(John HANCOCK) (1737 – 1793) Mezzotint engraving, 14 x 9 1/2 in. (sight) titled, “The Honble. John Hancock. of BOSTON in NEW-ENGLAND; PRESIDENT of the AMERICAN CONGRESS”. Done form an Original Picture Painted by Littleford. London, Published as the Act directs 25 Octor. 1775. by C. Shepherd.
A rare portrait of Hancock (Russell ENA III, 6), seldom encountered in the market. We have only encountered one other example of this print appearing at auction in
the past several decades.
Overall very fine condition. Matted and framed.
(EXA 4061) $3,250
(William Henry HARRISON) A pewter snuff box, 3 1/4 x 2 in. with the immortal symbol of Harrison’s campaign embossed on the cover: the log cabin, and (of course) hard cider.
Some scratching and expected wear, overall very good.
(EXA 4326) $600
Herbert HOOVER (1874 – 1964) Photograph Signed “Herbert Hoover” as President on a 10 1/4 x 14 in. black and white photograph by C. O. Buckingham Co., Washington. Hoover poses at the White House with six Greek-American leaders (most of whom appear to be members of the American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association (AHEPAN), all of whom sign below their portrait including: Andrew JARVIS (1890 – 1990) Greek-American politician and restaurateur; C. R. NIXON(?-?) a state legislator from Tulsa, Oklahoma; Peter G. SIKOKIS (1893 – 1959) Greek-American, president of the Confectioner’s Buying Association. We have been unable to identify the other three individuals pictured.
Signatures somewhat light, but still legible, very minor wear and silvering at edges, else fine condition.
(EXA 3885) $750
(Abraham LINCOLN) Printed circular, 3pp. octavo (8 x 5 in.) Washington, 17 April 1865, headed “OFFICIAL ARRANGEMENTS at Washington for the funeral solemnities of the late ABRAHAM LINCOLN, President of the United States, who died at the Seat of Government, on Saturday, the 15th day of April, 1865.” Issued by the War Department, this original printing presents the “ORDER OF THE PROCESSION” for the funeral procession that took place two days later, on 19 April 1865. The procession was headed by a full military escort and the “CIVIC PROCESSION” which was headed by the Marshal, “Clergy in attendance” and just before the hearse “The Surgeon General of the United States army and Physicians to the Deceased.” Members of the House and Senate followed Lincoln’s hearse together with representatives of the Army and Navy. Following was the “FAMILY” together with delegations from Kentucky and Illinois followed by President Andrew Johnson, the cabinet, diplomatic corps, former presidents and so forth. Housed in a custom slipcase in 3/4 blue cloth and titled leather spine.
Third page bears a very small loss at top center, slight toning to first page, minor marginal wear, else fine condition.
(EXA 3906) $1,250
(Abraham Lincoln) Scarce broadside, 4 3/4 x 6 in. headed “NOTICE” (Pottstown, [Penn.], 18 April 1865). An announcement of a memorial service to be held in honor of the recently slain Lincoln: “Agreeably to the request of the Acting Secretary of State, there will be RELIGIOUS SERVICES IN THE German Reformed Church, ON WEDNESDAY, AT 12 M., To commemorate the untimely death of the President of the United States. The members of the congregation, and the public generally, are invited to attend. By order of the CONSISTORY.”
Fine condition. Simply matted in a period frame.
(EXA 4278) $750
(Abraham Lincoln) Lithograph, Execution of the four conspirators: Mrs. Surrat [sic], Payne, Harold & Atzeroth. At Washington, D.C., July 7, 1865. (Philadelphia, J.L. Magee, 1865.) 7 3/4 x 11 3/4 in. on a 11 x 13 5/8 in. sheet. The artist has taken some liberties in depicting the scene. A priest is shown prominently aside the gallows, as Mary Surratt’s Catholicism was a prominent subject in the press. A niece clean example.
Minor marginal losses well clear of image, else fine condition. Matted and ready for framing.
(EXA 3897) $500
(Mexican War) Ferdinand Konrad BELLER (aka. BELLERMANN) (1814-1889) German painter best known for his landscapes of Venezuela between 1842 and 1845. Unusual and very fine content manuscript Document Signed twice “Conrad Bartholmaeus Ferdinand Bellermann” 5pp. 290 x 230 mm. Berlin, 5 July 1854, in German being a series of legal documents, including a power of attorney (Vollmacht) to counsel in the United States seeking an order to obtain information about his missing brother, Carl Martin. Martin had emigrated to the United States in 1847, purportedly to fight in the Mexican War, but had not been heard from since. The document empowers Alfred Schuecking in Washington as attorney (translated) “in order to obtain in our name from the high Government of the United States of America or any other concerned Authority, information as to the service and death of our unmarried brother… born at Erfurt, 7 Aug. 1825, emigrated in the year 1847 to New York… and in general to take possession of any of our brother’s accounts belonging to us…” The document includes a full physical description of Carl Martin as well as signatures and seals of various Prussian officials as well as the American Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to Prussia, Peter Dumont VROOM (1791 – 1873) who adds an Autograph Endorsement Signed “P.D. Vroom” the fifth page, Berlin, 7 July 1854, certifying the authenticity of “the signature of Mr: Hellwig, Counselor of the Department of Foreign Affairs, and the seal to be that of the Department of Foreign Affairs of His Majesty the King of Prussia…” Peter Dumont VROOM (1791-1873) was a New Jersey Democrat who served twice as Governor of New Jersey. Franklin Pierce appointed him minister to Prussia in 1853 and he remained in Berlin until 1857. An unusual association piece, of interest to collectors of diplomatic history and art history, chronicling a trying personal time for the artist.
Document loosely bound in string that is attached to the notary seal, usual folds, chipped at margins with minor tears, overall somewhat fragile and should be handled with extra care, overall very good condition.
(EXA 3585) $850
(Populism in Maine) A rare pamphlet entitled, “People’s Party of Maine. Portland, Me., Sept. 12, 1884.” [3pp.] 9 x 5 3/4 in. being a partly-printed circular letter for use in organizing local chapters of the People’s Party of Maine: “…Through the fault, chiefly, of certain of its leaders, the Greenback Party of Maine, has been disorganized and disrupted. Divided into two factions, each of which fritters away its energies in a struggle for supremacy over the other, neither is in a condition to fight a campaign. Many of Labor’s strongest supporters, will, in the coming contest, and because of this state of things, stand aloof from both factions, and the old prejudice against the part name will doubtless keep many more within the old parties. Therefore it is proposed: 1. To organize the state, as Massachusetts and many other states have been already organized, in to the People’s Party, favorable to the candidacy of Butler and West and voicing every demand of organized labor. 2. To make up an electoral ticket which shall include the names of unobjectionable candidates already nominated by the Greenback Party, and pronounced Labor men; and to aid in procuring the withdrawal of other electors nominated by the Greenback factions…” Signed in print at the bottom of the second page: “W. H. JEWETT, H.W. FLETCHER” and “W. L. SAWYER”.
It appears that the piece may have been a draft as the final paragraph on the second page deletes the words “secret and” in the phrase: “The demand of the hour is for such a party as this; the exigencies of the campaign require secret and speedy as well as earnest work…” The third page features a “CALL FOR CONVENTION” and a blank space for signatures and exhorts at bottom: “KNIGHTS OF LABOR, TRADES UNIONISTS, FARMERS, CITIZENS, RALLY TO THE SUPPORT OF YOUR CANDIDATES!”
This call to form a “People’s Party of Maine” is an interesting early use of the name and predates by six years the founding of the national “People’s Party”. This incarnation was an offshoot of the short-lived Anti-Monopoly Party which had nominated Benjamin F. Butler for President in May 1884. The Greenback Party, then in great decline, also nominated Butler together with Absolom M. West of Mississippi. These same political elements would coalesce to form the national populist or “People’s Party” at Cincinnati in 1891.
Extremely light toning at margins, else very fine condition.
(EXA 3848) $625
Edward SHIPPEN Jr. (1729-1806) Eldest son of Edward Shippen. Lawyer, judge and politician. Chief Justice of Pennsylvania but was impeached in 1804 in a politically motivated action. His third daughter Margaret Shippen was the second wife of Benedict Arnold.
A collection of five fine-content pieces (11 pages total) including two Autograph Documents (unsigned), 3pp. various sizes, Jan – Apr. 1758 together with six other manuscript documents in unknown hands, being notes on a civil action against Thomas Holliday, a justice of the peace in Lancaster County, brought by John Miller and tried before Shippen and fellow judge Robt. Thompson. Miller charged, as related in manuscript D.S. 2pp. 12 1/4 x 7 1/2 in., [n.p., n.d.] that Holliday “… heard & gave Judgm[en]t in a Matter in which Mr Whitehill had formerly given Judgm:t & that after Mr. Holliday had seen a Certificate of Mr. Whitehills Judg:t — That Mr: Holliday heard & Gave Judg:t in the Cause at a Tavern where he makes a practice of Trying causes — That Mr. Holliday gave Jdg:t that the Def:t should pay for the Gun (about which the dispute ws) altho’ the Gun had been a long time before return’d to the Pltiff. that Mr: Holliday gave Judgm:t for £1..1..0 Costs which was exorbitant That This is not the only Instance of Mr: Hollidays abusing his power & oppressing the people.” Shippen adds his own note at the bottom remarking, “At the Court I spoke to some of the Justices about the Matter & Mr. Whitehill… Neither did Mr: Whitehill Inform me at that time that he had given Judgment”.
The collection also includes portions of Shippen’s interrogatory, kept in another hand, 4pp. 12 1/4 x 7 1/2 in., with smaller sheet attached with a pin; an A.D.S. “Tho: Halliday”, signed twice, 1p. 12 1/4 x 7 1/2 in., Lancaster County, 10 Feb. 1758, being a pair of examinations, one signed with the mark of William Gay, the other “Abigail White”. Shippen’s own notes, take up three pages and are heavily edited and include a calculation of court costs amounting to £1-3-0. A fascinating collection worthy of further research and study.
Provenance: Parke-Bernet Galleries, New York, 25 November 1952, Lot 322 to the present owner.
Partial fold separations, some marginal wear as shown, minor toning else very good.
(EXA 2749) $650
William Howard TAFT (1857 – 1930) Fine content Autograph Letter Signed “Wm H. Taft” as President, 1p. 8 3/4 x 7 in. on White House letterhead, Washington, 26 June 1912 to “Dear Mr. Glaser” regretting his inability “… to be present at the Ratification Banquet on Saturday Evening next. It would be a great pleasure to rejoice with you and my many friends over the recent victory for constitutional government that was won at Chicago. I am very hopeful of the result in November, but whatever happens we have fought a good fight for the country’s sake already and have won.”
Only days before Taft wrote to Glaser, the Republican National Convention had nominated him to run for a second term as President. Taft’s victory in Chicago was marred by the defection of Theodore Roosevelt, who challenged Taft for the nomination. Roosevelt had come to the convention holding the majority of delegates chosen in the primaries, but Taft managed to secure most of the uncommitted delegates to secure the Republican nod. In protest, Roosevelt, bolted from the party to run as the independent “Bull Moose.” In the ensuing general election, Taft and Roosevelt split the Republican vote allowing Woodrow Wilson’s victory in November.
Taft was a champion of the Sixteenth Amendment which granted Congress the right to enact a federal income tax: hence his reference to a “Ratification Banquet”. Taft proposed the amendment on 16 June 1909 in an address to Congress in which he requested passage of a 2% federal income tax on corporations together with the amendment that would give it constitutional legitimacy. The amendment, which was characterized by its opponents as an attack on state’s rights, took nearly four years to pass. At the time of Taft’s writing, only 33 states had approved the amendment, and three were still needed to secure ratification. Ratification came on 3 February, 1913 when Delaware approved the measure.
Light soiling, usual folds, else very good condition.
(EXA 3868) SOLD.
