{"title":"Declaration and Signers","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe Declaration of Independence section of Archive Authority offers a specialized collection of original documents, rare printed materials, engravings, historical ephemera, autographs, and artifacts connected to the creation, publication, signers, and legacy of the Declaration of Independence. The selection may include materials associated with the Founding Fathers, Revolutionary War figures, early American government, and scarce editions or reproductions of the Declaration itself. These historically significant items provide collectors and researchers with tangible links to the birth of the United States and the principles of liberty and self-government that emerged from the American Revolution, making them prized additions to advanced collections of Americana and early American history.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"1976-ltd-ed-reproduction-of-1819-binns-copy-of-declaration-of-independence","title":"1976 Ltd Ed. reproduction of 1819 Binns copy of Declaration of Independence","description":"\u003cdiv\u003eMeasurement: 20 3\/4 x 30 1\/2\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003eLimited edition\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003eHandmade paper with deckled edges\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis decorative copy of the Declaration of Independence measures approximately 21\" x 31\" framed and was published 1819 - ?. Engraved by William Woodruff and published by O. Rogers of Philadelphia, PA, it features the title in ornamental script and text in a uniform round hand within an ornamental border bearing the state seals in medallions and portraits of Washington, Jefferson and Adams. The complete text of the Declaration of Independence is featured within the border as is facsimile signatures of the Declaration's signers.\u003cbr\u003eThis copy is a close imitation of the John Binns copy which, according to Binns, was stolen by Woodruff while he was employed in the shop of George Murray the man hired by Binns to carry out the ornamental part of the engraving. Binns sued Woodruff in a federal court however the court decided that the case was outside its jurisdiction. Woodruff then went ahead and published his print before Binns.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis copy is printed from the original plate with signatures engraved in facsimile and includes Woodruff's imprint as well as the printer's credit \"Phila. Published by O. Rogers, No 67 South 2nd St. Philad.\" At the bottom of the document it reads \"To the People of the United States this engraving of the Declaration of Independence is most respectfully inscribed by their fellow citizen Wm. Woodruff\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Princeton Audubon Prints","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51268676354330,"sku":"EB-326692648011","price":425.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2221\/0931\/files\/57_2c038c01-6fed-45b1-93fc-6fb86bca740a.jpg?v=1761934381"},{"product_id":"thomas-mckean-autograph-letter-signed-circa-1780-last-signer-of-declaration","title":"Thomas McKean Autograph Letter Signed circa 1780, Last Signer Of Declaration","description":"\u003cp\u003eMcKean, Thomas (Signer of Declaration of Independence) Autograph letter, to his attorney Mr. Oliver. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eMeasures 6 x 9 inches  on folded paper.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eHe requests a codicil to his will concerning his son Thomas. “He has trifled and does not pay the money he is bound to pay me.”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eLawyer-jurist Thomas McKean stands out from the other signers in a variety of ways. He was the last to pen his signature to the Declaration, sometime after January 18, 1777. He figured prominently in two states, Delaware and Pennsylvania. He also subscribed to the Articles of Confederation, and he served a long tour in Congress.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Princeton Audubon Prints","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51450240663834,"sku":"EB-326909405035","price":1950.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2221\/0931\/files\/57_d9288388-5680-42bf-a37d-6a6a6ccd26e8.jpg?v=1765549920"},{"product_id":"rare-1926-portfolio-declaration-constitution-washington-farewell-address","title":"Rare 1926 Portfolio; Declaration, Constitution, Washington Farewell Address.","description":"\u003cp\u003eRare 1926 large portfolio measuring 19 x 25 inches containing important historical documents such as the Declaration of Independence, Constitution, and Washington's Farewell Address. This collectible item would be highly sought after by historians, collectors, and enthusiasts of American heritage and political history. With its unique and valuable content, this portfolio offers a glimpse into the past and would make a valuable addition to any collection of antiquarian and collectible items.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eConsists of facsimiles of these three documents as they appeared in a Philadelphia newspaper.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Princeton Audubon Prints","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51548915138842,"sku":"EB-326934772980","price":4200.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2221\/0931\/files\/57_2bf6614e-ab98-4add-9d73-c3bd27eb2688.jpg?v=1767872310"},{"product_id":"1819-john-binns-declaration-of-independence-engraving-early-pull-printed-by-james-porter","title":"1819 John Binns Declaration of Independence Engraving. Early Pull, Printed by James Porter","description":"\u003ch1 data-section-id=\"1jgd8k3\" data-start=\"0\" data-end=\"130\"\u003e1819 John Binns Declaration of Independence Engraving | Early Pull | Printed by James Porter\u003c\/h1\u003e\n\u003ch2 data-section-id=\"rmw5tv\" data-start=\"132\" data-end=\"146\"\u003eDescription\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"148\" data-end=\"377\"\u003eOffered here is an exceptionally desirable early engraved facsimile of the \u003cspan class=\"hover:entity-accent entity-underline inline cursor-pointer align-baseline\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"whitespace-normal\"\u003eBinns Declaration of Independence\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e, one of the most celebrated and visually dramatic nineteenth-century presentations of the Declaration ever produced.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"379\" data-end=\"700\"\u003ePublished in Philadelphia in 1819 by \u003cspan class=\"hover:entity-accent entity-underline inline cursor-pointer align-baseline\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"whitespace-normal\"\u003eJohn Binns\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e and printed by James Porter, this monumental engraving was created during the post–War of 1812 wave of American nationalism and is regarded as the most ornate and artistic of the early Declaration facsimiles. \u003cspan class=\"\" data-state=\"closed\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"702\" data-end=\"857\"\u003eThis example is an original 1819 issue or an exceptionally early pull from the original plate, not a later Centennial lithographic reproduction.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"859\" data-end=\"882\"\u003eThe engraving features:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul data-start=\"883\" data-end=\"1180\"\u003e\n\u003cli data-section-id=\"kdugxh\" data-start=\"883\" data-end=\"926\"\u003eCentral facsimile text of the Declaration\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-section-id=\"8b5sqz\" data-start=\"927\" data-end=\"964\"\u003eFacsimile signatures of the signers\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-section-id=\"tehda6\" data-start=\"965\" data-end=\"1050\"\u003ePortrait medallions of:\n\u003cul data-start=\"993\" data-end=\"1050\"\u003e\n\u003cli data-section-id=\"k9v359\" data-start=\"993\" data-end=\"1012\"\u003eGeorge Washington\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-section-id=\"1wqfyum\" data-start=\"1015\" data-end=\"1033\"\u003eThomas Jefferson\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-section-id=\"6lozyg\" data-start=\"1036\" data-end=\"1050\"\u003eJohn Hancock\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-section-id=\"zc5dnu\" data-start=\"1051\" data-end=\"1114\"\u003eOval arrangement of the seals of the original thirteen states\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"1182\" data-end=\"1228\"\u003eThe lower imprint line includes the important:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cblockquote data-start=\"1229\" data-end=\"1256\"\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"1231\" data-end=\"1256\"\u003e“Printed by James Porter”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"1258\" data-end=\"1349\"\u003ewhich is associated with authentic early impressions. \u003cspan class=\"\" data-state=\"closed\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr data-start=\"1351\" data-end=\"1354\"\u003e\n\u003ch2 data-section-id=\"1353kst\" data-start=\"1356\" data-end=\"1380\"\u003eHistorical Importance\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"1382\" data-end=\"1554\"\u003eThe Binns Declaration was begun in 1816 and completed in 1819 after years of expensive engraving work involving several prominent American artists and engravers, including:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul data-start=\"1555\" data-end=\"1609\"\u003e\n\u003cli data-section-id=\"l7spzp\" data-start=\"1555\" data-end=\"1570\"\u003eGeorge Murray\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-section-id=\"z1pvc3\" data-start=\"1571\" data-end=\"1594\"\u003eJames Barton Longacre\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-section-id=\"1yh90gr\" data-start=\"1595\" data-end=\"1609\"\u003eThomas Sully\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"1611\" data-end=\"1740\"\u003eBinns reportedly spent nearly $9,000 producing the engraving — an enormous sum at the time. \u003cspan class=\"\" data-state=\"closed\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"1742\" data-end=\"1919\"\u003eThe National Archives describes it as one of the three major early engraved Declaration facsimiles, alongside the Tyler and Stone versions. \u003cspan class=\"\" data-state=\"closed\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"1921\" data-end=\"2021\"\u003eEstimated surviving originals number only around 100 examples. \u003cspan class=\"\" data-state=\"closed\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr data-start=\"2023\" data-end=\"2026\"\u003e\n\u003ch2 data-section-id=\"9t1kq8\" data-start=\"2028\" data-end=\"2047\"\u003eApproximate Size\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"2049\" data-end=\"2063\"\u003eApproximately:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul data-start=\"2064\" data-end=\"2137\"\u003e\n\u003cli data-section-id=\"diz97b\" data-start=\"2064\" data-end=\"2137\"\u003e25 7\/8 x 36 1\/8 inches overall (visible sheet appears close to original format)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"2139\" data-end=\"2187\"\u003eOriginal Library of Congress catalog dimensions:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul data-start=\"2188\" data-end=\"2241\"\u003e\n\u003cli data-section-id=\"9s6zp9\" data-start=\"2188\" data-end=\"2241\"\u003e91.8 x 68 cm. \u003cspan class=\"\" data-state=\"closed\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003chr data-start=\"2243\" data-end=\"2246\"\u003e\n\u003ch2 data-section-id=\"hrykuu\" data-start=\"2248\" data-end=\"2260\"\u003eCondition\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"2262\" data-end=\"2303\"\u003ePlease examine all photographs carefully.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"2305\" data-end=\"2388\"\u003eCondition is consistent with a genuine early nineteenth-century engraved broadside:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul data-start=\"2389\" data-end=\"2547\"\u003e\n\u003cli data-section-id=\"17ug87f\" data-start=\"2389\" data-end=\"2412\"\u003eage toning throughout\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-section-id=\"2czad0\" data-start=\"2413\" data-end=\"2435\"\u003eedge wear and losses\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-section-id=\"uiq5xv\" data-start=\"2436\" data-end=\"2457\"\u003estaining and foxing\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-section-id=\"ruwvzz\" data-start=\"2458\" data-end=\"2481\"\u003elower right area loss\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-section-id=\"14fehb0\" data-start=\"2482\" data-end=\"2496\"\u003esurface wear\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-section-id=\"1v4o1dj\" data-start=\"2497\" data-end=\"2515\"\u003ehandling creases\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-section-id=\"19ljtkd\" data-start=\"2516\" data-end=\"2547\"\u003ewaviness from age and storage\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"2549\" data-end=\"2648\"\u003eDespite condition issues, the engraving retains excellent visual presence and displays beautifully.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"2650\" data-end=\"2777\"\u003eThis is an increasingly scarce American historical display piece seldom encountered on the market in any state of preservation.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr data-start=\"2779\" data-end=\"2782\"\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"3479\" data-end=\"3531\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 data-section-id=\"icfs9j\" data-start=\"3538\" data-end=\"3549\"\u003eShipping\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"3551\" data-end=\"3609\"\u003eWill be shipped flat with extreme care and full insurance.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"3611\" data-end=\"3645\"\u003eLocal pickup may also be arranged.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Signature Documents LLC","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52243856523546,"sku":null,"price":17500.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2221\/0931\/files\/DecBinns_260c921d-48e4-4b04-a5f7-19de2a7f7ac5.jpg?v=1779146788"},{"product_id":"1833-humphry-phelps-declaration-of-independence-original-hand-colored-engraving","title":"1833 Humphry Phelps Declaration of Independence | Original Hand-Colored Engraving","description":"\u003ch2 data-section-id=\"rmw5tv\" data-start=\"121\" data-end=\"135\"\u003eDescription\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"137\" data-end=\"381\"\u003eOffered here is a rare original 1833 engraved and hand-colored “Humphry Phelps” Declaration of Independence, among the most visually striking and historically important nineteenth-century decorative presentations of America’s founding document.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"383\" data-end=\"651\"\u003ePublished in New York by \u003cspan class=\"hover:entity-accent entity-underline inline cursor-pointer align-baseline\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"whitespace-normal\"\u003eHumphry Phelps\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e in 1833, this monumental engraving combines the full text of the Declaration with elaborate patriotic ornamentation, state medallions, allegorical imagery, and facsimile signatures of the Founding Fathers.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"653\" data-end=\"843\"\u003eUnlike later Centennial reproductions commonly encountered on the market, this example appears consistent with an authentic early nineteenth-century engraved issue with period hand-coloring.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr data-start=\"845\" data-end=\"848\"\u003e\n\u003ch2 data-section-id=\"7gs9od\" data-start=\"850\" data-end=\"869\"\u003eNotable Features\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"871\" data-end=\"915\"\u003eThis highly decorative composition includes:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul data-start=\"916\" data-end=\"1234\"\u003e\n\u003cli data-section-id=\"1srr8x7\" data-start=\"916\" data-end=\"963\"\u003eLarge portrait medallion of George Washington\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-section-id=\"36kp8l\" data-start=\"964\" data-end=\"1004\"\u003eFull facsimile text of the Declaration\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-section-id=\"7u4aol\" data-start=\"1005\" data-end=\"1050\"\u003eFacsimile signatures including John Hancock\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-section-id=\"171m7yo\" data-start=\"1051\" data-end=\"1094\"\u003eOrnamental borders and patriotic trophies\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-section-id=\"1eo8v52\" data-start=\"1095\" data-end=\"1140\"\u003eMedallions representing the original states\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-section-id=\"15h4wld\" data-start=\"1141\" data-end=\"1191\"\u003eRevolutionary-era imagery and allegorical scenes\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-section-id=\"uh7xrm\" data-start=\"1192\" data-end=\"1234\"\u003eOriginal period hand-coloring throughout\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"1236\" data-end=\"1292\"\u003eThe visual impact is exceptional and highly displayable.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr data-start=\"1294\" data-end=\"1297\"\u003e\n\u003ch2 data-section-id=\"1353kst\" data-start=\"1299\" data-end=\"1323\"\u003eHistorical Importance\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"1325\" data-end=\"1516\"\u003eThe \u003cspan class=\"hover:entity-accent entity-underline inline cursor-pointer align-baseline\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"whitespace-normal\"\u003eHumphry Phelps Declaration of Independence\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e was issued during the great early-American revival of interest in Revolutionary history and followed earlier landmark Declaration engravings such as:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul data-start=\"1517\" data-end=\"1596\"\u003e\n\u003cli data-section-id=\"wlg39x\" data-start=\"1517\" data-end=\"1556\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"hover:entity-accent entity-underline inline cursor-pointer align-baseline\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"whitespace-normal\"\u003eBinns Declaration of Independence\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-section-id=\"1etlrsl\" data-start=\"1557\" data-end=\"1596\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"hover:entity-accent entity-underline inline cursor-pointer align-baseline\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"whitespace-normal\"\u003eStone Declaration\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"1598\" data-end=\"1720\"\u003ePhelps’ version became one of the most ornate and recognizable decorative Declaration printings of the nineteenth century.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"1722\" data-end=\"1870\"\u003eIts bold typography, rich color, and highly decorative presentation made it especially popular for public buildings, schools, and patriotic display.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"1872\" data-end=\"1934\"\u003eAuthentic early examples are increasingly difficult to locate.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr data-start=\"1936\" data-end=\"1939\"\u003e\n\u003ch2 data-section-id=\"9t1kq8\" data-start=\"1941\" data-end=\"1960\"\u003eApproximate Size\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"1962\" data-end=\"1981\"\u003eLarge folio format.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"1983\" data-end=\"1997\"\u003eApproximately:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul data-start=\"1998\" data-end=\"2079\"\u003e\n\u003cli data-section-id=\"1d0nlpi\" data-start=\"1998\" data-end=\"2079\"\u003e21 3\/4 x 28 1\/3 inches\u003cbr\u003e(please rely on photographs for exact proportions)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003chr data-start=\"2081\" data-end=\"2084\"\u003e\n\u003ch2 data-section-id=\"hrykuu\" data-start=\"2086\" data-end=\"2098\"\u003eCondition\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"2100\" data-end=\"2183\"\u003eCondition is consistent with a genuine early nineteenth-century engraved broadside:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul data-start=\"2184\" data-end=\"2381\"\u003e\n\u003cli data-section-id=\"7ngcy9\" data-start=\"2184\" data-end=\"2204\"\u003eoverall age toning\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-section-id=\"12wsjlg\" data-start=\"2205\" data-end=\"2236\"\u003escattered foxing and staining\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-section-id=\"1o5xfca\" data-start=\"2237\" data-end=\"2248\"\u003eedge wear\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-section-id=\"pkuwlo\" data-start=\"2249\" data-end=\"2278\"\u003ecreasing and handling marks\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-section-id=\"nrc8aa\" data-start=\"2279\" data-end=\"2309\"\u003esmall losses and separations\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-section-id=\"1wjwj4j\" data-start=\"2310\" data-end=\"2349\"\u003emounting\/framing remnants at top edge\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-section-id=\"19ljtkd\" data-start=\"2350\" data-end=\"2381\"\u003ewaviness from age and storage\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"2383\" data-end=\"2454\"\u003eThe piece nevertheless retains outstanding eye appeal and strong color.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"2456\" data-end=\"2528\"\u003ePlease review all images carefully as they form part of the description.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr data-start=\"2530\" data-end=\"2533\"\u003e\n\u003ch2 data-section-id=\"i7z5jz\" data-start=\"2535\" data-end=\"2556\"\u003eAuthenticity Notes\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"2558\" data-end=\"2780\"\u003eBased on visible engraving characteristics, typography, layout, and aging patterns, this example appears consistent with an original 1833 or early-period impression rather than a later lithographic Centennial reproduction.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"2782\" data-end=\"2893\"\u003eNo absolute guarantee is made regarding precise state or dating; buyers should perform their own due diligence.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr data-start=\"2895\" data-end=\"2898\"\u003e\n\u003ch2 data-section-id=\"1h4fgz3\" data-start=\"2900\" data-end=\"2919\"\u003eCollector Appeal\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"2921\" data-end=\"2966\"\u003eAn outstanding acquisition for collectors of:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul data-start=\"2967\" data-end=\"3148\"\u003e\n\u003cli data-section-id=\"14swr07\" data-start=\"2967\" data-end=\"2978\"\u003eAmericana\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-section-id=\"15jam06\" data-start=\"2979\" data-end=\"3007\"\u003eRevolutionary War material\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-section-id=\"198hm4v\" data-start=\"3008\" data-end=\"3048\"\u003eDeclaration of Independence engravings\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-section-id=\"im6hfb\" data-start=\"3049\" data-end=\"3072\"\u003eearly American prints\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-section-id=\"1u1g191\" data-start=\"3073\" data-end=\"3095\"\u003epatriotic broadsides\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-section-id=\"1ucrijl\" data-start=\"3096\" data-end=\"3126\"\u003emuseum-quality wall displays\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-section-id=\"x16gk7\" data-start=\"3127\" data-end=\"3148\"\u003ehistorical ephemera\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"3150\" data-end=\"3215\"\u003eA dramatic centerpiece item with exceptional decorative presence.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr data-start=\"3217\" data-end=\"3220\"\u003e\n\u003ch2 data-section-id=\"icfs9j\" data-start=\"3222\" data-end=\"3233\"\u003eShipping\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"3235\" data-end=\"3295\"\u003eWill be packed and shipped with extreme care, fully insured.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"3297\" data-end=\"3331\"\u003eLocal pickup available if desired.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Signature Documents LLC","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52243866288410,"sku":null,"price":4250.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2221\/0931\/files\/DeclarationPhelps_9835bb14-b51f-47bd-9168-a61d03c7974e.jpg?v=1779147549"},{"product_id":"1838-william-woodruff-declaration-of-independence-original-engraved-broadside","title":"1838 William Woodruff Declaration of Independence | Original Engraved Broadside","description":"\u003ch2 data-section-id=\"rmw5tv\" data-start=\"115\" data-end=\"129\"\u003eDescription\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"131\" data-end=\"342\"\u003eOffered here is a rare original 1838 “Woodruff” Declaration of Independence engraving, one of the most important and visually recognizable nineteenth-century decorative facsimiles of America’s founding document.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"344\" data-end=\"502\"\u003ePublished in New York by \u003cspan class=\"hover:entity-accent entity-underline inline cursor-pointer align-baseline\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"whitespace-normal\"\u003eWilliam Woodruff\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e, this monumental engraved broadside is celebrated for its dramatic patriotic design, featuring:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul data-start=\"503\" data-end=\"741\"\u003e\n\u003cli data-section-id=\"r0mc66\" data-start=\"503\" data-end=\"554\"\u003ethe full text of the Declaration of Independence,\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-section-id=\"633yuf\" data-start=\"555\" data-end=\"593\"\u003efacsimile signatures of the signers,\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-section-id=\"1osvpqi\" data-start=\"594\" data-end=\"642\"\u003eportraits of Washington, Jefferson, and Adams,\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-section-id=\"5hwre7\" data-start=\"643\" data-end=\"681\"\u003eelaborate federal military trophies,\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-section-id=\"93avry\" data-start=\"682\" data-end=\"741\"\u003eand medallions representing the original thirteen states.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"743\" data-end=\"942\"\u003eThis example appears consistent with an authentic early engraved impression from the original 1838 issue or an early nineteenth-century pull, rather than a later Centennial lithographic reproduction.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr data-start=\"944\" data-end=\"947\"\u003e\n\u003ch2 data-section-id=\"1353kst\" data-start=\"949\" data-end=\"973\"\u003eHistorical Importance\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"975\" data-end=\"1068\"\u003eThe \u003cspan class=\"hover:entity-accent entity-underline inline cursor-pointer align-baseline\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"whitespace-normal\"\u003eWoodruff Declaration of Independence\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e followed the great early Declaration engravings of:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul data-start=\"1069\" data-end=\"1188\"\u003e\n\u003cli data-section-id=\"wlg39x\" data-start=\"1069\" data-end=\"1108\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"hover:entity-accent entity-underline inline cursor-pointer align-baseline\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"whitespace-normal\"\u003eBinns Declaration of Independence\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-section-id=\"1etlrsl\" data-start=\"1109\" data-end=\"1148\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"hover:entity-accent entity-underline inline cursor-pointer align-baseline\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"whitespace-normal\"\u003eStone Declaration\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-section-id=\"1fetjdh\" data-start=\"1149\" data-end=\"1188\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"hover:entity-accent entity-underline inline cursor-pointer align-baseline\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"whitespace-normal\"\u003eHumphry Phelps Declaration of Independence\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"1190\" data-end=\"1303\"\u003eand became one of the finest ornamental interpretations of the Declaration ever issued in the nineteenth century.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"1305\" data-end=\"1335\"\u003eThe design is notable for its:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul data-start=\"1336\" data-end=\"1493\"\u003e\n\u003cli data-section-id=\"h6t65o\" data-start=\"1336\" data-end=\"1379\"\u003esweeping oval arrangement of state seals,\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-section-id=\"l79iq8\" data-start=\"1380\" data-end=\"1418\"\u003ehighly detailed engraved signatures,\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-section-id=\"1ggom0s\" data-start=\"1419\" data-end=\"1454\"\u003epatriotic eagle and flag display,\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-section-id=\"kr5ah9\" data-start=\"1455\" data-end=\"1493\"\u003eand rich neoclassical ornamentation.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"1495\" data-end=\"1624\"\u003eAuthentic early impressions are increasingly scarce and highly sought after by collectors of Americana and Revolutionary history.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr data-start=\"1626\" data-end=\"1629\"\u003e\n\u003ch2 data-section-id=\"9t1kq8\" data-start=\"1631\" data-end=\"1650\"\u003eApproximate Size\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"1652\" data-end=\"1683\"\u003eLarge folio engraved broadside.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"1685\" data-end=\"1699\"\u003eApproximately:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul data-start=\"1700\" data-end=\"1793\"\u003e\n\u003cli data-section-id=\"6n77xe\" data-start=\"1700\" data-end=\"1793\"\u003e20 1\/2 x 29 1\/2 inches\u003cbr\u003e(please rely on photographs for exact dimensions and margins)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003chr data-start=\"1795\" data-end=\"1798\"\u003e\n\u003ch2 data-section-id=\"hrykuu\" data-start=\"1800\" data-end=\"1812\"\u003eCondition\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"1814\" data-end=\"1906\"\u003eCondition is consistent with a genuine early nineteenth-century American engraved broadside:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul data-start=\"1907\" data-end=\"2099\"\u003e\n\u003cli data-section-id=\"7ngcy9\" data-start=\"1907\" data-end=\"1927\"\u003eoverall age toning\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-section-id=\"12wsjlg\" data-start=\"1928\" data-end=\"1959\"\u003escattered foxing and staining\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-section-id=\"z8k49b\" data-start=\"1960\" data-end=\"1984\"\u003ecreases and fold lines\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-section-id=\"1g9nqp7\" data-start=\"1985\" data-end=\"2013\"\u003eedge wear and small losses\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-section-id=\"19ljtkd\" data-start=\"2014\" data-end=\"2045\"\u003ewaviness from age and storage\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-section-id=\"7fkrsp\" data-start=\"2046\" data-end=\"2065\"\u003emounting remnants\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-section-id=\"24bnby\" data-start=\"2066\" data-end=\"2099\"\u003esurface wear and handling marks\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"2101\" data-end=\"2198\"\u003eDespite condition issues, the piece retains exceptional decorative and historical display appeal.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"2200\" data-end=\"2278\"\u003ePlease examine all photographs carefully as they form part of the description.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr data-start=\"2280\" data-end=\"2283\"\u003e\n\u003ch2 data-section-id=\"i7z5jz\" data-start=\"2285\" data-end=\"2306\"\u003eAuthenticity Notes\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"2308\" data-end=\"2548\"\u003eBased on visible engraving characteristics, paper aging, typography, and overall appearance, this example appears consistent with an original 1838 or early-period engraved impression rather than a later lithographic Centennial reproduction.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"2550\" data-end=\"2650\"\u003eNo guarantee is made regarding exact state or dating; buyers should conduct their own due diligence.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr data-start=\"2652\" data-end=\"2655\"\u003e\n\u003ch2 data-section-id=\"1h4fgz3\" data-start=\"2657\" data-end=\"2676\"\u003eCollector Appeal\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"2678\" data-end=\"2723\"\u003eAn outstanding acquisition for collectors of:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul data-start=\"2724\" data-end=\"2906\"\u003e\n\u003cli data-section-id=\"14swr07\" data-start=\"2724\" data-end=\"2735\"\u003eAmericana\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-section-id=\"198hm4v\" data-start=\"2736\" data-end=\"2776\"\u003eDeclaration of Independence engravings\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-section-id=\"15jam06\" data-start=\"2777\" data-end=\"2805\"\u003eRevolutionary War material\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-section-id=\"im6hfb\" data-start=\"2806\" data-end=\"2829\"\u003eearly American prints\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-section-id=\"1u1g191\" data-start=\"2830\" data-end=\"2852\"\u003epatriotic broadsides\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-section-id=\"x16gk7\" data-start=\"2853\" data-end=\"2874\"\u003ehistorical ephemera\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-section-id=\"1h8elt9\" data-start=\"2875\" data-end=\"2906\"\u003emuseum-quality display pieces\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"2908\" data-end=\"2995\"\u003eAn impressive and historically important wall display with exceptional visual presence.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr data-start=\"2997\" data-end=\"3000\"\u003e\n\u003ch2 data-section-id=\"icfs9j\" data-start=\"3002\" data-end=\"3013\"\u003eShipping\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"3015\" data-end=\"3074\"\u003eWill be packed with extreme care and shipped fully insured.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"3076\" data-end=\"3110\"\u003eLocal pickup may also be arranged.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Signature Documents LLC","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52243871138074,"sku":null,"price":5750.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2221\/0931\/files\/IMG_0038.jpg?v=1779150155"},{"product_id":"original-1838-woodruff-declaration-of-independence","title":"Original 1838 Woodruff Declaration of Independence","description":"\u003ch2 data-section-id=\"rmw5tv\" data-start=\"1695\" data-end=\"1709\"\u003eDescription\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"1711\" data-end=\"1891\"\u003eOffered here is an original 1838 engraved “Woodruff Declaration of Independence,” one of the most visually striking 19th-century facsimile printings of America’s founding document.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"1893\" data-end=\"1928\"\u003eThis monumental engraving features:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul data-start=\"1929\" data-end=\"2210\"\u003e\n\u003cli data-section-id=\"15gu4ob\" data-start=\"1929\" data-end=\"1975\"\u003eFull text of the Declaration of Independence\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-section-id=\"qao9ij\" data-start=\"1976\" data-end=\"2041\"\u003eElaborate wreath border containing seals of the original states\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-section-id=\"180yfvs\" data-start=\"2042\" data-end=\"2120\"\u003ePortrait medallions of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and John Hancock\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-section-id=\"174uwco\" data-start=\"2121\" data-end=\"2164\"\u003ePatriotic eagle and military trophy motif\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-section-id=\"6tndqm\" data-start=\"2165\" data-end=\"2210\"\u003eOrnamental copperplate engraving throughout\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"2212\" data-end=\"2507\"\u003eThe Woodruff Declaration is highly regarded among collectors of early Americana for its exceptional decorative quality and historical significance. Unlike later Centennial reproductions, this example displays the rich engraved character and period paper expected from an authentic 1838 printing.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 data-section-id=\"1uef3h1\" data-start=\"2509\" data-end=\"2522\"\u003eCondition\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul data-start=\"2523\" data-end=\"2743\"\u003e\n\u003cli data-section-id=\"1m1lx01\" data-start=\"2523\" data-end=\"2551\"\u003eOriginal antique condition\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-section-id=\"qo63zf\" data-start=\"2552\" data-end=\"2575\"\u003eAge toning throughout\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-section-id=\"1z0cv6w\" data-start=\"2576\" data-end=\"2606\"\u003eVisible edge and corner wear\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-section-id=\"b5kuve\" data-start=\"2607\" data-end=\"2666\"\u003eScattered creasing and handling marks consistent with age\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-section-id=\"1o8jsv\" data-start=\"2667\" data-end=\"2701\"\u003eStrong surviving engraved detail\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-section-id=\"mr10oc\" data-start=\"2702\" data-end=\"2743\"\u003ePresents exceptionally well for display\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"2745\" data-end=\"2822\"\u003ePlease review all photographs carefully as they form part of the description.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 data-section-id=\"35yksz\" data-start=\"2824\" data-end=\"2844\"\u003eApproximate Size\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"2845\" data-end=\"2874\"\u003eLarge folio\/broadside format. 19 3\/4 x 25 3\/4\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 data-section-id=\"ms6den\" data-start=\"2876\" data-end=\"2892\"\u003eAuthenticity\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"2893\" data-end=\"2936\"\u003eGuaranteed authentic 19th-century printing.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"2938\" data-end=\"2983\"\u003eAn outstanding centerpiece for collectors of:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul data-start=\"2984\" data-end=\"3124\"\u003e\n\u003cli data-section-id=\"14swr07\" data-start=\"2984\" data-end=\"2995\"\u003eAmericana\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-section-id=\"iexqof\" data-start=\"2996\" data-end=\"3023\"\u003eRevolutionary War history\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-section-id=\"1hn8cmv\" data-start=\"3024\" data-end=\"3063\"\u003eDeclaration of Independence printings\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-section-id=\"h4vk7j\" data-start=\"3064\" data-end=\"3091\"\u003eEarly American engravings\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-section-id=\"18wo4rr\" data-start=\"3092\" data-end=\"3124\"\u003ePatriotic historical documents\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"3126\" data-end=\"3157\"\u003eMuseum-worthy display presence.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Signature Documents LLC","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52245808218394,"sku":null,"price":8750.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2221\/0931\/files\/IMG_0057_b7c1799b-7543-45d2-93ff-c1eadaecad49.jpg?v=1779196954"},{"product_id":"1758-john-hancock-als-to-governor-whitmore-french-indian-war","title":"1758 John Hancock ALS To Governor Whitmore, French \u0026 Indian War","description":"\u003cp\u003eAutograph letter or retained draft by John Hancock, dated November 14, 1758, written during the French \u0026amp; Indian War period while Hancock was working in the mercantile firm of his uncle, Thomas Hancock.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe opening reads approximately:\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"Mr Hancock's compliments to Gov. Whitmore and sends him two bottles of wine for his acceptance hopes they will arrive in good order...\"\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe reverse is endorsed:\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"Bight Whitmore by Samuel N. Nov. 14, 1758\"\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe \"Whitmore\" here is almost certainly Major General Edward Whitmore, the British officer commanding forces in Nova Scotia and Cape Breton following the Louisbourg campaign. Surviving archival references record correspondence between John Hancock and General Whitmore in 1758, making the identification consistent with both the date and content.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIdentification\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAuthor: John Hancock\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eRecipient: Edward Whitmore\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDate: November 14, 1758\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSubject: Gift\/transmittal note accompanying two bottles of wine sent to General Whitmore.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHistorical Context: French \u0026amp; Indian War; predates the American Revolution by nearly two decades.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSignificance\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis is not a routine Revolutionary-era Hancock item. It is much earlier (1758) and documents Hancock's role in the Hancock mercantile network supplying and corresponding with British military officers. Early Hancock material from the 1750s is considerably scarcer than his later gubernatorial or Congressional signatures.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eValue Estimate\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eCondition is fair, with edge wear and losses, but the handwriting remains legible.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eCurrent collector market estimate:\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eOriginal manuscript letter written by John Hancock, dated November 14, 1758, during the French \u0026amp; Indian War period.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAddressed to General Edward Whitmore, British commander in Nova Scotia following the capture of Louisbourg. Hancock sends compliments and forwards two bottles of wine, expressing hope they arrive in good order.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAn unusually early Hancock item created nearly twenty years before the Declaration of Independence and before Hancock emerged as a leading Revolutionary figure.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSingle leaf manuscript with docketing on reverse. Condition shows age toning, folds, edge wear, and minor losses consistent with eighteenth-century correspondence.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eA scarce and historically significant early John Hancock manuscript relating to military and commercial connections in British North America.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAfter the British capture of Louisbourg in 1758, Whitmore was appointed Governor of Cape Breton Island (Île Royale) and St. John's Island (present-day Prince Edward Island) and took office shortly after the fortress surrendered in the summer of 1758. He served as military governor there until his death in 1761.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eTimeline:\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eJuly 1758 – Louisbourg captured by the British.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAugust 1758 – Whitmore appointed Governor of Cape Breton and St. John's Island.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e1758–1761 – Governed Cape Breton from Louisbourg.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDecember 1761 – Drowned while traveling from Louisbourg to Boston.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe date 14 November 1758 falls only a few months after Whitmore became governor of Cape Breton. Hancock's gift of wine likely relates to Whitmore's new command and the extensive commercial and military supply connections between Boston merchants and the newly conquered Louisbourg garrison.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThat connection strengthens the historical appeal of the piece. A letter from the future signer of the Declaration of Independence to the newly appointed British governor of Louisbourg\/Cape Breton, written immediately after one of the most important victories of the French and Indian War, is a much better story than a routine merchant note.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis is not merely a wine-shipment note. It connects:\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eJohn Hancock at age 21.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eEdward Whitmore newly appointed governor of the conquered French fortress of Louisbourg.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe immediate aftermath of the 1758 Louisbourg campaign, one of the decisive victories of the French and Indian War.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBoston merchant support and provisioning of British military authorities.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eEarly Hancock material from the 1750s is genuinely scarce. Most collectors encounter Hancock signatures from the 1770s–1790s, not from his pre-Revolution merchant years.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Signature Documents LLC","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52348740731162,"sku":"EB-327209904217","price":3499.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2221\/0931\/files\/57_61c78b87-41b3-4bca-a95c-be059af1884e.jpg?v=1781349409"},{"product_id":"c1780-george-reed-autograph-manuscript-declaration-singer-delaware-land-case","title":"c1780 George Reed Autograph Manuscript Declaration Singer Delaware Land Case","description":"\u003cp\u003eGeorge Read Autograph Manuscript Declaration Signer Delaware Land Case c1780\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eRare Multi-Page Holograph Legal Manuscript by a Signer of the Declaration of Independence\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eDescription\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eGEORGE READ AUTOGRAPH MANUSCRIPT – \"STATE OF CASE\"\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSIGNER OF THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAn exceptional colonial American manuscript entirely in the hand of George Read (1733–1798), one of Delaware's most important Founding Fathers and a signer of both the Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis substantial multi-page autograph manuscript appears to be a legal memorandum or \"State of Case\" prepared by Read concerning a complicated land ownership, mortgage, inheritance, and family property dispute. The narrative references events dating to the 1750s and discusses land purchases, mortgages, occupancy rights, family agreements, and claims of ownership.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe reverse bears an apparent contemporary docket reading:\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"Geo. Read's State of Case\"\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eUnlike the brief court orders and endorsements most frequently encountered from Read, this manuscript preserves extensive historical content in his own hand and provides a fascinating glimpse into the legal practice of one of the nation's Founding Fathers.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eGeorge Read served in the Continental Congress, signed the Declaration of Independence in 1776, signed the United States Constitution in 1787, served as President (Governor) of Delaware, United States Senator, and later Chief Justice of Delaware. He remains one of the most important figures in early American political history.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHighlights\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e✓ Entirely handwritten manuscript\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e✓ Attributed to George Read\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e✓ Declaration of Independence signer\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e✓ Multi-page legal narrative\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e✓ Colonial Delaware land and inheritance content\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e✓ Scarce Founding Father manuscript material\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e✓ Excellent research potential\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e✓ Ideal for advanced autograph, Americana, Delaware, and Revolutionary-era collections\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eCondition\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ePeriod manuscript on laid paper. Expected fold wear, toning, edge chipping, separations, repairs, and age-related handling consistent with an eighteenth-century document. Please review all photographs carefully as they form part of the description.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eProvenance\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFrom a private collection of early American historical manuscripts.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Signature Documents LLC","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52371755565338,"sku":"EB-327220047554","price":5995.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2221\/0931\/files\/57_82377768-d6fe-4a99-bb90-3b9719346e56.jpg?v=1781826870"},{"product_id":"1764-matthew-thornton-autograph-document-signer-of-declaration","title":"1764 Matthew Thornton Autograph Document Signer Of Declaration","description":"\u003cp\u003eMATTHEW THORNTON AUTOGRAPH DOCUMENT FRAGMENT\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSIGNER OF THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eRare colonial American autograph document fragment signed by Matthew Thornton (1714–1803), signer of the Declaration of Independence from New Hampshire.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDated March 24, 1764, this manuscript predates the American Revolution by more than a decade and was executed while Thornton served as a Justice of the Peace in colonial New Hampshire.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe manuscript reads in part:\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"Province of New Hampshire ... March 24th 1764 ... personally appeared ... before Matthew Thornton, Justice of Peace\"\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eand bears Thornton's bold autograph signature.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eMatthew Thornton was one of the fifty-six signers of the Declaration of Independence and a prominent physician, jurist, and statesman. Signatures of Declaration signers remain among the most sought-after fields in American autograph collecting, and Thornton is considerably scarcer than many better-known Founding Fathers.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eUnlike a simple cut signature, this example remains attached to a substantial portion of the original legal document, preserving the date, colonial New Hampshire provenance, and Thornton's official capacity as Justice of the Peace.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHIGHLIGHTS\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e• Matthew Thornton autograph\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e• Signer of the Declaration of Independence\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e• Dated March 24, 1764\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e• Colonial New Hampshire manuscript\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e• Justice of the Peace document\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e• Revolutionary-era American history\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e• Attractive display quality\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e• Scarce Declaration signer autograph\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eCONDITION\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eOriginal manuscript fragment removed from a larger legal document. Age toning, folds, and minor edge wear consistent with an eighteenth-century manuscript. Ink remains dark and highly legible. Please review photographs carefully.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAn exceptional opportunity to acquire an authentic colonial-era autograph of one of America's Founding Fathers and signers of the Declaration of Independence.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Signature Documents LLC","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52371756187930,"sku":"EB-327220160318","price":2995.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2221\/0931\/files\/57_1360ff84-3028-4fa5-a58d-ee0496e4d25e.jpg?v=1781826886"},{"product_id":"c1780-s-george-reed-als-declaration-and-constitution-signer","title":"c1780’s George Reed AL Declaration And Constitution Signer","description":"\u003cp\u003eGeorge Read to his son George Reed Jr., Legal Opinion on Estate Settlement and Construction of a Will\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOriginal eighteenth-century legal manuscript prepared and endorsed by George Read (1733–1798), Signer of the Declaration of Independence, signer of the United States Constitution, United States Senator from Delaware, President of Delaware, and Chief Justice of Delaware.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe manuscript concerns the interpretation of a will and the settlement of an estate. Read analyzes multiple legal questions involving:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLegacies\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDevisees\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHeirs\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSurvivorship clauses\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTestamentary construction\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRights of beneficiaries\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCommon-law inheritance principles\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eContains extensive legal citations and argument in Read's professional hand.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUnlike ordinary correspondence, this is a substantive legal memorandum reflecting the work of one of the most accomplished lawyers among the Founding Fathers. Read practiced law for more than four decades and later served as Chief Justice of Delaware.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHistorical Importance\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGeorge Read was one of only six men who signed both the Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution. He was a delegate to the Continental Congress, President of Delaware during the Revolution, United States Senator, and later Chief Justice of Delaware.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis manuscript offers a rare glimpse into the legal practice of a Founding Father and constitutional signer.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCondition\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePeriod manuscript on laid paper.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOld archival repairs.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLosses at margins and several small areas of text loss.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInk remains generally dark and legible.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA scarce and desirable legal manuscript from one of America's most important Founding Fathers.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Signature Documents LLC","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52403063554330,"sku":"EB-327234106150","price":5995.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2221\/0931\/files\/57_e2a2cd5c-44fe-48d3-9a1f-58287c11d67a.jpg?v=1782638091"},{"product_id":"george-clymer-philadelphia-bank-20-note-may-9-1814-possible-manuscript-signature-of-declaration-constitution-signer-exceptional-research-opportunity","title":"George Clymer Philadelphia Bank $20 Note – May 9, 1814 – Possible Manuscript Signature of Declaration \u0026 Constitution Signer – Exceptional Research Opportunity","description":"\u003cp data-start=\"166\" data-end=\"259\" class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchorContainer\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-start=\"166\" data-end=\"191\"\u003eThe Philadelphia Bank\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr data-start=\"191\" data-end=\"194\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-start=\"194\" data-end=\"227\"\u003eTwenty Dollar Promissory Note\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr data-start=\"227\" data-end=\"230\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-start=\"230\" data-end=\"259\"\u003ePhiladelphia, May 9, 1814\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchor\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"261\" data-end=\"496\"\u003eAn exceptionally important and intriguing early American banknote issued by \u003cstrong data-start=\"337\" data-end=\"362\"\u003eThe Philadelphia Bank\u003c\/strong\u003e, payable to bearer on demand for \u003cstrong data-start=\"396\" data-end=\"414\"\u003eTwenty Dollars\u003c\/strong\u003e, dated \u003cstrong data-start=\"422\" data-end=\"437\"\u003eMay 9, 1814\u003c\/strong\u003e, and bearing the signature \u003cstrong data-start=\"465\" data-end=\"482\"\u003e\"Geo. Clymer\"\u003c\/strong\u003e as President.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"498\" data-end=\"801\"\u003eGeorge Clymer (1739–1813) occupies a unique place in American history as one of only \u003cstrong data-start=\"583\" data-end=\"607\"\u003esix Founding Fathers\u003c\/strong\u003e to sign both the \u003cstrong data-start=\"625\" data-end=\"656\"\u003eDeclaration of Independence\u003c\/strong\u003e and the \u003cstrong data-start=\"665\" data-end=\"695\"\u003eUnited States Constitution\u003c\/strong\u003e. He served as the first President of The Philadelphia Bank from 1803 until his death on January 23, 1813.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 data-section-id=\"17nj9t9\" data-start=\"914\" data-end=\"938\"\u003eResearch Observations\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"940\" data-end=\"1096\"\u003eDetailed examination of this note and comparison with other surviving \u003cstrong data-start=\"1010\" data-end=\"1050\"\u003eMay 1814 Philadelphia Bank $20 notes\u003c\/strong\u003e has produced several noteworthy observations:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul data-start=\"1098\" data-end=\"1955\"\u003e\n\u003cli data-section-id=\"15lht2n\" data-start=\"1098\" data-end=\"1234\"\u003eThe \u003cstrong data-start=\"1104\" data-end=\"1161\"\u003eGeorge Clymer signature occupies a different position\u003c\/strong\u003e on each examined example rather than appearing in an identical location.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-section-id=\"myfs9b\" data-start=\"1235\" data-end=\"1328\"\u003eThe \u003cstrong data-start=\"1241\" data-end=\"1309\"\u003ecashier's signature (\"J. Campbell\") likewise varies in placement\u003c\/strong\u003e from note to note.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-section-id=\"dmpcco\" data-start=\"1329\" data-end=\"1535\"\u003ePreliminary comparison suggests \u003cstrong data-start=\"1363\" data-end=\"1432\"\u003estructural differences in the letterforms and terminal flourishes\u003c\/strong\u003e of the Clymer signatures rather than exact duplication expected from a single engraved printing plate.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-section-id=\"h5w8gh\" data-start=\"1536\" data-end=\"1808\"\u003eMagnified examination of this note indicates characteristics consistent with \u003cstrong data-start=\"1615\" data-end=\"1644\"\u003epen-applied iron-gall ink\u003c\/strong\u003e, including variable line width, ink pooling at changes of direction, natural feathering into the paper fibers, and uneven ink penetration visible from the reverse.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-section-id=\"1pwysu9\" data-start=\"1809\" data-end=\"1955\"\u003eThe reverse of the note shows ink strike-through consistent with writing applied directly to the paper rather than a uniform printed impression.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"1957\" data-end=\"2124\"\u003eTaken together, these observations indicate that the signatures were \u003cstrong data-start=\"2039\" data-end=\"2071\"\u003eapplied individually by hand\u003c\/strong\u003e rather than engraved as part of the banknote design.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 data-section-id=\"ery58m\" data-start=\"2126\" data-end=\"2147\"\u003eHistorical Context\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"2149\" data-end=\"2265\"\u003eThe apparent contradiction is that this note is dated \u003cstrong data-start=\"2203\" data-end=\"2218\"\u003eMay 9, 1814\u003c\/strong\u003e, more than a year after George Clymer's death.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"2267\" data-end=\"2718\"\u003eOne plausible explanation is that The Philadelphia Bank maintained a supply of \u003cstrong data-start=\"2346\" data-end=\"2379\"\u003epreviously signed blank notes\u003c\/strong\u003e, completing them with dates, serial numbers, and payees as they were issued. This practice was employed by a number of early nineteenth-century banks to facilitate circulation. \u003cstrong data-start=\"2557\" data-end=\"2718\"\u003eBy June 1st the new President signed these notes.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 data-section-id=\"vy87ap\" data-start=\"2935\" data-end=\"2948\"\u003eImportance\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"2950\" data-end=\"3182\"\u003eThis remains an attractive \u003cstrong data-start=\"3070\" data-end=\"3112\"\u003eWar of 1812-era Philadelphia Bank note\u003c\/strong\u003e associated with one of America's most distinguished Founding Fathers.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"3184\" data-end=\"3445\"\u003eIf future research confirms that these notes were issued from \u003cstrong data-start=\"3249\" data-end=\"3325\"\u003epre-signed blanks bearing George Clymer's authentic manuscript signature\u003c\/strong\u003e, this example would represent one of the most important and desirable surviving forms of Clymer's autograph, combining:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul data-start=\"3447\" data-end=\"3645\"\u003e\n\u003cli data-section-id=\"1v9a8cc\" data-start=\"3447\" data-end=\"3519\"\u003eA signer of both the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-section-id=\"1bbd7kn\" data-start=\"3520\" data-end=\"3557\"\u003ePresident of The Philadelphia Bank.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-section-id=\"1pehela\" data-start=\"3558\" data-end=\"3590\"\u003eOriginal circulating banknote.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-section-id=\"4qzozu\" data-start=\"3591\" data-end=\"3623\"\u003eWar of 1812 financial history.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-section-id=\"u99o55\" data-start=\"3624\" data-end=\"3645\"\u003eExceptional rarity.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2 data-section-id=\"rmw5tv\" data-start=\"3647\" data-end=\"3661\"\u003eDescription\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul data-start=\"3663\" data-end=\"3947\"\u003e\n\u003cli data-section-id=\"1x7qlmo\" data-start=\"3663\" data-end=\"3700\"\u003eOriginal Philadelphia Bank $20 note\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-section-id=\"11ux3gp\" data-start=\"3701\" data-end=\"3732\"\u003ePhiladelphia, \u003cstrong data-start=\"3717\" data-end=\"3732\"\u003eMay 9, 1814\u003c\/strong\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-section-id=\"1wj16no\" data-start=\"3733\" data-end=\"3762\"\u003ePayable to bearer on demand\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-section-id=\"1e5t95r\" data-start=\"3763\" data-end=\"3796\"\u003eSigned \"Geo. Clymer,\" President\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-section-id=\"3kicu2\" data-start=\"3797\" data-end=\"3828\"\u003eSigned by Cashier J. Campbell\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-section-id=\"vfddfk\" data-start=\"3829\" data-end=\"3852\"\u003eSerial number present\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-section-id=\"1pfhoox\" data-start=\"3853\" data-end=\"3900\"\u003eContemporary cancellation markings on reverse\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-section-id=\"10wtm0i\" data-start=\"3901\" data-end=\"3947\"\u003eStrong engraved vignettes and original paper\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2 data-section-id=\"hrykuu\" data-start=\"3949\" data-end=\"3961\"\u003eCondition\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"3963\" data-end=\"3981\"\u003eVery Good to Fine.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"3983\" data-end=\"4140\"\u003eOriginal circulated example with period endorsements and cancellation markings. Displays well with attractive engraved design and legible officer signatures.\u003cstrong data-start=\"4312\" data-end=\"4460\"\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 data-section-id=\"cfncyk\" data-start=\"4672\" data-end=\"4695\"\u003eResearch Disclaimer\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"4697\" data-end=\"5262\" data-is-last-node=\"\" data-is-only-node=\"\"\u003eThe discussion regarding the signatures is based on comparative examination of this note alongside other surviving May 1814 Philadelphia Bank examples, including observed differences in signature placement, letterform structure, and ink characteristics. These observations support a \u003cstrong data-start=\"4980\" data-end=\"5003\"\u003eresearch hypothesis\u003c\/strong\u003e, not a definitive conclusion. If desired, a final determination regarding whether the signatures are manuscript or printed could be made through professional forensic examination and archival documentation of The Philadelphia Bank's note-signing and issuance practices.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Signature Documents LLC","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52562338611482,"sku":null,"price":3995.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2221\/0931\/files\/IMG_1662.jpg?v=1784660328"},{"product_id":"1769-colonial-new-york-merchant-account-to-philip-livingston-signer-of-the-declaration-of-independence-building-materials-invoice-new-york","title":"1769 Colonial New York Merchant Account to Philip Livingston, Signer of the Declaration of Independence – Building Materials Invoice – New York","description":"\u003cp data-start=\"2796\" data-end=\"2991\" class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchorContainer\"\u003eAn original colonial manuscript merchant's account rendered to \u003cstrong data-start=\"2859\" data-end=\"2898\"\u003ePhilip Livingston, Esq. (1716–1778)\u003c\/strong\u003e, one of New York's leading merchants and a future signer of the Declaration of Independence.\u003cspan aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchor\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"2993\" data-end=\"3289\"\u003eDated \u003cstrong data-start=\"2999\" data-end=\"3017\"\u003eApril 29, 1769\u003c\/strong\u003e, with docketing on the reverse reading \u003cstrong data-start=\"3057\" data-end=\"3084\"\u003e\"New York, 1 May 1769,\"\u003c\/strong\u003e the document records expenses for construction and building supplies, including labor, lime, clay, sand, cartage, hair for plaster, \u003cstrong data-start=\"3217\" data-end=\"3231\"\u003e200 bricks\u003c\/strong\u003e, wallboards, and additional work, totaling \u003cstrong data-start=\"3275\" data-end=\"3289\"\u003e£4 0s. 3d.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"3291\" data-end=\"3654\"\u003eCreated during Livingston's final years as Speaker of the New York General Assembly and only seven years before he affixed his signature to the Declaration of Independence, the account offers an authentic glimpse into the commercial and property management activities of one of colonial America's foremost merchant-statesmen. \u003cspan class=\"\" data-state=\"closed\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"3656\" data-end=\"3908\"\u003eOriginal financial records associated with Philip Livingston are significantly less common than legal papers and provide valuable insight into the day-to-day operation of his extensive mercantile and real estate interests in pre-Revolutionary New York.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"3910\" data-end=\"4174\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-start=\"3910\" data-end=\"3919\"\u003eDate:\u003c\/strong\u003e April 29, 1769 (reverse docketed May 1, 1769)\u003cbr data-start=\"3965\" data-end=\"3968\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-start=\"3968\" data-end=\"3981\"\u003eLocation:\u003c\/strong\u003e New York\u003cbr data-start=\"3990\" data-end=\"3993\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-start=\"3993\" data-end=\"4007\"\u003eAddressee:\u003c\/strong\u003e Philip Livingston, Esq.\u003cbr data-start=\"4031\" data-end=\"4034\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-start=\"4034\" data-end=\"4046\"\u003eSubject:\u003c\/strong\u003e Building materials and labor account totaling \u003cstrong data-start=\"4093\" data-end=\"4107\"\u003e£4 0s. 3d.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr data-start=\"4107\" data-end=\"4110\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-start=\"4110\" data-end=\"4124\"\u003eCondition:\u003c\/strong\u003e Very good with original folds and light age wear.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"4176\" data-end=\"4353\"\u003eAn excellent colonial manuscript with strong appeal to collectors of Declaration signers, colonial New York, early American commerce, and eighteenth-century manuscript material.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Signature Documents LLC","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52577363493146,"sku":null,"price":375.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2221\/0931\/files\/IMG_1716.jpg?v=1784841623"},{"product_id":"1796-robert-morris-signed-land-indenture-declaration-of-independence-signer-mary-morris-garrett-cottringer-justice-isaac-smith","title":"1796 Robert Morris Signed Land Indenture — Declaration of Independence Signer, Mary Morris, Garrett Cottringer \u0026 Justice Isaac Smith","description":"\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eExceptional Original 1796 Legal Indenture Signed by Declaration of Independence Signer Robert Morris\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eA remarkable original \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e1796 land indenture involving Robert Morris\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, the great Philadelphia financier of the American Revolution and signer of the \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eDeclaration of Independence, Articles of Confederation, and United States Constitution\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eDated \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMarch 1796\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, this substantial manuscript document concerns real property in \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBurlington County, New Jersey\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, and records a financial obligation involving Robert Morris and his wife, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMary White Morris\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, and members of the prominent \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eCadwalader family of Philadelphia and New Jersey\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe document is boldly signed by \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eRobert Morris as “Robt Morris”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e and by his wife \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e“Mary Morris.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eOf particular importance is the additional signature of \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eGarrett Cottringer\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, Morris's Philadelphia business associate and bookkeeper. Cottringer was intimately involved in Morris's extensive real-estate and land-speculation activities during the 1790s. His presence on this document provides a fascinating direct connection to Morris's increasingly complicated financial affairs during the period immediately preceding his eventual imprisonment for debt.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe document was subsequently acknowledged before \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIsaac Smith, Esq., one of the Justices of the Supreme Court of New Jersey\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e. Smith was a prominent Revolutionary-era New Jersey figure who served as an associate justice of the state's Supreme Court from 1777 to 1804 and as a \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eUnited States Representative from New Jersey from 1795 to 1797\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe Cadwalader parties named in the instrument are members of the distinguished Cadwalader family. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eRebecca Cadwalader\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e was the daughter of Philadelphia physician Thomas Cadwalader and later became the second wife of New Jersey statesman \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003ePhilemon Dickinson\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eElizabeth Cadwalader\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, her sister, died unmarried in 1799.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe manuscript contains a lengthy and highly detailed legal description of the property, with metes-and-bounds references to adjoining lands, trees, stones, courses and degrees, providing an unusually rich example of late-18th-century American land documentation.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cspan\u003eHistorical Significance\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eRobert Morris (1734–1806)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e was one of the most important financial figures of the American Revolution. He helped finance the Continental cause, served in the Continental Congress, was Superintendent of Finance of the United States, and signed all three of the nation's foundational documents: the \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eDeclaration of Independence, Articles of Confederation, and U.S. Constitution\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe date of this document is particularly significant. By 1796, Morris's enormous investments in western lands and real estate were placing increasing financial pressure upon him. His surviving correspondence and business records document an increasingly complex series of mortgages, conveyances and arrangements involving creditors and associates such as Garrett Cottringer.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis document therefore represents far more than an ordinary land deed. It is a \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003econtemporary primary-source record of the financial and real-estate activities of one of the principal Founding Fathers during the final decade of the 18th century.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eSignatures and associations:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eRobert Morris • Mary White Morris • Garrett Cottringer • Isaac Smith • Rebecca Cadwalader • Elizabeth Cadwalader\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eDate:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e March 1796\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003ePlace:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Philadelphia \/ Burlington County, New Jersey\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eDocument type:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Original manuscript indenture \/ land and financial instrument\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eCondition:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Good. Original paper with extensive period folds, foxing, staining, localized fold losses and separations, and general age wear. Despite the condition issues, the document remains substantially complete and the principal signatures are strong and legible.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Signature Documents LLC","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52702604886298,"sku":null,"price":3795.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2221\/0931\/files\/IMG_2109.jpg?v=1786819372"},{"product_id":"1785-george-walton-autograph-legal-opinion-declaration-of-independence-signer-chief-justice-of-georgia","title":"1785 George Walton Autograph Legal Opinion — Declaration of Independence Signer \u0026 Chief Justice of Georgia","description":"\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eExceptional 1785 Manuscript Legal Opinion in the Hand of George Walton, Signer of the Declaration of Independence\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAn exceptionally important original manuscript document written and signed by \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eGeorge Walton (1749\/50–1804)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, one of Georgia's three signers of the \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eDeclaration of Independence\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, while serving as \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eChief Justice of Georgia\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eDated \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eDecember 16, 1785\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, this document concerns the controversial post-Revolutionary treatment of \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMalcolm Brown\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, the former secretary and aide to General \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAndrew Williamson\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, who had been placed under South Carolina's Act of Banishment and Confiscation.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAccording to the contemporary extract from the Georgia Council minutes, information had been received that Brown had arrived in Savannah from England aboard the ship \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eRoman Emperor\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e. The Council requested the opinion of the Chief Justice and Attorney General as to whether Georgia law authorized the Executive to take cognizance of the matter.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWalton responded in his own hand with a substantive legal opinion concerning the effect of South Carolina's banishment and confiscation legislation upon persons residing in Georgia. His opinion discusses the penalties imposed upon persons covered by such acts—including \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003ebanishment and confiscation of property\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e—and concludes that the matter was not merely cognizable by the Executive but constituted a particular duty of the Governor.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe document is signed \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e“Geo Walton”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e at the conclusion of the opinion.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cspan\u003eA Significant Revolutionary-Era Legal Document\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eGeorge Walton was one of only three Georgians to sign the Declaration of Independence. During the Revolution he served in Congress and in the Georgia militia, was wounded and captured at the \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBattle of Savannah\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, and later became Governor of Georgia. Following the Revolution, he served as \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eChief Justice of Georgia\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, beginning in 1783.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis document dates from the earliest years of Georgia's post-Revolutionary judicial system and illustrates the unresolved legal problems surrounding \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eLoyalists, confiscated property, banishment, and the authority of one state to act upon legislation originating in another\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe individual at the center of the controversy, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMalcolm Brown\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, was associated with General Andrew Williamson, whose Revolutionary allegiance became deeply controversial. Brown himself remained subject to South Carolina's confiscation proceedings for years after the war.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe document therefore provides a remarkable primary-source window into the continuing political and legal consequences of the American Revolution.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cspan\u003eDocument Features\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eGeorge Walton (1749\/50–1804)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e — signer of the Declaration of Independence\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003eSigned in his capacity as \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eChief Justice of Georgia\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eDecember 16, 1785\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eEntire legal opinion handwritten by Walton\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eContemporary extract from the Georgia Council minutes\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003eConcerns \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMalcolm Brown\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, Andrew Williamson's former secretary\/aide\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003eConcerns South Carolina's \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAct of Banishment and Confiscation\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eDirectly addresses interstate legal authority and Loyalist property\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eOriginal 18th-century paper\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eCondition:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Very Good for an original 1785 manuscript. Period paper with original folds, light foxing and staining, minor edge wear and fold creasing. The manuscript remains remarkably legible, with the Walton handwriting and signature exceptionally well preserved.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Signature Documents LLC","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52702683693338,"sku":null,"price":4950.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2221\/0931\/files\/IMG_2115.jpg?v=1786820113"},{"product_id":"edward-rutledge-declaration-signer-important-1797-letter-on-charleston-s-military-defenses-and-100-000-appropriation","title":"Edward Rutledge, Declaration Signer — Important 1797 Letter on Charleston’s Military Defenses and $100,000 Appropriation","description":"\u003cp class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchorContainer\"\u003eRemarkable autograph letter signed \u003cstrong\u003e“Ed: Rutledge”\u003c\/strong\u003e by \u003cstrong\u003eEdward Rutledge (1749–1800)\u003c\/strong\u003e, South Carolina statesman, future governor, and the youngest signer of the Declaration of Independence. Dated December 13, 1797, the approximately three-page letter is addressed on its integral address leaf to Rutledge’s nephew, \u003cstrong\u003eJohn Rutledge Jr., South Carolina representative in Congress at Philadelphia\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003cspan class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchor\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWriting during the closing days of the South Carolina legislative session, Rutledge reports that a joint committee had unanimously recommended an appropriation of \u003cstrong\u003e$100,000 for military purposes\u003c\/strong\u003e. He explains that approximately half would be devoted to the purchase of brass field artillery and the balance to fortifying Charleston Harbor. He further notes that the Senate had concurred and discusses the proposed construction of a battery or redoubt. Additional passages concern pending legislation, government contracts, and Rutledge-family news.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe letter provides firsthand evidence of South Carolina’s preparations for coastal defense during the international tensions of the late 1790s. Its political and military content, substantial length, association between two members of the distinguished Rutledge family, and original congressional address panel make it an unusually desirable Declaration-signer letter.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe manuscript exhibits extensive historic water staining, fold wear, fading, localized paper weakness, and abrasion near the signature. Nevertheless, most of the text remains legible, and the characteristic \u003cstrong\u003e“Ed: Rutledge”\u003c\/strong\u003e signature is identifiable.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchorContainer\"\u003eJohn Rutledge Jr. was then representing South Carolina in the Fifth United States Congress at Philadelphia. The family relationship and congressional address strongly support the identification.\u003cspan class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchor\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eHistorical content\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRutledge reports on the closing days of a legislative session and describes several measures before the South Carolina House. The most significant passage reads approximately:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“We have agreed unanimously in a joint Committee to recommend to the House the voting 100,000 Dollars for military purposes—about one half towards the purchase of brass field artillery, \u0026amp; the other half for the fortifying the Harbour…”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe adds that the Senate concurred and mentions the planned construction of a battery or redoubt—apparently part of Charleston’s coastal defenses during the worsening international tensions of the late 1790s. He also discusses a bill concerning clothing and family news, ending:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“My love to Sarah, Major \u0026amp; Mrs. Pinckney. God bless you—your very dear nephew…”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe political and military content is substantially more desirable than an ordinary social or routine business letter.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eCondition\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe letter has serious but stable-looking condition problems:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eExtensive old water staining and tide marks\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHeavy folds with localized weakness and small separations\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePaper loss or abrasion near the signature\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eGeneral soiling and discoloration\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eInk fading in portions, although most of the text remains decipherable\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSignature is affected by staining\/abrasion but is still identifiable\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","brand":"Signature Documents LLC","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52737626013978,"sku":null,"price":5500.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2221\/0931\/files\/IMG_2457.jpg?v=1787585449"},{"product_id":"1792-1794-connecticut-militia-covers-to-declaration-signer-governor-samuel-huntington-brigadier-noah-phelps-and-governor-s-guard","title":"1792–1794 Connecticut Militia Covers to Declaration Signer Governor Samuel Huntington—Brigadier Noah Phelps and Governor’s Guard","description":"\u003cp class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchorContainer\"\u003ePair of original 1792–1794 Connecticut militia correspondence wrappers addressed to \u003cstrong\u003eSamuel Huntington\u003c\/strong\u003e, signer of the Declaration of Independence and Articles of Confederation, former president of the Continental Congress and governor of Connecticut from 1786 until his death in 1796.\u003cspan class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchor\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe first wrapper is formally addressed to:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“His Excellency Samuel Huntington Esqr., Capt. Genl. of the Military Force in the State of Connecticut, Norwich”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt is docketed \u003cstrong\u003e“Brigadier Phelps, August 11–94.”\u003c\/strong\u003e The sender is almost certainly Revolutionary War officer \u003cstrong\u003eNoah Phelps\u003c\/strong\u003e, who was appointed brigadier general of the Connecticut militia in 1792. Phelps helped organize the expedition that captured Fort Ticonderoga and famously gathered intelligence about the fort’s defenses while disguised as a peddler. He later served at Fort Lee, Trenton and Princeton and became a major general of the Connecticut militia.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe second wrapper, dated July 1792, is addressed to Governor Huntington and docketed as a letter from \u003cstrong\u003eCaptain Wolcott\u003c\/strong\u003e concerning a return or report of the Connecticut Governor’s Guard. The exact identity of Captain Wolcott remains undetermined.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBoth wrappers retain portions of their original red wax seals. The enclosed letters are no longer present. Neither wrapper should be interpreted as bearing Huntington’s autograph merely because he is named as recipient; the sender identifications appear in contemporary docketing.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOriginal folds, scattered foxing, staining, handling wear and minor edge losses, but generally well preserved and fully legible. An evocative pair connecting Connecticut’s Revolutionary generation with the state’s early Federal-period militia establishment.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Signature Documents LLC","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52738325610778,"sku":null,"price":500.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2221\/0931\/files\/IMG_2496.jpg?v=1787593850"},{"product_id":"1789-william-williams-signer-of-the-declaration-connecticut-revolutionary-war-pension-order","title":"1789 William Williams, Signer of the Declaration—Connecticut Revolutionary War Pension Order","description":"\u003cp class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchorContainer\"\u003eOriginal Connecticut treasury order signed \u003cstrong\u003e“Wm Williams” by William Williams\u003c\/strong\u003e, Connecticut delegate to the Continental Congress and signer of the Declaration of Independence.\u003cspan class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchor\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDated \u003cstrong\u003eSeptember 26, 1789\u003c\/strong\u003e, the manuscript directs the treasurer of the State of Connecticut to make a payment of approximately £58 to pensioners associated with the town of Lebanon. It was issued through Connecticut’s Committee of the Pay Table, the state agency responsible for auditing and paying military accounts, pensions and other obligations arising from the Revolutionary War.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWilliams was a prominent Lebanon merchant and patriot who served in the Continental Congress, signed the Declaration of Independence in 1776, participated in the drafting of the Articles of Confederation and supported ratification of the United States Constitution. The Lebanon connection is particularly appropriate: Williams lived there for most of his life and served the community as town clerk for more than four decades.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe order is additionally signed by John Clark and another state official. Its reverse is numbered \u003cstrong\u003e1131\u003c\/strong\u003e and bears a manuscript certification recording the document in the comptroller’s office on November 10, 1789.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUnlike a purely ceremonial autograph, this document illustrates the practical work of financing the new republic and settling obligations to those who had served during the Revolution.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOne manuscript sheet, written on both sides. Numerous period folds, toning, scattered staining, edge wear and a large circular treasury cancellation hole. The cancellation does not touch the William Williams signature, which remains bold and clearly legible.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Signature Documents LLC","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52741462720794,"sku":null,"price":1195.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2221\/0931\/files\/IMG_2554.jpg?v=1787675069"},{"product_id":"robert-morris-signed-1795-land-company-certificate-issued-to-benjamin-franklin-s-grandson","title":"Robert Morris–Signed 1795 Land Company Certificate Issued to Benjamin Franklin’s Grandson","description":"\u003cp class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchorContainer\"\u003eAn exceptional Founding-era financial document connecting \u003cstrong\u003eRobert Morris, Financier of the American Revolution and Signer of the Declaration of Independence\u003c\/strong\u003e, with \u003cstrong\u003eWilliam Temple Franklin, grandson and secretary of Benjamin Franklin\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003cspan class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchor\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIssued in Philadelphia, this original North American Land Company certificate, No. 963, records William Temple Franklin’s ownership of five shares—numbered 14,023 through 14,027—in the company’s vast American landholdings. The certificate is dated February 20, 1795, and was formally executed on April 18, 1795.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt is boldly signed \u003cstrong\u003e“Rob’t Morris”\u003c\/strong\u003e as company president and countersigned by \u003cstrong\u003eJames Markham Marshall\u003c\/strong\u003e, the brother of future Chief Justice John Marshall.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRobert Morris was among the most consequential figures of the American founding. He signed the Declaration of Independence, Articles of Confederation, and United States Constitution; served as Superintendent of Finance during the Revolution; and helped establish the Bank of North America. His personal credit and financial organization proved indispensable to the American war effort.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe recipient, William Temple Franklin, served as Benjamin Franklin’s secretary during the diplomatic negotiations that concluded the Revolutionary War. He subsequently became his grandfather’s literary executor and participated in major American land transactions.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFounded by Morris, John Nicholson, and James Greenleaf, the North American Land Company attempted to transform approximately six million acres across several states into 30,000 transferable shares. Its failure helped destroy Morris’s fortune and eventually sent the celebrated financier to debtors’ prison.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA compelling association document joining Robert Morris with the immediate family of Benjamin Franklin and illustrating both the ambitions and hazards of speculation in the early republic.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCondition:\u003c\/strong\u003e Substantial overall toning; old folds and creases; scattered small punctures; marginal chipping and losses, particularly along the lower and right edges; and evidence of long-term mounting. Portions of the manuscript are faded, but the principal text remains legible. Robert Morris’s signature is unusually dark and prominent; James Marshall’s signature is lighter but visible. Framed with a portrait and descriptive presentation panel.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Signature Documents LLC","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52748325978394,"sku":null,"price":4800.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2221\/0931\/files\/IMG_2602.jpg?v=1787833687"},{"product_id":"1776-thomas-lynch-jr-the-rarest-signature-of-any-declaration-signer-extraordinary-march-1776-autograph-letter-signed","title":"1776 Thomas Lynch Jr.—The Rarest Signature of Any Declaration Signer—Extraordinary March 1776 Autograph Letter Signed","description":"\u003cp class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchorContainer\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThomas Lynch Jr. (1749–1779), signer of the Declaration of Independence from South Carolina. Autograph letter signed “Thomas Lynch,” Charlestown, South Carolina, March 1, 1776. One page, approximately 8 × 10¼ inches, with integral address panel. Addressed entirely in Lynch’s hand to George Laurence Eaton, Esquire.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchor\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eAn extraordinary Declaration-era letter\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWritten during the opening months of the American Revolution—and only four months before the adoption of the Declaration of Independence—this complete letter bears what is arguably the rarest signature among all 56 signers.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLynch writes:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“I am happy to extend to you the enclosed letter on his Excellys. account. I shall explain to my Father the visit and the reason. With great esteem I have the honor to be your friend.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThomas Lynch”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe address panel is directed to:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“George Laurence Eaton Esquire, Charlestown”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt also bears the delivery notation:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“The politeness of James Coggeshall, Esq.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe letter’s reference to “my Father” is particularly evocative. Thomas Lynch Sr. was himself a prominent Revolutionary statesman who had represented South Carolina in the Stamp Act Congress and the First and Second Continental Congresses. In February 1776, only weeks before this letter was written, the elder Lynch suffered a devastating stroke while serving in Philadelphia.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThomas Lynch Jr. was subsequently chosen to join the South Carolina delegation. He presented his credentials in Philadelphia on April 24, 1776, voted for independence, and signed the engrossed Declaration on August 2. Although his father remained a congressional delegate, paralysis prevented the elder Lynch from adding his own signature. The Lynches were the only father and son to serve together in the Continental Congress.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eSoldier, statesman and signer\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBorn at Hopsewee Plantation in South Carolina in 1749, Thomas Lynch Jr. received an unusually distinguished education at Eton College, Cambridge University and the Middle Temple in London. He returned to South Carolina in 1772 and soon entered public life.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs tensions with Britain developed into war, Lynch served in South Carolina’s Provincial Congresses and was commissioned a captain in the First South Carolina Regiment. While recruiting troops in North Carolina, he contracted a severe fever from which he never fully recovered. Nevertheless, he traveled to Philadelphia to care for his incapacitated father and represent South Carolina in the Continental Congress.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLynch signed the Declaration before his twenty-seventh birthday. His congressional service was brief because of persistent illness. In December 1779, Lynch and his wife sailed from South Carolina aboard the \u003cem\u003ePolly\u003c\/em\u003e, intending to travel to France in search of a healthier climate. Their vessel disappeared at sea, and no trace of them was ever found. Lynch was only thirty—the youngest Declaration signer to die.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eThe rarest autograph among the signers\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThomas Lynch Jr.’s autograph is widely regarded as the rarest of all the Declaration signers when surviving substantive manuscripts are considered. Button Gwinnett has traditionally held that distinction among collectors, but most surviving Lynch autographs are ownership signatures clipped from books formerly in his library.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA scholarly census cited by Sotheby’s recorded only \u003cstrong\u003etwo autograph letters signed by Lynch\u003c\/strong\u003e, compared with numerous clipped book signatures. Nearly all surviving signed documents are held by institutions. Thus, a complete letter written and signed by Lynch is vastly more important and desirable than the small clipped signatures normally encountered.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is not merely the signature of a Declaration signer. It is a war-dated letter written shortly before independence, mentioning Lynch’s father and bearing what is arguably the rarest signature among the 56 signers.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eCondition\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe letter is in \u003cstrong\u003efragile, heavily compromised but historically intact condition\u003c\/strong\u003e, entirely consistent with a manuscript approaching 250 years old:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOverall age toning and discoloration, with darker staining along the original folds.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eInk is substantially faded throughout, although much of the text, address and Lynch’s signature remain discernible under careful examination.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eNumerous horizontal and vertical folds, several of which have separated or are substantially weakened.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMultiple edge losses, chips and irregularities, including losses at the right edge and lower corners.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSeveral small holes and internal paper losses, including losses affecting portions of the text but apparently not removing Lynch’s full signature.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSignificant splitting and fragmentation at fold intersections.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eEvidence of extensive earlier stabilization or reinforcement, with narrow support strips or tissue visible along several folds and edges.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eProjecting tabs and reinforced areas are visible around the perimeter.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe address panel and delivery notation remain present.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLynch’s signature is faded but identifiable and substantially complete.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe condition is undeniably fairr; however, the extreme rarity and historical significance of the manuscript outweigh its physical faults. For a Thomas Lynch Jr. autograph letter—one of only a tiny number believed to survive—preservation of the complete letter, date, place, address panel, historical content and signature is remarkable.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Signature Documents LLC","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52749004046618,"sku":null,"price":375000.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2221\/0931\/files\/lynch_document1_b0a97a4c-da96-4558-b845-a5de31f8b4f2.webp?v=1787853216"},{"product_id":"1774-colonial-rhode-island-land-writ-names-two-declaration-signers-stephen-hopkins-and-william-ellery","title":"1774 Colonial Rhode Island Land Writ — Names Two Declaration Signers, Stephen Hopkins and William Ellery","description":"\u003cp data-pm-slice=\"1 1 []\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eSouth Kingstown, Rhode Island, April 5, 1774.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eOriginal manuscript legal writ issued in the name of King George III, concerning \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e165 acres of land in South Kingstown\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, including buildings, meadow, and pasture. Of particular interest, the document names \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003etwo future signers of the Declaration of Independence: Stephen Hopkins and William Ellery\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAddressed to \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBeriah Brown, Sheriff of King’s County\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, the writ directs him to summon Ephraim Smith, described as “the common vouchee,” in a land-title proceeding involving William Smith. Its language indicates a common recovery, a formal legal procedure employed to establish or clear title to property.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWilliam Ellery of Newport\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e appears in the passage identifying the claimant asserting a right and inheritance in the property. His name has been struck through and a replacement inserted above it, preserving an intriguing contemporary amendment. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eStephen Hopkins\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e is named in the court’s formal witness clause.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eSigned by the prothonotary, whose signature reads approximately “Jo Rodman,” and bearing a service endorsement apparently signed “B Brown, Sherr.” The references to Hopkins and Ellery are within the manuscript text; this document is offered for its association with them, without attribution of either signer’s autograph.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAttractively written in period ink with decorative calligraphy and an embossed paper seal at upper left. Visible condition includes customary folds, small marginal fold splits, scattered staining, and a faint later pencil notation. Text remains substantially clear and legible.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAn engaging colonial Rhode Island manuscript linking land ownership and royal judicial administration with the names of two men who would sign the Declaration of Independence just two years later.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Signature Documents LLC","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":53030966296858,"sku":null,"price":595.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2221\/0931\/files\/IMG_3513.jpg?v=1791374105"}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2221\/0931\/collections\/IMG_2114_f75621ce-444a-4ed6-bc95-7b62451974d2.jpg?v=1787694600","url":"https:\/\/www.princetonaudubonprints.com\/en-ca\/collections\/declaration-and-signers.oembed","provider":"TheArchiveAuthority.com","version":"1.0","type":"link"}