior with dovetailed drawers and prospect door. Base has ogee feet, three dovetailed graduated drawers with cock beading and quarter columns. Fitted interior with dovetailed drawers and secret well behind the prospect door. Old refinishing. 91"h. 44"d. 23.5"d. Signed in drawer. Made by Issac Draper, Richmond, Virginia, April 7, 1807. Given to Issac Draper (grandson), 1836, Robert Draper, 1875, Issac Draper, 1897. Ex Pick Richardson (Ohio).

Condition: Refinishing is irregular. Some edge wear, small areas of edge loss around moldings. Several age splits in sides, drawers and lid. Bottom drawer has some surface wear and scuffs.

Sold at Garth’s Auction November 23, 2018.

Estimate: $6,000-8,000

Price Realized: $20,000


AMERICAN BURL COVERED BOWL, Nineteenth century. Turned with conical lid. Good figure. Original blue paint has wear. 5.5"h. 7.25"d.

There have been questions about the originality of the paint. It looks good though there are a couple of spots that appear partially brushed on. Please review our online photos and bid accordingly. Several tiny edge flakes "crow's foot" in one side of base approx 1" x 1" interior residue.

Sold at Garth’s Auction November 23, 2018.

Estimate: $900-1,200

Price Realized: $6,840


PENNSYLVANIA DECORATED DUTCH CUPBOARD, Attributed to Lancaster County, mid 19th century, pine. Two-piece cupboard with one door on top with nine glass panes. Two blind doors below. Original folksy vining floral decoration with birds, and pinwheels. 4"h. 48.25"w. 19"d. Ex Yankee Smuggler (New Hampshire).

Condition: Paint wear, mostly doors and on ledge (little paint remains on ledge). According to note it was cleaned of kitchen grease. Paint is a little thin on the sides and knot holes show through.

Sold at Garth’s Auction November 23, 2018.

Estimate: $8,000-12,000

Price Realized: $26,400


PENNSYLVANIA DECORATED CORNER CUPBOARD, Juniata County, mid 19th century, pine and poplar. Two-piece cupboard with original grain painting imitating curly maple. Single door above with twelve glass panes and arched top lights. Base has turned feet, two blind doors and dovetailed drawer (two faux drawer fronts). Painted interior on top. Minor wear. 86"h. 43"w. 22"d. Ex David Wheatcroft (Massachusetts).

Condition: Wear to paint, especially on left facing side, drawers and edges. Replaced hinges on top and 3 replaced pulls. One piece of glass may be replaced.

Sold at Garth’s Auction November 23, 2018.

Estimate: $8,000-12,000

Price Realized: $19,200


ADORATION OF THE SHEPHERDS, JOHN LANDIS (PENNSYLVANIA, B. 1805) OIL IN CANVAS, Unsigned. 17 x 13.5 in., in a grain-painted molded frame with gilt liner.

Condition: Relined, scattered retouch, especially along top edge.

Provenance: James Shephard III, July 1977.

The Arthur & Sybil Kern Collection of American Folk Art.

Sold at Skinner Auctions October 25-November 4, 2018 Online Auction.

Estimate: $800-1,200

Price Realized: $20,910


POLYCHROME PAINTED NOAH’S ARK AND ANIMALS, Germany, 19th century, the ark with red hull and room, the yellow structure with painted windows, doors, and decorative trim, with approximately ninety-two carved and painted animals and human figures, ht. 11.5, lg. 19 in.

Sold at Skinner Auctions October 25-November 4, 2018 Online Auction.

Estimate: $300-500

Price Realized: $1,046


OLIVE GREEN ZANESVILLE FLASK, 19th century, with swirl decoration and rolled lip, ht. 8.75 in.

Sold at Skinner Auctions October 25-November 4, 2018 Online Auction.

Estimate: $400-800

Price Realized: $4,920


PORTRAIT OF JOSEPH WANTON GARDINER, BORN May 31, 1836 JANE A. DAVIS (CONNECTICUT/RHODE ISLAND, 1821-1855)

Inscribed "Taken Feb. 5 1841 Aged 4 Yrs. 9 mo. By J.A. Davis" at the bottom, identified in the composition. Watercolor, ink, and pencil on paper, 7.75 x 6 in., in a red-painted frame.

Condition: Minor toning.

Provenance: Skinner, October 27, 1996, Lot 19; David Wheatcroft, Westborough, Massachusetts, July 27, 1998.

The Arthur & Sybil Kern Collection of American Folk Art.

Literature: Arthur and Sybil Kern, "Was J.A. Davis Jane Anthony Davis? New Supporting Evidence," Folk Art, Summer 1999, pp. 27-31; Arthur B. and Sybil B. Kern, "Genealogical and Historical Research: On the Importance of Genealogical Methodology in Researching Early New England Folk Portraitists," in The Art of the Family: Genealogical Artifacts in New England (Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2001); and Arthur B. and Sybil B. Kern, "The Key to Identifying New England Folk Portraitists," Antiques and the Arts Weekly, April 5, 2002, pp. 41-42.

Sold at Skinner Auctions November 3, 2018.

Estimate: $3,000-5,000

Price Realized: $18,450


PORTRAIT OF A MAN, WOMAN, BOY AND GIRL, MR. WILSON (NEW HAMPSIRE, ACT. 1810-1830s), Unsigned.

Watercolor on paper, 26 x 21.5 in., all in black-painted molded frames.

Condition: Toning, tears, separations

Provenance: The Arthur & Sybil Kern Collection of American Folk Art.

Sold at Skinner Auctions November 3, 2018.

Estimate: $4,000-6,000

Price Realized: $15,990


CHIPPENDALE CARVED WALNUT DRESSING TABLE, Philadelphia, c. 1765, the molded top with notched corners above the case of long drawer above two short drawers centering a shell- and foliate-carved center drawer, all flanked by fluted quarter columns, the shaped and scrolled skirt joining cabriole legs with shell-carved knees and scroll-carved returns ending in claw-and-ball feet, ht. 29.5, case wd. 32, case dp. 18.5 in.

Condition: two-board top appears reglued and reset. Old brace on underside has two old screw holes (but no screws) which seem to be evidence of an effort to keep top attached. some newer screws holding knee returns in place.

Provenance: David Stockwell, Wilmington, Delaware, c. 1962.

Sold at Skinner Auctions November 3, 2018.

Estimate: $8,000-12,000

Price Realized: $20,910


WALNUT LINE AND BERRY-INLAID SPICE CHEST, Pennsylvania, c. 1780, with molded top above the hinged door inlaid with scrolling and intertwining lines sometimes terminating in berries and lettered "SS" along the bottom edge, opening to an interior of thirteen drawers with brass pulls, all on molded ogee bracket base, ht. 17, wd. 17.75, dp. 10 in.

Condition: chip to upper left corner of top, repairs to feet, alteration around lock with small patch, inside of drawer drilled with holes to accommodate interior drawer pulls.

Sold at Skinner Auctions November 3, 2018.

Estimate: $10,000-15,000

Price Realized: $24,600


PAIR OF PAUL REVERE JR. SILVER TEASPOONS, Boston, Massachusetts, late 18th century, the spoon handles with bright-cut and wrigglework decoration, and engraved with a swan at the top, back of each spoon marked "REVERE" within a sunken cartouche (Kane mark B), (repair on the handle of each spoon), lg. 5.375 in., approx. 0.9 troy oz.

Sold at Skinner Auctions November 3, 2018.

Estimate: $2,000-4,000

Price Realized: $9,225


WILLIAM RUSSELL BIRCH (PENNSYLVANIA/ENGLAND, 1755-1834)

PORTRAIT MINIATURE OF GENERAL WASHINGTON, Signed in initialed and dated "W.B./1797" l.r., inscribed "Gen'l Washington/America" on the reverse, Enamel on copper, 2.25 x 1.75 in., oval, in original pressed brass and molded hardwood frame.

Condition: Minor scratches.

Provenance: According to the consignor, the miniature "had been in a French family for many generations. The family dates it to Albert Malle, who was the maternal grandfather of the man who sold it. M. Malle was a French industrialist. The family thinks it might have been acquired by M. Malle from Alice Tully, with whom Malle shared a love of music and "liaison intellectuelle et artistique". For several years, Alice Tully lived in the same building as M. Malle in Paris. The family confirms that this is the same Alice Tully who was the granddaughter of Amory Houghton, heiress to the Corning Glass fortune, and New York philanthropist."

Note: William Birch was a celebrated enamellist, painter, and engraver. He was born in Warwickshire, England, on April 19, 1755. He learned the basics of enameling as an apprentice to London goldsmith Thomas Jeffrey and later under Henry Spicer, and exhibited enameled miniatures at the Royal Academy and the Society of Artists. In 1794 Birch and his family immigrated to Philadelphia and he soon began producing works in enamel, the first to introduce enamel painting in America, for which he received wide acclaim. He made landscapes, copies of Old Master paintings, and portrait miniatures. His most notable enamel portraits were the approximately sixty portrait miniatures of George Washington, after a portrait done of Washington by Gilbert Stuart for John Vaughan.

The miniature, painted at the tail end of Washington's presidency was likely intended to portray Washington in military uniform as Commander in Chief. It appears to have been inspired by paintings of Washington by Gilbert Stuart as well as works by Charles Wilson Peale depicting Washington in his revolutionary war uniform. The pose and hairstyle is most similar to Stuart's works. The uniform in which Washington is depicted, while blue and buff like his service uniform and includes the blue sash worn across his breast beneath his coat, has stylistic characteristics such as the high neck collar that do not appear on military clothing until the late 1790s. The depiction of the sash in the miniature is very reminiscent of Peale's images of Washington painted c. 1780. Portraits by Peale and Stuart were very popular and circulated widely as printed works and were likely know by Birch and closely study as he developed this composition.

Sold at Skinner Auctions November 3, 2018.

Estimate: $15,000-25,000

Price Realized: $123,000


FITZ HENRY LANE (MASSACHUSETTS, 1804-1865)

PAIR OF PENDANT PORTRAITS OF A PILOT BOAT ALONGSIDE A LARGE FRIGATE. Unsigned, Oil on canvas, 14 x 17 in., in molded giltwood frames.

Condition: Relined, minor retouch. There are scattered spots of retouch in the upper right quadrant and at the horizon near the right edge of the painting showing the frigate departing; there are minor spots of retouch in the upper left quadrant and a couple small spots in the upper center of the painting showing the frigate arriving. Both paintings were treated in 1993 by Morton Bradley of Arlington, Mass., according to a typed label on the reverse of each.

Provenance: Possibly originally owned by either Robert B. Forbes or his brother John M. Forbes. Possible gift, before 1863, to Captain Jonathan Smith, who may have worked for R.B. Forbes in the China Trade. By descent in the Smith family.

Note: Sam Holdsworth inspected these paintings for the owners, and wrote about his findings at fitzhenrylaneonline.com, "an online project under the direction of the Cape Ann Museum." Holdsworth writes that these "handsome" and "confidently executed" paintings are "clearly" a pair and "intended to be displayed together." They appear to show the same moment, a frigate getting ready to receive or discharge a pilot, one of the works showing the frigate with the bow approaching, the other from astern. Holdsworth notes that "As always with Lane, the rigging and details of the frigate are beautifully and correctly noted, even to the point of one of the forward jib sheets flying free shown in both views."

Holdsworth speculates that it is possible that the paintings "may have been commissioned to commemorate the Boston pilot schooner rather the large frigate... [the pilot] flies the blue and white flag of Boston pilots, and her hull has a shape a color scheme nearly identical to that of the schooner 'Sylph' which was built as a yacht in 1834 and worked as a Boston pilot boat in 1836-37. For part of her yachting career she was owned by Robert Bennett Forbes and Samuel Cabot. It seems plausible that R.B. Forbes commissioned these paintings of his old yacht, now a pilot schooner, which were later acquired [by] or given to his brother John Murray Forbes and hence to Jonathan Smith."

Sold at Skinner Auctions November 3, 2018.

Estimate: $150,000-250,000

Price Realized: $147,000


TWO-SIDED PAINTED “LIBERTY & EDUCATION" BANNER, probably decorated by George Willmarth (1792-1878), Addison, Vermont, dated 1828, painted on sailcloth, each side with red and white stripes and a spreadwing eagle below twenty-four six-pointed stars on a light blue background, one side with a banner reading "LIBERTY & EDUCATION" and dated "1828," the other with a banner reading "LIBERTY" and with a crescent moon, with blue-painted octagonal wood pole, lg. 71, ht. 36 in.

Provenance: According to papers relating to the Willmarth family and the banner, the banner was purchased from the estate sale of Etta Willmarth in 1992.

Note: While the exact circumstances surrounding the banner's creation are unknown, the inscribed date coincides with the 1828 presidential election between John Quincy Adams and Andrew Jackson. Addison, Vermont, like the rest of the state was very pro-Adams.

Sold at Skinner Auctions November 3, 2018.

Estimate: $8,000-12,000

Price Realized: $13,530


DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE, THE FIRST FACSIMILE ENGRAVING. Washington, DC: Benjamin Owen Tyler, [Engraved by Peter Maverick (1780-1831)], 1818. Large folio engraved facsimile with large title at top, engraved text in cursive and several display fonts, and facsimile signatures below, insect damage with loss to top of document with old repairs made with glassine tape and some white over painting, small water spot to bottom left corner, overall toning, in a very substantial wooden frame, 30 x 24 in.

Sold at Skinner Auctions November 18, 2018.

Estimate: $3,000-5,000

Price Realized: $4,613


HANCOCK, JOHN (1737-1793) SHIP’S REGISTER, SIGNED 29 May 1784. Folio-format typographically printed document on laid paper, signed by Hancock in left margin beneath a paper seal, countersigned by John Avery, asserting Theodore Lyman's ownership of the sloop Favorite, a square-sterned vessel of forty-five tons mastered by Israel Lovit; Lyman was of Wells, Maine (at that time part of Massachusetts), countersigned by Lyman and later owner Tristram Jordan; with five further annotations at the foot and on the verso stipulating changes to the document, viz., in September 1784 Israel Wiles was made master; in November 1785 Wiles swore that the sloop was the sole property of the citizens of the United States; in January 1786 Eliphatt Perkins was made master; in April 1787 Robert Stone was master; and in January 1788 Bartholomew Hasdell was master; with toning to paper, spotting, old folds, fragmentary along folds with holes where folds intersect (reinforced with glassine tape on verso), 16 x 12.75 in.

Sold at Skinner Auctions November 18, 2018.

Estimate: $1,500-2,500

Price Realized: $2,952


JONES, JOHN PAUL (1747-1792) SECRETARIAL LETTER SIGNED PARIS, 3 SEPTEMBER, 1786. Single leaf of laid paper, to Thomas Jefferson, as Minister Plenipotentiary of the United States for France, regarding international business and "prize money," see below for full text, during this period Jones and Jefferson were in almost constant contact concerning slow but important negotiations regarding piracy in the Mediterranean, Americans held captive by Algiers, American debts to European bankers, and piracy among the marauding Barbary pirates; the letter matted and framed with an engraved portrait of Jones; the letter 8.75 x 7 in.

https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Jefferson/01-10-02-0237

"Sir, Since I had the honor of hearing from you last my Health has not permitted me to set out for Denmark. From the information I took at the Hotel of the Baron de Blome I understood he was to arrive from the Waters the 30th ult. so that I thought it better to wait till I could see him than to forward your Letter. His Servants arrived at the time that he was himself expected, and informed that the Baron had made a little jaunt to Geneva and would be at Paris the 15th this Month. I now have the honor to send you the second copy of the rolls, &c., that you lately forwarded to the Board of Treasury. There is a sure opportunity for London tomorrow at 2 o'clock. If you have any Letters to send, or if you think fit to forward the papers respecting the Prize-Money. I will give them in charge to the person who will safely deliver them in London. I am, Sir, with great esteem and respect, your most obedient and most humble Servant, Paul Jones.

Sold at Skinner Auctions November 18, 2018.

Estimate: $20,000-25,000

Price Realized: $19,680


LINCOLN, BENJAMIN (1733-1810) AND DANIEL SHAYS (c. 1747-1825) TWO SIGNED LETTERS, 31 JANUARY 1787. Two original signed letters on laid paper, the first addressed to Lincoln and signed by Daniel Shays, Francis Stone, and Adam Wheeler, in the midst of Shays' Rebellion, the second a retained copy, in Lincoln's hand, signed "BL" at the foot, each with tears, toning, damage.

"The Honourable General Lincoln

Sir, as the officers of the people now convened in defence of their rights and privileges, have sent a petition to the General Court, for the sole purpose of accommodation of our present unhappy affairs, we justly expect that Hostilities may cease on both sides, until we have a return from our Legislature. Your Honor will therefore be pleased to give us an answer: A Copy of the above Petition is inclosed, Pelham, Janr. 31st 1787. Per order of the committee for reconciliation.

Francis Stone, Chairman

Daniel Shays, Captain

Adam Wheeler"

Lincoln's response:

"Hadley, January 31st, 1787

Gentlemen, Your request is totally inadmissible, as no powers are delegated to me which would justify a delay of my operations. Hostilities I have not commenced.

I have again to warn the people in arms against government, immediately to disband, as they would avoid the ill consequences which may ensue, should they be inattentive to this caution. BL"

Sold at Skinner Auctions November 18, 2018.

Estimate: $5,000-7,000

Price Realized: $10,455


WASHINGTON, GEORGE George (1732-1799) AND BENJAMIN LINCOLN (1733-1810) SIGNED OATH OF ALLEGIANCE. Philadelphia: John Dunlap, 1778. Typographically printed document fulfilled by hand, signed by Lincoln, signed and witnessed by Washington, 24 August 1778, mounted on card, reverse mat burn, old folds, 4 x 6.5 in.

Lincoln was injured in a reconnaissance mission around the time of the second battle of Saratoga, 7 October 1777. A British musket ball shattered his ankle. He returned to his home in Massachusetts to recuperate. It wasn't until late summer that he returned to Washington's side in New York state and signed this document. Most signed extant copies of this edition of Dunlap's Oath Allegiance were fulfilled earlier in the year, many at Valley Forge. Letters written between Lincoln and Washington in the summer of 1778 place Lincoln in Massachusetts as he continued to recover. When Lincoln was finally cleared to ride, he met with the General in the Hudson Valley. A letter dated White Plains, 2 September 1778 from Lincoln to

Washington refers to a meeting of the Council of War held the previous evening.

I, Benjamin Lincoln, Major General

do acknowledge the UNITED STATES of AMERICA to be Free, Independent and Sovereign States, and declare that the people thereof owe no allegiance or obedience to George the Third, King of Great-Britain; and I renounce, refuse and abjure any allegiance or obedience to him; and I do swear that I will, to the utmost of my power, support, maintain and defend the said United States against the said King George the Third, his heirs and successors, and his abettors, assistants and adherents, and will serve the said United States in the office of Major General which I now hold, with fidelity, according to the best of my skill and understanding.

B. Lincoln
sworn before me
the 24 day of Aug. 1778}
G. Washington

Sold at Skinner Auctions November 18, 2018.

Estimate: $20,000-30,000

Price Realized: $33,210


A SHORT NARRATIVE OF THE HORRID MASSACRE IN BOSTON, Perpetrated in the Evening of the Fifth Day of March 1770 by Soldiers of the XXIXth Regiment. London: Printed by Order of the Town of Boston, Re-printed for E. and C. Dilly and J. Almon, 1770. Octavo, engraved frontispiece of the Boston Massacre bound opposite title, bound in later half red morocco, buckram boards, 8 x 4 .875 in.

The Appendix (more than 120 pages) contains ninety-six sworn affidavits of witnesses to the Massacre.

[frontis], [pi]4, B-X4 (final leaf X4 blank and present).

Sold at Skinner Auctions November 18, 2018.

Estimate: $7,000-9,000

Price Realized: $18,450






CATHERWOOD, FREDERICK Frederick (1799-1854) [AND] JOHN LLOYD STEPHENS (1805-1852) VIEWS OF ANCIENT MONUMENTS IN CENTRAL AMERICA, Chiapas, and Yucatan. New York: Barlett & Welford, 1844. First edition, large-format loose sheets housed in publisher's portfolio, one of 300 copies, title page lithograph by Owen Jones (edges chipped, old restoration to verso of fore edge and one corner), dedication, ten pages of introduction, pages 11 through 24 describing the twenty-five plates, and the plates themselves: twenty-five tinted lithographs after Catherwood's drawings and one full-page map; with notices of the original publication from contemporary publications pasted inside front board; chipped edges, a few plates with closed short tears, wear to portfolio, 21 x 14.5 in.

Sold at Skinner Auctions November 18, 2018.

Estimate: $15,000-20,000

Price Realized: $20,910




LAWSON, DEODAT (FL. circa 1690) CHRIST’S FIDELITY THE ONLY SHIELD AGAINST SATAN’S MALICE ASSERTED IN A SERMON DELIVERED AT SALEM VILLAGE. Boston: Printed by B. Harris, & Sold by Nicholas Buttolph, next to Guttridg's Coffee-House, 1693. First edition, 12mo, a note of approval on the text underwritten by Increase Mather, Charles Morton, James Allen, Samuel Willard, John Bailey, and Cotton Mather is printed in the preliminaries, this copy is bound in an unsophisticated contemporary thin wood board binding covered in sheepskin (damaged, large chunks of boards and covering material missing from the heads of both boards), title page torn in half vertically with loss, A4, B8, C-I4, K3 (lacking final leaf K4); rare, seven copies listed in ESTC (U.S. libraries only), no copies offered at auction since 1918, 5.5 x 3.5 in.

Lawson was minister of Salem Village from 1684 to 1688. When the witchcraft scare broke out in Salem in 1692, he returned to observe and report. Fearful of demonic possession, Lawson believed that he had lost family members to the devil. In his sermon, he tries to offer Christian support. "Be vigilant, be careful to avoid all sin which might betray you, Because your Adversary the Devil goes about as a Roaring Lion, seeking whom he may Devour. [...] So far as we can look into those Hellish Mysteries, and guess at the administration of that Kingdom of Darkness, we may learn that Witches make Witches, by perswading one the other to Subscribe to a book, [...] and the Devil, having them in this subjection, by their Consent, he will use their Bodies and Minds, Shapes and Representations, to Affright and Afflict others at his pleasure for the Propagation of his Infernal Kingdom."

Sold at Skinner Auctions November 18, 2018.

Estimate: $2,000-3,000

Price Realized: $33,210






POE, EDGAR ALLAN (1809-1849) TALES, FIRST EDITION, IN PAPER WRAPPERS. New York: Wiley & Putnam, 1845. Quarto, first edition, first issue, with H. Ludwig's name listed on copyright page, half-title present, along with twenty pages of advertisements at the end; bound in publisher's complete paper wrappers (some spotting, slight loss to covering material at head and tail of spine, bottom of front joint tearing slightly, corners somewhat curled, spine slightly shifted, some foxing to contents), no sign of repair or sophistication; a rare book in this state recently discovered in a New England home with other books of the same vintage, also in publisher's wrappers; (one example included with the lot: Mrs. Jameson's Memoirs and Essays, New York: Wiley & Putnam, 1846), 7.5 x 5 in.

Based on the context of the discovery of this copy of Poe's Tales, the original owner presumably bought this and other similar books to be read for amusement in the 1840s. Once read, the Poe and its companions were bundled and stored away in a trunk in the attic until they were found this fall. In the rare book trade, it was thought that all copies of Poe's Tales in wrappers were known.

In the Tales Poe invents detective fiction and promulgates a dark psychological style of storytelling as effective and compelling today as ever. This collection contains: The Gold Bug, The Black Cat, The Fall of the House of Usher, The Murders in the Rue Morgue, The Purloined Letter, and others.

Condition: The front cover with some spotting, top right corner of upper corner torn with loss (approx. 5 mm triangular piece lacking, see photos), bottom corner of cover dog-eared, spine slightly reflexed, small losses to paper covering at head and tail of spine, some spotting to outer fore-edge, text neatly opened throughout, occasional spotting to fore-edge margins, final leaf of ads, inner back cover, ffep with spotting, which diminishes on the penultimate leaf of ads, some old pencil lines to fore edges.

Sold at Skinner Auctions November 18, 2018.

Estimate: $60,000-80,000

Price Realized: $315,000


THE CONSTITUTIONS OF THE SEVERAL INDEPENDENT STATES OF AMERICA; the Declaration of Independence; the Articles of Confederation between the Said States; the Treaties between His Most Christian Majesty and the United States of America. Philladelphia [sic]: Printed by Francis Bailey in Market-Street, 1781. First authorized collected edition, octavo, one of 200 copies printed, untrimmed, in boards, somewhat worn, lacking the original paper spine, some toning to contents, ex libris a descendant of Major General Benjamin Lincoln of the same name (1816-1884), signature on title and following leaf, 7 x 4.75 in.

Sold at Skinner Auctions November 18, 2018.

Estimate: $4,000-6,000

Price Realized: $22,140






BLANCHARD, JOSEPH (1704-1758) AND SAMUEL LANGDON (1723-1797) AN ACCURATE MAP OF HIS MAJESTY’S PROVINCE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE IN NEW ENGLAND. London: Thomas Jefferys, 1761. Over-sized engraved map on two sheets, joined, with outline color, mounted on linen, water stained, surface and edge loss, other discoloration and wear, in an old frame, 27.75 x 31.5 in.

This rare map was produced to illustrate the theatre of war during the French and Indian War, and despite its title, depicts a very large area of the northeast, including present-day Vermont, parts of New York, Massachusetts, present-day Maine, and Canada.

Sold at Skinner Auctions November 18, 2018.

Estimate: $2,000-3,000

Price Realized: $31,980


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