Next up is an item Shapero describes as “one of the most magnificent illustrated books of the eighteenth century.” It is made magnificent by the explosiveness, quite literally, of its subject matter. Item 22 is Campi Phlegraei, by Sir William Hamilton, published in 1776-1779. Campi Phlegraei is an area west of Naples noted for its volcanic activity. Much of it is underwater or islands, but such notable places as Mount Etna and Vesuvius are in the vicinity. Hamilton undertook a serious study of volcanoes, including 22 trips up Mount Vesuvius at a time when it was hard to predict when major eruptions would occur. He wanted to record what was going on up there. Hamilton commissioned Pietro Fabris to create the lavish illustrations accompanying his text. £100,000 (US $161,152).
Freeman’s, August 20. President Washington Reaffirms the US Treaty of Friendship and Peace with Morocco, the Longest Unbroken Treaty in US History. $50,000 – 80,000.
Freeman’s, August 20. Weeks After Victory at Yorktown, Benjamin Franklin Promises Repayment of a French Loan that Funded the American Revolution. $200,000 – 300,000.
Freeman’s, August 20. Rare First Edition of the Foundational Text of the Mormon Church. $100,000 – 150,000.
Freeman’s, August 20. President Washington Sends the First Major Law Passed by Congress, the Tariff Act of 1789. $100,000 – 150,000.
Freeman’s, August 20. A Scarce Example of Audubon's Depiction of a Brown Pelican, Plate CCLI from his Birds of America. $30,000 – 50,000.
Freeman’s, August 20. The Official and First Obtainable Broadside Printing of the Lincoln's Final Emancipation Proclamation. $30,000 – 50,000.
