Rare Book Monthly

Book Catalogue Reviews - August - 2012 Issue

The Founding of America from Seth Kaller Historic Documents

Early American documents from Seth Kaller.

Early American documents from Seth Kaller.

Seth Kaller, Inc., Historic Documents & Legacy Collections has issued a catalogue entitled Washington, the Revolution, and the Founding. For Kaller, original documents provide a means “to see the unfolding of America's destiny.” Here, the focus is on the early days of the nation, ranging from the uneasy decade before the colonists decided reconciliation with the British was hopeless and rebelled, through the administration of America's first president and revolutionary leader, George Washington. Indeed, these are the days when America was created and chose the path along which it would rise, and occasionally stumble, as a nation. Here are a few of these seminal documents being offered.

Before George Washington was President, before he was a general, or the father of his country, he was a land surveyor. He trained for the profession at the age of 15, and soon thereafter, he was off to the sticks to begin surveying uninhabited frontier land in Virginia. Washington became connected with the wealthy Fairfax family through his half-brother, Lawrence, which led to an appointment as an official surveyor for Culpeper County, now in West Virginia. It was hard work under difficult, sometimes dangerous conditions, but it also was a well-paying job, and helped to raise the social standing of the ambitious young man who would find himself in the military a few years later. Offered is one of those early surveys Washington made on the frontier. It is dated November 4, 1749, when Washington was 17 years old. It covers 412 acres of land owned by Ann Dunbarr. It contains Washington's signature, generally recognizable though not quite yet matured. Priced at $78,000.

The American Revolution may not yet have been officially declared, but the fighting began in 1775 when the British made their run at Lexington and Concord. The purpose was to capture weapons held by local militias, to prevent their being used against the British. However, unexpected confrontations broke out, dozens on each side were killed, and after reaching their destination, the British were forced back to Boston, American militiamen shooting at them as they fled. Offered is a contemporary account published in the Connecticut Courant and Hartford Weekly Intelligencer. Dated May 8, 1775, less than three weeks after the battle, the account proclaims the British demand shortly before the battle began: “Disperse you damn'd rebels – damn you disperse!” They didn't, someone fired a shot, and the Revolution was on. The article also describes the “express riders” who brought the warning, something of an American legend but here described in a contemporary account. It also lists those killed at Lexington, the first to die in the American Revolution. $8,500.

Despite the fighting at Lexington and Concord, the American colonists would not declare their independence until over a year later, when, as we all know, on July 2, 1776, the Continental Congress made its declaration. July 2? Yes, that isn't a typo. Independence was declared on July 2, but it took two more days for the official document to be drawn up. The June 1776 issue of The Pennsylvania Magazine records this momentous event, though only in the briefest words. Only a small amount of space was available, but that was because the new issue should have already been printed. However, a shortage of paper required a few days delay, leaving just enough time for the announcement: “July 2. This day the Hon. Continental Congress declared the UNITED COLONIES FREE AND INDEPENDENT STATES.” Elsewhere in the issue is the text of Pennsylvania's resolution calling for a declaration of independence. $8,000.

Here is a most upbeat letter from Major John André back home to Mom in England. André was serving with the British in America during the Revolution. On September 1, 1780, he writes, “Good fortune still follows me...I am full of gratitude towards the General for so much Kindness and impress'd with the greatest Zeal to deserve it, but can hardly look back at the steep progress I have made without being giddy.” He notes that his mother's pleasure in hearing of his rise in the military is undoubtedly as great as his own. Unfortunately for Major André, that good luck was about to run out. A few weeks later, he traveled by boat from New York to West Point to meet with the turncoat (still unknown to Americans), Benedict Arnold, but his transportation departed ahead of him when spied by American forces. He tried to escape to New York by land but was captured. When the capturing soldiers realized his mission, André was tried as a spy. The British argued that he was a prisoner of war, but not even Washington was buying that argument. As a prisoner of war, he would have been held until the war concluded, but a spy could be hanged. Just a month after this letter was written, that would be André's fate, though his contact, Benedict Arnold, would manage a successful escape. $39,500.

Rare Book Monthly

  • One of a Kind Auctions
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    One of a Kind Auctions, May 29: George Washington Three Language Ship's Paper West Indies Trade Voyage.
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    One of a Kind Auctions, May 29: Abraham Lincoln Appointment for Vice-Consul of Russia.
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    Ending May 29th, 2025
    One of a Kind Auctions, May 29: John Adams Signed Mediterranean Scalloped Top ship's passport.
    One of a Kind Auctions, May 29: Thomas Jefferson and James Madison Signed Ships Paper.
    One of a Kind Auctions, May 29: Herman Melville RARE -ALS (Moby Dick Author).
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    One of a Kind Auctions, May 29: Apollo 10: Flown Flag and Patch Display with Crew-Signed Covers from the Collection of NASA Engineer Clark C. McClelland.
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    One of a Kind Auctions, May 29: Walt Disney Autograph over 7 inches in Length.
  • Forum Auctions
    Fine Books, Manuscripts and Works on Paper
    29th May 2025
    Forum, May 29: Darwin (Charles). On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection, first edition, John Murray, 1859. £50,000 to £70,000.
    Forum, May 29: Astronomy.- Apianus (Petrus). Cosmographicus Liber a Petro Apiano Mathematico Studiose Collectus., first edition, Landshut, 1524. £40,000 to £60,000.
    Forum, May 29: Bound for Jean Grolier.- Negri Stefano. Stephani Nigri Elegantissime è Graeco authorum subditorum translationes, uidelicet., first edition, first issue, Milan, 1521. £15,000 to £20,000.
    Forum, May 29: Gill (Eric). Eve, number 1 of 50, hand-coloured wood-engraving, signed at foot in pencil, [1926]. £6,000 to £8,000.
    Forum Auctions
    Fine Books, Manuscripts and Works on Paper
    29th May 2025
    Forum, May 29: America.- Warre (Capt. Henry James). Sketches in North America and the Oregon Territory, first edition, Dickinson & Co., 1848. £25,000 to £35,000.
    Forum, May 29: Wodehouse (P.G.) Psmith USA, autograph manuscript of his novel "Psmith Journalist", signed and dated at end and dated "11 November 1909, Hotel Earle, 103 Waverley Place". £15,000 to £20,000.
    Forum, May 29: Women.- Wollstonecraft (Mary). A Vindication of the Rights of Woman: with Strictures on Political and Moral Subjects, first edition, uncut in original boards, 1792. £6,000 to £8,000.
    Forum, May 29: Mathematics.- Whitehead (Alfred North) and Bertrand Russell. Principia Mathematica, 3 vol., first editions, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 1910-13. £20,000 to £30,000.
  • Ketterer Rare Books
    Auction May 26th
    Ketterer, May 26: Th. McKenney & J. Hall, History of the Indian tribes of North America, 1836-1844. Est: €50,000
    Ketterer, May 26: Biblia latina vulgata, manuscript on thin parchment, around 1250. Est: €70,000
    Ketterer, May 26: M. Beckmann, Fanferlieschen Schönefüßchen, 1924. Est: €10,000
    Ketterer Rare Books
    Auction May 26th
    Ketterer, May 26: A. Ortelius, Theatrum orbis terrarum, 1574. Est: €50,000
    Ketterer, May 26: M. S. Merian, Eurcarum ortus, alimentum et paradoxa metamorphosis, 1717-18. Est: €6,000
    Ketterer, May 26: PAN, 9 volumes, 1895-1900. Est: €12,000
    Ketterer Rare Books
    Auction May 26th
    Ketterer, May 26: Breviarium Romanum, Latin manuscript, 1474. Est: €15,000
    Ketterer, May 26: Quran manuscript from the Saadian period, Maghreb, 16th century. Est: €10,000
    Ketterer, May 26: E. Hemingway, The old man and the sea, 1952. First edition in first issue jacket. Presentation copy. Est: €3,000
    Ketterer Rare Books
    Auction May 26th
    Ketterer, May 26: Flavius Vegetius Renatus, De re militari libri quatuor, 1553. Est: €3,000
    Ketterer, May 26: K. Marx, Das Kapital, 1867. Est: €30,000
    Ketterer, May 26: Brassaï, Transmutations, 1967. Est: €6,000
  • Doyle
    The Collection of Mary Tyler Moore
    June 4, 2025
    DOYLE: Peter Max, Portrait of Mary Tyler Moore (Versions 1,2, 5, 6), 2001. Estimate $10,000-15,000
    DOYLE: The iconic screen-used wall-mounted "M" from The Mary Tyler Moore Show. Estimate $5,000-8,000
    DOYLE: The Mary Tyler Moore Show by Al Hirschfeld. Estimate $4,000-6,000
    Doyle
    The Collection of Mary Tyler Moore
    June 4, 2025
    DOYLE: Annie Leibovitz presents Mary Tyler Moore and Dick Van Dyke for Vanity Fair. Estimate $4,000-6,000
    DOYLE: Al Hirschfeld presents Mary Tyler Moore and Dick Van Dyke in the CBS Wednesday Night Lineup. Estimate $4,000-6,000
    DOYLE: Richard McKenzie, Portrait of Mary Tyler Moore. Estimate $1,000-2,000
    Doyle
    The Collection of Mary Tyler Moore
    June 4, 2025
    DOYLE: Three Original Bill Hargate Costume Designs for The Mary Tyler Moore Hour. Estimate $600-800
    DOYLE: The famous Bonnie and Clyde "Wanted" broadside. Estimate $500-800
    DOYLE: Ticket to the Final Episode of the Mary Tyler Moore Show Estimate $400-600
  • Sotheby's
    Sell Your Fine Books & Manuscripts
    Sotheby’s: The Shem Tov Bible, 1312 | A Masterpiece from the Golden Age of Spain. Sold: 6,960,000 USD
    Sotheby’s: Ten Commandments Tablet, 300-800 CE | One of humanity's earliest and most enduring moral codes. Sold: 5,040,000 USD
    Sotheby’s: William Blake | Songs of Innocence and of Experience. Sold: 4,320,000 USD
    Sotheby’s: The Declaration of Independence | The Holt printing, the only copy in private hands. Sold: 3,360,000 USD
    Sotheby's
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    Sotheby’s: Thomas Taylor | The original cover art for Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. Sold: 1,920,000 USD
    Sotheby’s: Machiavelli | Il Principe, a previously unrecorded copy of the book where modern political thought began. Sold: 576,000 GBP
    Sotheby’s: Leonardo da Vinci | Trattato della pittura, ca. 1639, a very fine pre-publication manuscript. Sold: 381,000 GBP
    Sotheby’s: Henri Matisse | Jazz, Paris 1947, the complete portfolio. Sold: 312,000 EUR

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