An 1812 broadside declaring war against Great Britain, $6,325.
Albumen Hessler image of Lincoln, $6,038.
LA JOLLA, CALIF. – Early American History Auctions, Inc. (EAHA) has announced the results of its December 8 mail-bid auction, consisting of 1,551 lots of autographs, coins, currency and Americana. The following prices realized include a 15 percent buyers premium.
In Colonial coinage, a 1652 Massachusetts “Pine Tree” shilling, large planchet, Noe 1, very choice toned uncirculated, realized $12,397, and a 1662 Massachusetts “Oak Tree” twopence, Noe 30, choice very fine-35, fetched $2,024. A 1783 Chalmers threepence, silver PCGS graded extremely fine-40, attained $8,280. A 1787 Nove Eborac copper, large head, PCGS graded very fine-20 made $3,715, and a 1787 Nova Eborac copper, seated figure facing left PCGS graded about uncirculated -50 brought $2,760.
Other coins and currency highlights included a Pennsylvania May 1, 1760, 5s, plate B, choice extremely fine, printed by Benjamin Franklin that came in at $1,380. In Continental currency, a complete “Thirteen Colony Colonial Currency set,” framed for display, brought $2,760. A complete 1777 Denomination set of five notes, blue paper, all choice crips uncirculated, sold for $1,042.
The Colonial currency section had many highlights. A 1766£1, “Savannah Court House” issue, choice crisp uncirculated remainder, realized $5,463; January 1, 1720 Banque Royale, Mille (1000) Livres, “John Law” French Colonies issue, gem about uncirculated, attained $2,875; a December 7, 1775, 8d, Paul Revere engraved “Sword in Hand” issue, very choice extremely fine, fetched $8,338; and a July 26, 1775 Maryland $1 1/ 3 “Allegorical Gunpowder” propaganda issue, choice extremely fine, brought $6,325. A February 8, 1779 South Carolina $60, “Lyre, Horns and Flags” vignette, choice crisp uncirculated, reached $2,185; a February 8, 1779 South Carolina $90, “Hercules Strangling a Lion” vignette, very choice crisp about uncirculated, made $1,610, as did a July 6, 1789, 6d, City of Charleston, “Beehive” vignette, choice crips about uncirculated. A February 1781, Vermont 120s, about very fine, reached $6,900.
An 1812 broadside declaring war against Great Britain sold for $6,325. A scribal copy of the 1652 deed of sale for Dartmouth, Mass., between Pilgrim leaders and Native Americans’ Wassamequin and Wamsutta, brought $5,750. Three contemporary copies of important 1842 documents related to Rhode Island’s state constitution, including the act to call a convention to form a new constitution, and the proclamation that the new constitution had been ratified and adopted, realized $8,050. Two holograph pages from abolitionist John Brown’s memorandum book, with accompanying provenance, fetched $2,875. An autograph letter signed by Richard Henry Lee as president of the Continental Congress made $2,703, and a document signed by Samuel Huntington as president of the Continental Congress, as well as by James Wilkinson and Joseph Nouse, sold for $2,860. A military commission signed by Andrew Johnson as president brought $2,128. A clipped signature of Abraham Lincoln, accompanied by an autograph letter signed by Robert Todd Lincoln, explaining that he had cut the signature from one of his father’s checks, and also mentioning the speech at Copper Union, realized $3,738. Other highlights included: an autograph letter signed by Buffalo Bill Cody ($2,070); and a group lot of 156 official inaugural programs from JFK’s 1961 inauguration ($4,600).
In Lincoln-related material, the first newspaper printing of the Gettysburg Address sold for $1,840. A known and recorded souvenir edition of the Ford’s Theatre playbill broadside for the evening of April 14, 1865 reached $4,600, and an early albumen Hessler photograph of Lincoln attained $6,038. An 1865 Lincoln and Johnson campaign ticket, with some post-assassination annotations, brought $1,380.
In the black history and slavery category, highlights included an 1863 Confederate slave sale broadside ($2,530); and 1801 warrant for the seizure of a slave ship ($3,450); a 1777 Quaker slave manumission ($1,265); a freedom bond for a slave ($1,150); and a collection of 27 Texas slave documents ($3,163).
In decorative arts, a large folio McKinney and Hall print of Seneca Indian chief “Red Jacket” wearing his large size, silver, oval 1792 Washington peace medal realized $3,300, and a Rembrandt print entitled “The White Negress” went for $4,025. A matched pair of stained glass windows, with images of George Washington and Benjamin Franklin, made $2,420.
Medals highlights included the Southern Exposition medal in bronze awarded to E. Remington & Sons for “Best Display of Guns,” choice uncirculated for $2,300.
United States Coinage highlights included a 1796 bust dime, Accugrade graded extremely fine-45, $2,875; a 1918-D standing Liberty quarter dollar, PCGS graded MS-64 FH, $1,484; and an 1800 capped bust $10 gold, Accugrade, graded very fine-35, $3,163.
Other miscellaneous highlights were a 3¢, “G.G. Evans” California Wines, Philadelphia, choice extremely fine+, rarity-7, that sold for $2,588; a circa 1860s new model Remington army revolver, that brought fine $4,600; and a 1591 antique map entitled “Floridiae Americae Provinviae Recens & Exactissima Descriptio,” by Jacques Le Moyne de Morgues that sold for $2,070.
