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Catalogue 255 The |
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Section I: Adams to American Revolution |
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Papers
on Book Collecting by William S. Reese
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Engravings of Adams 1. [Adams, John]: [GROUP OF SEVEN CONTEMPORARY ENGRAVINGS OF JOHN ADAMS]. [Various places. ca. 1778-1799, as enumerated below]. Seven engravings, ranging from 5¼ x 3¾ to 8¾ x 6 inches, all inlaid into quarto sheets. Fine. A fine collection of seven contemporary engravings of John Adams, executed from the 1770s to the 1790s. A least one appears to be a proof sheet, and it bears no indication of publisher or engraver. The images capture Adams from the period of the Revolution through his presidency. They are as follow: 1) John Adams. [London]: Published by Cadell & Davies, Sept. 14, 1799. 6 x 4¼ inches. A stipple engraving by Harding after an original illustration by Taylor. 2) [John Adams]. [Np. nd]. 8¾ x 6 inches. Adams is depicted in an oval frame, with no artist or engraver noted. 3) John Adams. Gezant der Noord-Americasche Staaten, in de Vereenigde Nederlanden. [Np, The Hague? nd, ca. 1782]. 7½ x 4¾ inches. An image almost identical to the one immediately above, but with Adams in a rectangular frame, and captioned in Dutch. An olive branch in the lower right corner perhaps symbolizes the treaty Adams negotiated with the Dutch in 1782. 4) His Excellency John Adams. [London]: Published by J. Fielding, Sept. 1, 1783. 6½ x 4 inches. The engraving was executed after "an original portrait in the possession of Edmund Jennings, Esq." 5) John Adams, L.L.D. Vice President of the United States of America. [Np. nd, ca. 1790]. 6½ x 4¼ inches. Engraved by Hall, after a painting by John Singleton Copley. 6) John Adams, President of the United States. [Np. nd, ca. 1797]. 5¾ x 4 inches. The only identifying mark is "Houston, Sculpt." below the oval image of Adams. 7) John Adams. [Np. nd, ca. 1798]. 5 x 3¾ inches. Depicts Adams about the time of his presidency. $2000. 2. [Adams, John]: AN ADDRESS OF THE CONVENTION, FOR FRAMING A NEW CONSTITUTION OF GOVERNMENT, FOR THE STATE OF MASSACHUSETTS-BAY, TO THEIR CONSTITUENTS. Boston: White and Adams, 1780. 18pp. Dbd. A few light stains and tanning. Very good. Lacks the half title. Although primarily written by Adams, this explanation of the new constitution was issued by James Bowdoin, convention president. After the rejection of the 1778 Massachusetts constitution, the document was entirely revised, largely by John Adams, and offered to the public in 1780. Adams and others then lobbied hard for its acceptance, and this is the opening gun. EVANS 16843. $1500.3. [Alexander, William, a.k.a. Lord Stirling]: [AUTOGRAPH LETTER FROM GENERAL WILLIAM ALEXANDER – SIGNED BY HIM AS "LORD STIRLING" – TO JAMES McHENRY FORWARDING MILITARY INSTRUCTIONS TO ASSIST THE TRANSPORT OF CAPTURED TROOPS, AND INVITING McHENRY TO CHRISTMAS DINNER]. [New Jersey]. December 24, 1778. [1]p. manuscript letter on a folded folio sheet, second and third pages blank, fourth page addressed and docketed and with original wax seal. Old folds. Tear in foredge of second leaf from wax seal, a few small tears at folds, and four small holes just below the date, but with no loss of text. Very good. An interesting letter, written in the midst of the Revolutionary War from an American-born general who claimed a Scottish earldom, to an Irish-born doctor serving as one of George Washington’s closest aides. The letter is written by William Alexander, who claimed to be the sixth earl of Stirling and referred to himself as "Lord Stirling," and was sent to James McHenry at "headquarters," i.e., George Washington’s headquarters. At the time, Washington’s headquarters were in Philadelphia, where he staying for over a month as the guest of Henry Laurens. With the letter, Stirling transmits to McHenry instructions [not present here] to be passed along regarding the transport of Hessian troops through the mid-Atlantic region. At that time the Hessian troops, under the command of General Friedrich Riedesel, were being moved from Boston, where they had been held captive, to Virginia. Stirling also invites McHenry to spend Christmas dinner with him at his home. The text of the letter reads: William Alexander (1726-1783), a.k.a. "Lord Stirling," was born in New York City and worked in his family’s mercantile business until becoming secretary of Massachusetts Governor William Shirley during the French and Indian War. He also served as an army contractor, but was accused of profiteering. He lived for a time in Britain, where he claimed to be the rightful heir to the earldom of Stirling, in Scotland. During the Revolution he sided with his countrymen, and fought the British, often leading New Jersey forces. He became a close associate of George Washington, and played a key role in battles at Long Island, White Plains and Trenton in 1776, and Brandywine and Germantown in 1777. Fort Stirling on Brooklyn Heights was named for him. He took command of the Northern Department of the Continental Army in 1781. James McHenry (1753-1816) was born in Ballymena, County Antrim, Ireland and educated in Dublin. He emigrated to America in 1771 and studied medicine with Dr. Benjamin Rush in Philadelphia. McHenry volunteered for military service on behalf of the colonies when hostilities with England broke out in 1775, was assigned to a hospital in Cambridge, MA., and was soon thereafter named surgeon to the 5th Pennsylvania Battalion. He was captured at Fort Washington on Manhattan in November, 1776, along with 2,000 other American troops and was paroled two months later, but was effectively under "house arrest" in Philadelphia and Baltimore until he was formally exchanged for British prisoners in March, 1778. Named senior surgeon of the "Flying Hospital" at Valley Forge, McHenry was quickly made a secretary to George Washington. It was at this time that he forged close friendships with Washington and with Alexander Hamilton that lasted for decades. McHenry served as Washington’s assistant for two and a half years, without rank or pay, until he was transferred to Lafayette’s forces as aide-de-camp in August, 1780. He was made a Major, and was at Yorktown in October, 1781, before leaving the army in December of that year. McHenry was a founding member of the Society of the Cincinnati in 1783. McHenry was politically active in his home state of Maryland for much of the 1780s and 1790s. He represented Maryland in the Confederation Congress, 1783-86, and also at the Constitutional Convention in the summer of 1787, where he kept extensive notes that serve as a valuable record of the debates on the creation of the U.S. Constitution. A staunch Federalist, McHenry was intimately involved in helping George Washington fill political patronage positions, and in 1796 was selected by Washington as the nation’s third Secretary of War. He worked to reorganize the army in the late 1790s, and Fort McHenry in Baltimore is named for him. Disputes with John Adams led him to resign his post as Secretary of War in 1800, and he retired to his estate, Fayetteville, outside Baltimore. McHenry published a Baltimore directory in 1807. Alexander: ANB 1, pp.280-81. McHenry: ANB 15, pp.80-82. DAB XII, pp.62-63. $5000.4. [American Newspaper]: THE NEW-YORK PACKET, AND THE AMERICAN ADVERTISER. THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 1777. [No. 70.]. Fish-Kill [N.Y.]: Printed by Samuel Loudon, 1777. [4]pp. printed on folded sheet. Folio. Expertly silked. Wear to old folds affecting several words of text, foxing and spotting, contemporary ink note and later pencil note. Else good. A scarce and interesting Revolutionary newspaper, conducted by the patriot printer, Samuel Loudon. He fled to Fishkill when the British seized New York and published The New-York Packet... there for six years, until the end of the war. This issue is notable for its publication, on page 2, of the resolution to adopt the U.S. flag, executed by Congress on Aug. 27, 1777. Also included is much contemporary war news, European notices, and advertisements. $2500. One of the First American Printings 5. [American Revolution]: THE FOLLOWING EXTRAORDINARY BILLS, PENDING BEFORE THE BRITISH PARLIAMENT, ARRIVED LAST NIGHT IN CAPT. WILLIAMSON, IN 36 DAYS FROM BRISTOL. BOSTON, JUNE 3, 1774 [caption title]. Salem: Printed by S. and E. Hall, [1774]. Folio broadsheet. Tear in upper right corner, above the caption title, with no loss of text. Tears in the old horizontal and vertical folds, touching a total of about thirty-five words but not affecting the sense. A good copy only of this rare broadsheet. One of the first two American printings of two of the Intolerable, or Coercive Acts pertaining to the Massachusetts Bay Colony, introduced as punishment for the uprising of the Boston Tea Party and to help reinforce royal authority at the expense of the liberty of the colonists. The Acts provided for anyone indicted in Massachusetts to possibly be sent to England for trial, and gave the Royal Government in Massachusetts what amounted to powers of martial law to control the province. These acts became the justification for the calling of the first Continental Congress, as well as bringing resistance in Massachusetts to a new level. Two printings were made, in Boston and Salem, with no priority, but one would presume Boston was the first. NAIP locates six copies of the Boston printing. NAIP, Evans, and Ford locate but four copies (MWA, DLC, MSaE, MHi) of this rare Salem printing. There is another copy in the Scheide Library (acquired from this firm in 1989). An important milestone of the Revolution. EVANS 13305. FORD, MASSACHUSETTS BROADSIDES 1736. NAIP w006494. $15,000.Criticizing the New York 6. [American Revolution]: TO THE FREEMEN, FREEHOLDERS, AND OTHER INHABITANTS OF THE CITY AND COUNTY OF NEW-YORK. GENTLEMEN, IN TIMES OF PUBLIC DANGER, I CONCEIVE IT IS TO BE THE INDISPENSABLE DUTY OF EVERY MEMBER OF THE COMMUNITY TO COMMUNICATE HIS SENTIMENTS TO HIS FELLOW CITIZENS ON PUBLIC AFFAIRS...NEW-YORK, JULY 16, 1774. [New York: James Rivington, 1774]. Broadside, 16¾ x 10¼ inches, in three columns. Backed in linen. Repair in lower left corner. Very good. Archivally matted and protected with mylar sheet. A very interesting Revolutionary War broadside, whose publication Evans attributes to James Rivington, the London-born bookseller, printer, and journalist. The broadside proposes various revisions to the July 1774 Resolves of the New York Committee of Correspondence, which the author criticizes as being ambiguous and inconsistent in their approach to issues surrounding the Intolerable Acts, non-importation, and the relationship between the colonies and Great Britain in general. While Evans refers to the document as a "pro-British examination" of the resolves, the piece reads as a fairly balanced and measured critique, reflecting Rivington’s claim as a newspaperman at the time to operate an "Ever Open and Uninfluenced Press." Nevertheless, the open policy of Rivington’s year-old newspaper, Rivington’s New-York Gazetteer..., infuriated Isaac Sears and the Sons of Liberty, and a Whig campaign against Rivington arose, causing him to publish increasingly pro-Tory sentiments. In 1775 a party of Sons of Liberty from Connecticut attacked and destroyed Rivington’s press, converting its type to bullets and forcing Rivington to flee temporarily to Britain. When he returned to New York in 1777, Rivington resumed publication of his newspaper with "a decidedly altered policy and in the Loyalist interest" (DAB). A scarce broadside, with OCLC and the NUC together locating only two copies, at the New-York Historical Society and the Library of Congress. EVANS 13657. DAB XV, pp.637-38. $7500.An Extraordinary Pro-American Newspaper 7. [American Revolution]: THE CRISIS [Nos. IV-VIII]. New York: [Re-Printed by John Anderson, 1775]. 64pp., paginated continuously. Dbd. Some tanning, staining and light scattered foxing. Good. Five issues of this extraordinary periodical, among the most virulent political sheets of the Revolutionary period, were first issued in London and quickly reprinted in New York as London numbers arrived there. Beginning in January 1775 the editor, possibly William Moore, who edited several other political sheets of the time, proclaimed: "The Altar of Despotism is erected in America, and we shall be the next victims to its lawless power." The London numbers continued in folio form until the ninety-first number of October 1776. The New York edition, published by the patriot printer, John Anderson, ran to twenty-eight numbers plus a Crisis Extraordinary (not present here). The American version, like the original, was issued as a periodical. Not surprisingly, given the language used, both the British and American editions are of the greatest rarity. Whoever the editors of The Crisis were, they did not lack courage. The third number was ordered burned by the hangman near the House of Commons, but the attacks of editors, virtually entirely centering on the American situation, only grew bolder and stronger. News of Lexington and Concord drew an address "To The King": "Sir, like that fell monster and infernal Tyrant Charles the First, you are determined to deluge the land with Innocent Blood." And this is mild compared to what is said of Lord North and the ministers. "Blood Calls For Blood," in the June 17 issue, virtually advocates insurrection, and the military resistance of the Americans is cheered at every step. The language of The Crisis must be read to be believed. How such a treasonable sheet survived is indeed a good question. "This work, which is of great rarity, contains a remarkable collection of papers attacking the Ministry and the British Government in terms of the greatest severity. Indeed, one can hardly believe that in time of war, a publication of such character would be tolerated" – John R. Bartlett. A remarkable and very rare periodical, too little known by historians of the American Revolution, and indicative of the wide support the Americans had in England at the time of the Revolutionary crisis. SABIN 17517. EVANS 13926, 13935, 13944, 13953, 13960. CRANE & KAYE, CENSUS OF BRITISH NEWSPAPERS 153 (London issues). $1500.With a Map of Gage’s Lines at Boston, 8. [American Revolution]: THE PENNSYLVANIA MAGAZINE: OR, AMERICAN MONTHLY MUSEUM. FOR AUGUST 1775. Philadelphia: Printed by R. Aitken, 1775. [4],[344]-394pp. plus folding engraved map. Dbd. An occasional fox mark. Map tanned, with some tears at folds. Else very good. One issue of this important American magazine, the only one issued in America during the Revolutionary crisis. This issue includes an important Revolutionary map, an "Exact Plan of General Gage’s Lines on Boston Neck in America," showing in detail the fortifications protecting Boston harbor. Articles in this issue include "Account of the Number of Inhabitants in the Colony of Connecticut, 1774," "References to the Plan of Gen. Gage’s Lines," and extracts from British publications. Publication of The Pennsylvania Magazine... began in January 1775 and ceased in July 1776. The magazine was edited by Thomas Paine, who acted as editor through at least the May 1776 issue. Paine wrote a significant part of the contents of the magazine. The map is one of the very few maps produced in America during the Revolutionary era. It is a detailed rendering of Gen. Gage’s fortifications on Boston Neck as they stood in the winter of 1775-76, engraved in Philadelphia in 1775 by Robert Aitken. The maps are usually lacking from issues of the magazine. EVANS 14380. MOTT, AMERICAN MAGAZINES, pp.87-91. WHEAT & BRUN 237. PHILLIPS MAPS, p.149. JOLLY, MAPS OF AMERICA IN PERIODICALS BEFORE 1800, 268. NEBENZAHL, BATTLE PLANS OF THE REVOLUTION 5. $3000.The Destruction of King George’s 9. [American Revolution]: LA DESTRUCTION DE LA STATUE ROYALE A NOUVELLE YORCK.... Paris. [ca. 1776]. Engraving, 18 x 11½ inches, largely handcolored. Light fold lines. Overall quite clean. Very good. Archivally matted, 20 x 14 inches, and protected with mylar sheet. A wonderfully descriptive, albeit imagined, print illustrating one of the defining events of the Revolution in New York City. On July 9, 1776, upon hearing the Declaration of Independence, an enraged crowd marched down Broadway to Bowling Green where stood a large lead statue of King George III astride a horse (though here he is shown standing). Ropes were thrown around the Romanized icon and the body was pulled down. Later it was shipped to Oliver Wolcott in Litchfield, Connecticut, who constructed a shed in his orchard for the purpose of melting it into shot. Meanwhile, the head, stolen by Tory sympathizers, was sent to Britain, where it was later seen by Thomas Hutchinson in the house of Lord Townshend. The New York Sons of Liberty, led by either Peter Cortenjus or Isaac Sears, were quick to claim responsibility for the act, though Washington expressed immediate disapproval. Such demonstrations, he believed, were better left to the "proper authorities." The fact that this print was done in Paris with a translation of the title in German is testimony to the interest with which other European peoples were following events in America. "This fictitious view of the affair, probably by André Basset Painé, was widely reprinted in Europe" – Cresswell. A dramatic snapshot of early Revolutionary fervor. CRESSWELL 263. $1500.The Massachusetts Militia in 1776 10. [American Revolution]: [THE MILITIA ACT; TOGETHER WITH THE RULES AND REGULATIONS OF THE MILITIA. PUBLISHED BY ORDER OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY]. [Boston: Printed by J. Gill, 1776]. 40pp. Lacks the titlepage. Gathered signatures, with remnant of original stitching. First text leaf tanned, rest of text with light uniform tanning. Early ink notations and calculations in margins of three leaves. Overall, about very good, untrimmed. In a half morocco box. Printed in Boston in the spring of 1776 in an edition of 1,000 copies, this is an important and interesting document of the Revolution, illustrating the conflicting loyalties of the Revolutionary transition. This work would seem to have been printed in two parts and combined under a single titlepage. Pages 1 to 22 print the English Militia Act, with the loyal running head, "In the sixteenth Year of the Reign of George the Third, King," appearing on each page. This work prints the general regulations for the militia, which continued to be the basis for American militia troops. Pages 25-40 consist of additional articles passed by the Massachusetts House on April 16, 1776, and by the Council on April 18, providing specific rules for troops "drawn out on an Alarm for the immediate defense of this, or any other of the United Colonies of America." Presumably issued together in late April of 1776, a little more than a month after the British evacuated the city and two months before the battle of Bunker Hill. "This famous Act is full of the spirit of the times. It is said that the mere reading of the sixty-nine articles of war appended was incentive enough to make every patriot a soldier" – Evans. Rare on the market. EVANS 14878. SABIN 45925. $2850.The British Thrown Out of Boston, 11. [American Revolution]: TWO FAVORITE SONGS, MADE ON THE EVACUATION OF THE TOWN OF BOSTON, BY THE BRITISH TROOPS, ON THE 17th OF MARCH, 1776. [Boston. 1776]. Broadside, 17 x 10½ inches. Large woodcut of a harbor fortress and naval vessels exchanging cannon fire (2½ x 6½ inches), text in two columns. One vertical and three horizontal folds. Edges mildly frayed with small losses, several small losses at fold intersections slightly affecting woodcut and two words of text, minor foxing, one light stain in woodcut (½ x ¾ inch). Very good. "...Now is the time to man your lines, / for the soldiers have left Boston." A rare, large-format broadside containing two songs celebrating the British evacuation of Boston to General Washington’s army after a siege that had lasted from April 1775. Winslow noted that the large woodcut had previously been used on a broadside of 1745 describing the siege of Louisbourg. The first song begins: "In seventeen hundred and seventy six, / On March the eleventh, the time was prefix’d, / Our forces march’d on Dorchester Neck, / Made fortifications against an attack." The supplies and munitions left by the departing British are mentioned, as is a fire set at Castle William during the evacuation. The poet concludes spiritedly: "Let ‘em go, let ‘em go, for what they will fetch, / I think their great Howe is a miserable wretch; / And as for his men, they are fools for their pains, So let them return to Old England again." The second song, in a different meter, comprises thirteen four-line stanzas. It commences with a remembrance of the Battle of Bunker Hill: "It wasn’t our will that Bunker-Hill, / From us should e’er be taken...." The American re-occupation of Bunker Hill is described, along with several scarecrows left by the British (to give the impression it was still garrisoned). Then, "The women come, and children run, / To brave Putnam rejoicing, / Saying now is the time to man your lines, / For the soldiers have left Boston." The poet speculates on the British force’s destination: "Some say they’ve sail’d for Halifax, / And others for New-York...Where they are bound there’s none can tell, / But the great God on high, / May all our heads be covered well, / When cannon balls do fly." A smaller format broadside of the same two songs, set in a different type but employing the same cut, is entitled, simply, On the Evacuation of Boston by the British Troops. The single other known copy is held by the Essex Institute. SABIN 97588. BRISTOL B4385. SHIPTON & MOONEY 43179. FORD 2040. WEGELIN 808. $17,500.12. [American Revolution]: APPENDIX CONTAINING SUNDRY RESOLUTIONS FOR CARRYING ON AN EXPEDITION TO ST. JOHN’S IN NOVA-SCOTIA. [Boston: John Gill, 1777]. 4pp. Folio. Self-wrappers. Slight edge wear. Very good. Issued as a supplement to the Resolves of the General Assembly of the State of Massachusetts-Bay... (1777), but published separately, this appendix describes in detail the levying of a regiment to attack Loyalists and defend those who "suffer from their attachment to the cause of the United States" in Nova Scotia. Moses Little was appointed general-in-chief of the expedition, and a regiment was ordered to Machias, Maine. However, since the majority of the population of Nova Scotia emigrated there in the 1760s, missing a key decade in the ideological development of the Revolutionary cause, overwhelming sympathy was unlikely. The real reason for attacking Nova Scotia was the importance of Halifax as a British naval base. Nothing significant was to come of the campaign, which was never launched for want of resources. EVANS 15414. NAIP w033209. Greene & Pole, Blackwell’s Encyclopedia of the American Revolution, pp.497-99. $1500. Quakers Jailed for Refusing 13. [American Revolution]: [MANUSCRIPT PETITION TO THE CONTINENTAL CONGRESS FROM EIGHT QUAKER LEADERS JAILED DURING THE REVOLUTION FOR THEIR REFUSAL TO TAKE UP ARMS AGAINST GREAT BRITAIN, CAPTION TITLED "TO THE CONGRESS. THE REMONSTRANCE OF THE SUBSCRIBERS, CITIZENS OF PHILADELPHIA..."]. Philadelphia. Sept. 5, 1777. [2]pp. manuscript document on a single folio sheet. One horizontal and two vertical fold lines. Split neatly in two along the horizontal fold line, with no loss. A few other small closed splits in the edges and along the folds, with no loss. Good. In a cloth clamshell case, leather label. A very interesting contemporary manuscript copy of a petition from eight leading Pennsylvania Quakers to the Continental Congress, asking for a hearing after they had been imprisoned for refusing to take up arms in the Revolutionary War against Great Britain. The eight were part of a group later known as the "Virginia Exiles," eighteen Quakers who were arrested and interned in Virginia for several months. This petition was submitted to the Continental Congress on September 5, 1777, by Israel Pemberton, James Pemberton, John Pemberton, Thomas Wharton, Henry Drinker, Thomas Fisher, Samuel Pleasants, and Samuel Fisher. The document is denoted in manuscript as "a copy," and is on watermarked paper, though there is no date in the watermark. From the physical evidence of the document, it seems clear that this copy was made about the time the remonstrance was submitted to the Congress. The Quaker petitioners ask for a hearing before the Continental Congress, avow their loyalty to the United States, and reiterate their belief in nonviolence and refusal to take up arms. They complain that their arrest is "arbitrary, unjust, and illegal," assert their "love to our country, whose true interest and prosperity we have steadily pursued," and ask for a hearing "to give us the opportunity of hearing and answering to every matter suggested to, and entertained by you [the Continental Congress] or them [the Pennsylvania authorities] against us – being assured we shall appear to be true Friends to & anxiously solicitous for the prosperity of America on the principles of justice and liberty." They conclude by once again stating the basis of their beliefs: "from the precepts of Christ, the doctrine of his Apostles, and the example of his followers in the primitive age of Christianity, that all outward wars & fighting are unlawful and therefore cannot join herein for any cause whatever." The eight petitioners, along with ten other Quakers, where eventually sent to Virginia and imprisoned until April, 1778. Quakers, who refuse to take up arms as a matter of their religious beliefs, were suspected during the American Revolution of treason, and were often persecuted. In August, 1777, the Continental Congress passed a resolution permitting the imprisonment of Quaker objectors. The eight men who submitted this petition were arrested by Pennsylvania authorities and eventually sent to Winchester, (though the document says Stanton), Virginia, for imprisonment. Among the eight signers here are three members of the Pemberton family – brothers Israel, John, and James – who were among the most influential Quaker ministers in Philadelphia. Also among the petitioners is Henry Drinker, a prominent merchant and landowner; merchant Thomas Fisher; and his younger brother, Samuel. An instructive contemporary manuscript account of religious persecution in America during a time of war. $3000. 14. [American Revolution]: THE TEA-TAX TEMPEST, OR THE ANGLO-AMERICAN REVOLUTION. [Nuremberg: Carl Guttenberg], 1778. Handcolored engraved print, 17 x 15 inches, matted. Laid down on other sheet. Overall a beautiful, clean image. An allegorical print of the American Revolution. The image depicts Father Time using a magic lantern to project an image of the Revolution on the wall as four onlookers watch in distress. The projection has as its centerpiece a small teapot representing the tempest, with lightning bolts and a fleeing British army being pursued by American troops, including one Indian. The viewers include an Indian, a black woman, and two white women (allegorical representations of America, Africa, Europe, and Asia). At the base of the print are two engraved vignettes which compare the American Revolution to Holland’s Auto Da Fe (1560) and Switzerland’s William Tell (1296). The title appears in the lower margin in three languages: English, German, and French. A superb Revolutionary print. CRESSWELL 738. $2000.15. [American Revolution]: THE ENGLISHMAN. NUMBER 1. ADDRESSED TO THE FREEHOLDERS OF ENGLAND. [with:] ... NUMBER 2. [London]: Printed for J. Wilkie, T. Durhma, and R. Faulder, [1779]. 14pp., continuously paginated. Folio. Dbd. Single horizontal fold. Near fine. The first two issues of this very scarce British weekly periodical devoted to political events, including the American Revolution. Addressed to what would today be called the "working class," and taking a "we report, you decide" approach, the first issue stresses the central role that the Revolution will take in their pages, while the second issue has much on the conduct of Lord North’s administration in dealing with the rebellious American colonies, as well as the positions of the opposition party. The colophon states that The Englishman would appear each Saturday and Wednesday, though these first two issues were published on consecutive Saturdays (March 13 and 20, 1779). Publication ceased after just seventeen issues. $1000. 16. [American Revolution]: A VIEW OF THE EVIDENCE RELATIVE TO THE CONDUCT OF THE AMERICAN WAR UNDER SIR WILLIAM HOWE, LORD VISCOUNT HOWE, AND GENERAL BURGOYNE; AS GIVEN BEFORE A COMMITTEE OF THE HOUSE OF COMMONS LAST SESSION OF THE PARLIAMENT. TO WHICH IS ADDED A COLLECTION OF THE CELEBRATED FUGITIVE PIECES THAT ARE SAID TO HAVE GIVEN RISE TO THAT IMPORTANT ENQUIRY. London. 1779. 154pp. Original pale blue wrappers, backstrip largely perished but firmly bound. A fine copy, in original condition, untrimmed. In a folding cloth case, spine gilt. This work is sometimes ascribed to Joseph Galloway because his testimony is an important part of it, but in fact it contains much more. Second edition, issued the same year as the first, with the following note on the verso of the title-leaf: "In this edition the substance of all the material parts of Mr. [Joseph] Galloway’s Evidence is accurately given." This publication prints testimony as to the conduct of various British military officials during the American Revolution, including Cornwallis, Grey, Mackenzie, Howes, Robertson, et al. Included is material from as early as 1775, concerning the political and social situation of the American colonies. HOWES V93, "aa." SABIN 99558. AMERICAN CONTROVERSY 79-111b. $2000.Previously Unrecorded 17. [American Revolution]: DIRECTIONS FOR THE MILITIA OF THE CITY AND DISTRICTS ON TUESDAY NEXT, THE BRIGADE DAY. [Philadelphia. May 20, 1780]. Broadside, 8 x 12 inches. 2 x 2-inch piece missing from lower right corner, not affecting text. Two vertical creases, slight edge wear. Very good. A previously unrecorded Revolutionary War broadside announcement by Joseph Reed, President of the Supreme Executive Council of Pennsylvania. As such, the state’s militia was under his direction, the present broadside being a full set of instructions in regard to the drills to be performed on the appointed day. Reed is also notable for having been responsible for abolishing slavery in Pennsylvania and for his prosecution of Benedict Arnold. This broadside was issued in the spring following the evacuation of Philadelphia by the British. Not in Evans or the other imprint bibliographies. DAB IV, p.452. $5000.Boston Printing During the Revolution 18. [American Revolution]: THE HISTORY OF THE ORIGIN, RISE AND PROGRESS OF THE WAR IN AMERICA BETWEEN GREAT BRITAIN AND HER COLONIES, FROM ITS COMMENCEMENT IN THE YEAR 1764, TO THE TIME OF GENERAL GAGE’S ARRIVAL IN BOSTON IN 1774. [with:] ...FROM THE TIME OF GENERAL GAGE’S ARRIVAL AT BOSTON, IN MAY 1774. Boston: Re-printed by Thomas and John Fleet, 1780. Two volumes (of three), in original unbound gatherings, with original binder’s stab holes in gutter, stitched, untrimmed. 88 (of 90); 381,[1],34pp. (lacking many leaves, as described below). Also with an extra variant copy of the first gathering (80pp.) only of the second volume. Two volumes in original gathered signatures, untrimmed. First volume bit tanned. Two small stamps on titlepage of second volume. Overall very good, in completely unsophisticated original state. The extra variant of the first 80pp. of the second volume is bound in modern three-quarter cloth and marbled boards; tanned, some paper repairs to titlepage, but otherwise good, untrimmed. The whole is laid in two separate half morocco clamshell boxes. A substantial portion of this extremely rare history of the American Revolution, printed in Boston, and apparently based on British sources, including William Russell’s History of America and Burke’s An Impartial History of the War in America. A complete set consists of three volumes, though the work is sometimes described as complete in two volumes, with the first two volumes together styled the first volume. The present offering consists of the following: 1) A nearly complete example of the first volume, with eighty-eight of ninety pages present, lacking only the final text leaf. 2) An incomplete, though extensive, set of the unbound sheets of the second volume, lacking leaf K8 (pages 159-169) and pages 225-288 and 353-358, but all other parts are present. The third and final volume, consisting of 84,[4] pages (not present here) brought the account up to 1779. 3) A variant printing of the first section (eighty pages) of the second volume, in which dashes are not used in the chapter summaries at the head of each chapter. "A complete set is of extreme rarity" – Sabin. HOWES H532, "b." EVANS 16797. SABIN 32192. GEPHART 1000. $1500. A Satirical Print 19. [American Revolution]: L’ANGLAIS CORRIGE COMME UN ENFANT [caption title]. [Paris. nd, ca. 1781]. Engraving with bright original color. The plate mark measuring 8½ x 10¾ inches, the sheet itself just slightly larger. Fine. A very humorous French satirical engraving from the American Revolution, with bright original hand-coloring, wonderfully showing the array of European powers that allied with the American colonies against the English. The title roughly translates as "The English chastised by a child." In the engraving England, represented by a short, portly, bewigged gentleman, is shown with his breeches pulled down and his shirttail held up by a Spaniard as an American, plainly dressed with his shirtsleeves rolled up and wearing feathers in his cap, prepares to administer a beating with a bundle of switches. A Frenchman stands behind the American, urging him on and handing him another bundle with which to whip England. On the right side of the image, a Dutch merchant reclines on bales of commerce, refusing to aid the Englishman. The French-language caption text describes the scene. The engraving is undated, but France joined the Americans in an alliance in 1778, Spain declared war on Great Britain in 1779, and Holland followed at the end of the following year) and the so-called "League of Armed Neutrality" was also formed in 1780, so this print likely dates from about 1781. OCLC locates only a single copy, at the Library of Congress, which they date "[1782?]." A delightful satirical look at the European alliance that helped the American colonists defeat Great Britain during the Revolution. CRESSWELL, AMERICAN REVOLUTION IN DRAWINGS AND PRINTS 841. OCLC 61148918. $2500.20. [American Revolution]: A COMPLETE AND ACCURATE ACCOUNT OF THE VERY IMPORTANT DEBATE IN THE HOUSE OF COMMONS, ON TUESDAY, JULY 9...IN WHICH THE CAUSE OF MR. FOX’S RESIGNATION, AND THE GREAT QUESTION OF AMERICAN INDEPENDENCE CAME UNDER CONSIDERATION.... London. 1782. [6],61pp. Dbd. Bit tanned, occasional fox marks, else very good. Second edition, printed the same year as the first. The preface describes the debate as "the most important one that ever happened in the House of Commons." Includes the speeches of Fox, Burke, Grenville, Pitt, and others, all of which contain references to American independence. AMERICAN CONTROVERSY 82-45b. SABIN 15052. HOWES C651. $900.Debate Over 21. [American Revolution]: A FULL AND FAITHFUL REPORT OF THE DEBATES IN BOTH HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT, ON MONDAY THE 17th OF FEBRUARY, AND FRIDAY THE 21st OF FEBRUARY, 1783, ON THE ARTICLES OF PEACE. London. [1783]. [1],[1],72,116pp. Half title. Modern marbled wrappers. Light scattered foxing, some soiling, primarily in outer leaves. Very good. First edition of the debates in Parliament on the terms of the treaty of peace ending the war in America. The volume prints the Feb. 17, 1783, debates in the House of Commons and the House of Lords and the Feb. 21 debates in the House of Commons. The Treaty of Paris would finally be signed Sept. 3, 1783. A most important collection of political statements surrounding the end of the American Revolution. AMERICAN CONTROVERSY 83-37a. SABIN 19099, 26142, 97349. $1500.Celebrating the Official End 22. [American Revolution]: IN ASSEMBLY, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 2d, 1783, A.M. THE REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE, READ NOVEMBER 29th, RELATIVE TO THE PREPARATIONS TO BE MADE FOR PUBLIC DEMONSTRATIONS OF JOY...[caption title and first line of text]. [Philadelphia: Thomas Bradford, 1783]. Broadside, 10¼ x 7¾ inches. Old fold lines. A bit of foxing. One contemporary ink emendation. Very good. In a half morocco box. A rare and quite wonderful broadside printing the instructions and specifications for the construction of a triumphal arch in Philadelphia to celebrate the Treaty of Paris, ending the Revolutionary War. It also spells out plans for the celebration to be held upon completion of the arch, complete with a parade and fireworks. This declaration was passed by the Pennsylvania Assembly just as the British were evacuating New York City, and a little more than a week before George Washington resigned as commander of the Continental Army. The arch was designed by artist Charles Willson Peale, and its specifications are outlined in this broadside. The arch was fifty feet wide and nearly forty feet high, with columns in the Ionic order decorated with spiral festoons of flowers in their natural colors. The arch would be decorated with illustrations and inscriptions celebrating liberty, the Continental Army, the alliance with France, the natural bounty of the United States, the virtues of learning and science, etc. The whole structure was to be illuminated with twelve hundred lamps, and a fireworks display would take place on the celebration day, made all the more beautiful by having the lights of Philadelphia darkened for the occasion. A sum of £600 was allotted for the construction of the arch. The ratification of the Treaty of Paris was proclaimed on Jan. 22, 1784, but a careless citizen fired his gun too close to Peale’s arch, which soon caught fire and was consumed by flame moments before it was to be illuminated in celebration. NAIP locates only four copies, at the Library of Congress, American Philosophical Society, Pennsylvania Historical Society, and Massachusetts Historical Society. Rare. EVANS 18092. NAIP w023371. HILDEBURN 4306. A Rising People, p.193. $16,500.Burial of Simon Fraser After Saratoga 23. [American Revolution]: [ENGRAVING OF THE BURIAL OF GENERAL SIMON FRASER PRINTED IN 1794, WITH CONTEMPORARY OIL PAINT COLORING TO RESEMBLE AN ORIGINAL PAINTING]. [England, nd, but ca. 1800]. Engraving, 16¾ x 22¾ inches, with contemporary hand-coloring using oil paint. In molded gilt frame (20¼ x 26¼ inches). In fine condition. An extraordinary handcolored engraving illustrating the burial of British Brigadier General Simon Fraser, who was mortally wounded at the Second Battle of Saratoga on October 7, 1777. A particularly rare stipple engraving issued in 1794, the print has been skillfully over-painted with oil paints and then varnished to resemble a painting. The scene shows the lifeless body of Fraser, partially wrapped in a shroud, being lowered into a shallow grave on the battlefield. Surrounding the grave are members of his staff in brightly colored military uniforms and the Reverend Brudenell conducting the service. The figures, from left to right, have been identified as: the Earl of Harrington, A.D.C.; General Burgoyne; Major General Phillips; Reverend Brudenell; Captain Green, A.D.C.; Lieutenant Colonel Kingston; Major Fraser; Surgeon Wood, Earl of Balcarres; and Major General Riedesel, Commander of the Hessian forces. Military accoutrements are scattered in the foreground, and the scene is set against the smoke of battle and a stormy grey sky. Fraser, a Scotsman who began his military service in 1748, later fought in the French and Indian War at Louisbourg, Cape Breton, and Quebec. In 1776, as Lieutenant Colonel of the 24th Foot, he was deployed to Canada and his regiment joined forces with the grenadiers and light infantry of Carleton’s army. With this brigade, he conducted a successful defense at Trois Rivieres in June 1776, and he was granted the local commission of Brigadier General. As the commander of the Advance Corps in Burgoyne’s Offensive in 1777, Fraser showed his leadership skill during the Battle of Hubbardton. General Fraser commanded the right flank element of the British advance at the First Battle of Saratoga on September 19, 1777. He commanded the British right flank again on October 7, 1777 at the Second Battle. During his efforts to cover the British withdrawal, he was mortally wounded. He requested to be buried on the battlefield at sunset, and this was witnessed by his staff, as depicted here. Following Fraser’s death and the defeat of the British forces, Burgoyne surrendered days later. The Battle of Saratoga is considered a major turning point of the American Revolution. This battle proved to the world that the fledgling American army was an effective fighting force capable of defeating the highly trained British forces in a major confrontation. A rare, near-contemporary, illustration of a major event of the Revolutionary War, with extraordinary hand-coloring effected to resemble an oil painting. The painting by John Graham from which this print was engraved by William Nutter was held by Fraser’s widow, but has since been lost. $7500. Currency Circulation 24. [American Revolution – Finance]: TABLE OF THE FIRST YEAR’S INTEREST TO BE PAID ON MONIES WHICH HAVE BEEN PLACED IN THE SEVERAL CONTINENTAL LOAN-OFFICES, BETWEEN 1st OF JUNE AND 1st OF DECEMBER 1778. [Philadelphia: David Claypoole, 1779]. 7pp. Contemporary plain stiff wrappers, manuscript title on cover. Faint toning. Very good. A statistical calculation of Continental currency circulation via the several Continental loan offices. The table gives the amount of money in circulation for the periods from June 1 to Dec. 31, 1778, and calculates the interest on the amount. In 1776, Congress opened loan offices in each state. These loan offices sold loan certificates by subscription, at variable interest rates between 1776 and the close of the program in 1781. Between 1778 and 1781, when Congress computed the interest in paper money, the sale of loan certificates had raised, on paper at least, an estimated sixty million dollars for the war. Signed in print by Robert Troup, secretary of the board of the treasury of the Continental Congress. A valuable source of information on the financial state of the American colonies during the Revolution. Extremely rare. NAIP locates only one copy. EVANS 16634. NAIP w002116. $2000.Naval Battle of the Revolution 25. [American Revolution – Naval Print]: A VIEW OF HIS MAJESTY’S BRIGG OBSERVER, COMMANDED BY LIEUT. JOHN CRYMES (TO WHOM THIS PRINT IS INSCRIBED) ENGAGING THE AMERICAN PRIVATEER SHIP JACK, JOHN ROPES COMMANDER (BY NIGHT) ON THE 29th OF MAY 1782, OFF THE HARBOUR OF HALIFAX NOVA SCOTIA [caption title]. London: Robt. Dodd, Sept. 1, 1784. Aquatint and engraved print, 14 x 19¼ inches, with additional hand-coloring. Old stain in lower left corner, minor soiling. Very good. Matted. An attractive and beautifully colored engraving of a nighttime naval battle during the American Revolution. The illustration shows the fight between an American privateer, the Jack, and the Royal Navy’s brig, Observer, off the coast of Nova Scotia. The American navy relied heavily on privateers to augment their small force during the Revolution. Salem, Massachusetts, the home port of the Jack, was a hotbed of privateering activity, with some 158 privately armed vessels venturing out of the New England port to prey on British military and commercial vessels. Such privateering continued well after the British surrender at Yorktown, as is evidenced by the scene depicted in this print. The battle between the Observer and the Jack lasted through the night of May 28-29, 1782, and this print effectively conveys the drama and violence of the encounter. The ships were of evenly matched firepower, and Allen calls the battle "a long and severe engagement." John Ropes, commander of the Jack, was killed in the first volley from the Observer. In the print, flames glow between the two vessels and smoke billows skyward. Both ships have numerous holes shot through their sails, and the British sailors attempt to climb the rigging of their ship in an attempt to board the American privateer. Allen quotes an account by the first lieutenant of the Jack who says that the initial attempted boarding was repulsed by the Americans but that the British, who greatly outnumbered the crew of the Jack, were ultimately successful. The Jack was surrendered on the afternoon of May 29. A number of such prints showing naval battles were produced in England during and immediately after the Revolution, but they are all rather scarce on the market. A printed caption on the mat of this print states that there are only three other known examples, at the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich, the United States Naval Academy, and the Irving S. Olds copy. A rare and attractive print of an exciting Revolutionary War naval battle. OLDS 353. Gardner W. Allen, A Naval History of the American Revolution (Boston, 1913), Chapter 17. $5000. |
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