PHILADELPHIA — Freeman’s September 23 auction of books and manuscripts, a 140-lot sale, achieved a 95 percent sell-through rate, underscoring the firm’s strength in presenting material across a wide range of disciplines and time periods. The auction saw strong results for documents of American history from the Revolutionary War to the 1960s counterculture. “American history is in our wheelhouse, and this sale was further evidence of that,” said Darren Winston, head of the books and manuscripts department. “We had some very strong results and happy consignors — ultimately, great material sells itself.”

Eighteenth Century American material shone in the form of an atlas of America. Shown here, it sparked a lively bidding war among buyers and achieved an above-estimate $69,300. A rare New Haven printing of the first acts of the first congress of the United States, printed circa 1789, sold for $22,680, and Printed Privateers Bond Form, a rare printing from Benjamin Franklin’s official printing press in Passy, France, achieved $11,970, more than doubling its high estimate. A further review of the sale will follow.