Connecticut River Book Auction
April 14 at 6 pm
949 Main Street in South Glastonbury, CT 06073
www.ctriverbookauction.com
1-860-908-8067

SOUTH GLASTONBURY, CONN. — The Friday, April 14, Connecticut River Book Auction will greet attendees with a multitude of signed material, with one of the more interesting items being a Civil War letter from Red Cross founder Clara Barton.

Born on Christmas Day, 1821, in North Oxford, Mass., Barton was an outstanding student, particularly excelling at reading and spelling. When she was a young girl, her brother David sustained a serious accident while working on a barn.

She insisted on nursing him back to health and then realized that her calling in life was to help others. She dedicated her long life (90 years) to this purpose, eventually founding the International Red Cross in 1881. Prior to that momentous founding, however, Barton distinguished herself as the “Angel of the Battlefield” during the Civil War. The letter to be auctioned April 14 demonstrates that nickname well.

This letter is undoubtedly addressed to the man who became her assistant and was later in charge of the Clara Barton Ambulance Corps in the early 1900s: Roscoe Wells. In the letter, Barton references recovering from ill health and is back to work. She mentions unpacking boxes of shirts, which she had received from Worcester, likely as a result of advertisements she had placed in Massachusetts newspapers requesting items such as shirts to be sent to her for distribution to the soldiers. Then she mentions how she had been taking care of men from the Connecticut 11th.

The letter goes on to discuss getting ready to go to Sharpsburg and then references being informed of the death of her “Sabbath School Superintendent” from her hometown. She also notes the generosity of a ship’s captain in helping to transport her to and from the battlefield, generosity that was typically given to her by many officers in recognition of the tremendous respect that she enjoyed.

Finally, she mentions spending time recently with a brave brigadier general named Cowdin from the 1st Massachusetts and notes his recent promotion despite being “a bitter foe” of the Massachusetts governor.

Add to this volumes signed by Benjamin Netanyahu, Madeleine Albright, Harry Belafonte and Henry Kissinger and the sale promises to be another enjoyable evening.

The auction begins at 6 pm, Friday, April 14 at the South Congregational Church, 949 Main Street. For information, 860-908-8067 or www.ctriverbookauction.com.

The Robins are back. Days are longer and the weather begs for young and old alike to get out and about. What can be more fun than spending an early evening at an auction viewing and bidding on books and ephemera. Here’s a sampling of what’s for sale.
In the category of 1st edition fiction there is Twain’s (1897) “Following the Equator,” Verne’s (1873) “The Tour of the World in Eighty Days,” MacDonald’s (1972) “The Long Lavender Look A Travis McGee Mystery,” and (1958) “The Doomsters,” McBain’s (1968) “Fuzz,” Wolfe’s(1940)YouCan’tGoHomeAgain,”Burke’s(1987) “The Neon Rain,” and Shute’s (1957) “On the Beach.”
Interested in signed 1st edition fiction then consider Ondaatje’s (1992) “The English Patient,” Conroy’s (1986) “The Prince of Tides,” Gunter Grass’ (1978)
“The Flounder,” Kavanagh’s (1969) “Such Men Are Dangerous,” and Doctorow’s (1989) “Billy Bathgate,”
If you are a reader of history, then these titles may be of interest: (1928) Grand Army of the Republic “28th Anniversary Buckingham Post No. 12 G.A.R. Norwalk, Connecticut,” Miles’ (1845) “Lowell As It Was and As It Is,” Darlinton’s (1892) “Fort Pitt and Letters from the Frontier,” Howe’s (1848) “Historical Collections of Ohio,” Alter’s (1925) “James Bridger Trapper, Frontiersman, Scout and Guide,” and Cotton Mather’s (1820)“MagnaliaChristiAmericanaorTheHistoryof New England from its First Planting in the Year 1620 Unto the Year of Our Lord 1693,”
Are you a fan of Winston Churchill? Here are several 1st edition works for sale by this remarkable individual: (1906) “Lord Randolph Churchill,” (1938) “Arms and the Covenant Speeches by the Right Hon. Winston S. Churchill,” (1939) “Step by Step 1936 – 1939,” in 8 volumes (1941-1950) “War Speeches by Right Hon.
Winston S. Churchill,” and in 6 volumes (1948-1954) “The Second World War.” Each of the aforementioned volumes are the UK edition.
There will be signed books and letters by Clara Barton, Benjamin Netanyahu, Madeleine Albright, Harry Belafonte, Henry Kissinger and others. Finally, although ex library copies the following 2 volumes are so scarce that they deserve the attention of art enthusiasts” by Gustav Klimt (1946) “Gustav Klimt Eine Nachlese.” one of 270 copies and Falke (1914) “Die Majolikasammlung Alfred Pringsheim in Munchen 153Tafeln MIT 328 Farbenbildern Nach Vorlagen Von Annette v. Eckrdt,” one of 200 copies.
For more information on this
6 pm, Friday, April 14th book auction
to be held at the South Congregational Church, 949 Main Street, South Glastonbury, CT 06073 visit ctriverbookauction.com
or callTom at 1-860-908-8067.