EARLY AMERICAN FEBRUARY 2023 SALE SELECTIONS

PREV ARTICLE NEXT ARTICLE FULL ISSUE PREV FULL ISSUE

V26 2023 INDEX E-SYLUM ARCHIVE

The E-Sylum: Volume 26, Number 8, February 19, 2023, Article 21

Here are some lots that caught my eye in the February 25, 2023 Early American History Auctions sale. -Editor

Lot 52: Iron Chest to Store the Monies of the Colony of Connecticut
May, 1771-Dated Colonial Period, Manuscript Document True Copy Period Receipt, Colony of Connecticut, ... that the monies of the colony in the custody of the treasurer be kept therein..., (Colonial Currency), Choice Extremely Fine.

Handwritten Receipt on the Colony of Connecticut for its Treasury, dated May 1771, written in bold rich brown ink on fine quality period laid paper measuring 7.5 x 5. This unique period Colonial Currency Treasury related Document reads, in part:

At a General Assembly of the Governor and company of the Colony of Connecticut holden at Hartford on the second Thursday of May, 1771. Resolved by this Assembly that the treasurer of this Colony be and he is hereby directed to purchase an iron chest of a suitable size at the cost and for the use of this colony and that the monies of the colony in the custody of the treasurer be kept therein. - A true copy of record examined by George Wyllys Secretary.

The reverse side shows cost and shipping information, reading: John Lawrence Treasurer to Thomas Hopkins. 1771 October to 1 Iron Chest (with measurements), carting on board ye vessell, to my commissaries. Hartford 24th October 1771 Received of Treasurer Lawrence Eleven Pounds Sixteen Shillings and Seven Pence Half Penny Lawful Money in Full of the Above Account. -- (Signed) Thomas Hopkins. Paid Captain William Bull for ye freight from new York and paid Mr. Ebenezer Barnard for carting from waterside. -- No. 585 Act of Assembly to Purchase and Iron Chest May 1771 Audited May 1772 for Trumbull (Gov.(ernor) Jonathan Trumbull)

It also shows the money that will be used to pay in York Money (New York Currency). A remarkable document recording the very money chest to the used by the Treasurer of the Colonial of Connecticut to store and protect its currency!

Great numismatic history connection. -Editor

Lot 55: Dutch Church of Upper Canajohary One Penny Note
New York, February 4, 1793, Church-Money Note, Reformed Dutch Church of Upper Canajohary, One Penny, Small Change Private Issue Note, Signed Jacob Maskell, PMG graded Very Fine-25.

A choice Reformed Dutch Church of Upper Canajohary One Penny note, rarely encountered, lacking in most all Colonial Currency paper money collections. Fully Signed Jacob Maskell, this Church-Money note is boldly printed and attractive. This note appears finer in quality to the (2008) 5th Edition Eric Newman The Early Paper Money of America One Penny, shown illustrated on page 308, yet not valued in any grade due to its rarity. Printed by C.R. and G. Webster, Albany its design has extensive typeset text with ornamental border designs on both sides. Boldly signed Jacob Maskell as Treasurer. Holder notes repaired (no repair is seen by this cataloger), likely the PMG grader was confused with tone seen along the right quarter. We have previously sold a similar note on this issue in our EAHA Auction of November 10, 2007 Lot 767, a Two Pence graded About EF, which sold for $1,062.

I really enjoy these colonial-era small change notes, especially Church Money. I don't believe I've seen this one before. -Editor

Lot 171: Buhl One Cent Encased Postage Stamp
EP-8, HB-67, S-38, Reed-BU01, One Cent, F. BUHL & CO., Dealer In Hats & Furs, Detroit, Choice Extremely Fine.

Rated as Rarity-8 (5 to 10 known) according to Fred Reed. A very lovely high quality example of this scarce merchant type. The 1 blue Benjamin Franklin 1861 U.S. Postage issue stamp is fresh and bright, nice and bold in its original color, very well centered with just a small nip out of the paper left of ONE. The mica is clear and unbroken with some faint hairlines from circulation. The natural chestnut-brown case is clean and choice, displaying sharp distinct legends highlighted by traces of luster. One of the nicest examples of this popular merchant we have offered. Previous examples we sold include our EAHA Auction of August 27, 2005 Ex: Dr. Gratz Collection Lot 831, graded Choice EF which sold at $5,605; this currently offered EP-8 was previously sold in our EAHA Auction of October 24, 2014 as Lot 503, where is brought $4,130 nearly a decade ago. More recently, Encased Postage Stamp rarities have been bringing new record results at auction. This example should be noticed.

I've mentioned before how I enjoyed visits from Charlie Gratz when he'd come to my house in Pittsburgh with Encased Postage Stamps auction companies had shipped him for review prior to sales. We'd pore over them, discussing all their pros and cons as he decided which ones to bid on and how much to pay. He assembled a nice collection. -Editor

Lot 174: White The Hatter One Cent Encased Postage Stamp br/> EP-30, HB-234, S-178, Reed-WH01. One Cent, WHITE THE HATTER, New York, "Under Barnum's Museum." Rarity-7 (11 to 15 known), with Original Silvering, Choice About Uncirculated.

Rarity-7 (11 to 15 known) according to Fred Reed. This White the Hatter is a highly popular merchant rarity and is a Key merchant type towards completing a complete 34 Encased Postage Stamp merchant Set. This high quality example has a Civil War 1861 U.S. Postage issue deep bright blue Benjamin Franklin stamp that is well centered yet tilted at an angle when inserted into its case, as made. The crystal clear mica displays the stamp very well. The reverse case legends remain exceedingly sharp, completely defect-free, highlighted with significant traces of original silvering attractively surrounding the central legends.

There were only two examples of EP-30 in the John J. Ford Collection Auction of June 2004, where both were graded Choice Extremely Fine and they sold for $3,738 and $3,450 respectively. A more pleasing example that EAHA offered was in our August 2005 Dr. Gratz Collection which was graded Choice Very Fine and brought $3,245. Here is an opportunity to acquire a bold looking topnotch example of the White The Hatter merchant type with silvery highlights.

Rare merchant that I was never able to acquire for my own Encased Postage Stamp collection. Very nice example. -Editor

Lot 220: Anti-Slavery Hard Times Token
1838-Dated, Anti-Slavery Hard Times Token, Am I Not A Woman And A Sister Copper, Rulau 81, HT-81, Low-54, W-11-720a with a Sharp 1838, Lustrous About Uncirculated.

This historic Black History Anti-Slavery Token measures about 1 in diameter (23.3 mm). Its design is styled after Josiah Wedgewood's very popular Am I Not a Man and a Brother Anti-Slavery theme plaque, being a design which also appeared on some British tokens issued around 1795. This important Black History related token sought to bring attention to the plight of Slaves. In this instance focused particularly on the Black Women who were being held in bondage in many of the American Southern States.

The Obverse features a Black Woman Slave who is down upon one knee, her arms shackled, and is pleading for humanity. The reverse has Liberty 1838 within a wreath at center with the words: United States Of America surrounding. One of the sharpest and well centered examples we have offered. Some faint hairlines seen, possibly lightly cleaned long ago, the surfaces appearing near full lustrous red and far sharper in detail than most Anti-Slavery Hard Times tokens. This example has virtual fully struck sharp wire outer rims. Its red luster is brighter at the peripheries and even over the rest of its surfaces both face and back. The sharpness of the hair detail, chain shackles and 1838 date provide exceptional eye appeal.

Thousands of Josiah Wedgwood's ‘Am I Not a Man and a Brother' Jasperware Cameos were incorporated into brooches, bracelets, earrings and hair ornaments, allowing the wearer to indicate sympathy with the Abolitionist cause. The ‘kneeling slave' image was also rendered on a variety of other artefacts and was considered a very suitable subject for young girls to embroider on their samplers.

‘Am I not a woman and a sister' reads the legend arching over the female figure of Justice as she reaches towards a kneeling black slave woman, who holds her chained hands up in supplication. In the 1830s this powerful emblem was used on printed matter and on artifacts associated with women-only, or ‘ladies', Anti-Slavery associations. It very consciously echoed the motto, ‘Am I Not a Man and a Brother', adopted in 1787 by the founders of the Society for the Abolition of the Slave Trade.

Lot 304: John Adams Indian Peace Medal
1797-Dated, John Adams Indian Peace Medal, Smallest & Rarest Size, 51.1 mm, Second Reverse Type, Struck at the United States Mint in Red-Bronze, Julian IP-1, NGC certified Mint State-64 Brown.

Julian IP-1. This historic John Adams Indian Peace medal has a beautiful natural reddish-brown color with hard satiny surfaces and fully sharp striking details. The original dies for this issue were cut by sculptors Moritz Furst and John Reich, though neither die was signed by them, the obverse is believed to be the only die made by Furst that he did not sign. This current example was struck by the United States Mint after 1878, using the replacement reverse die that is believed to have been made about that same time. It can be distinguished by the closer proximity of the pipe to the P of PEACE. A beautiful example of the Julian reference Indian Peace Medal #1, having very choice eye appeal and housed in its white NGC certification holder, ready to display.

Lot 312: Important 1779 Benjamin Franklin Metal Nini Plaque
"1779"-Dated Revolutionary War Period, Benjamin Franklin Portrait, High-Relief Plaque in Cast Brass Metal, 160 mm, Uniface, by Jean-Baptiste Nini, Signed in text Nini Twice, Exceedingly Rare 6.29 (160 mm) diameter, France, Choice About Uncirculated.

An exceedingly rare Bronze Plaque made by Jean-Baptiste Nini (Italian, Urbino 1717-1786 Chaumont-sur-Loire), Revolutionary War 1779 dated, measuring a large 6.29 (160 mm) diameter, with its original hanger attached at top reverse, as made in France in tribute to the popular American statesmen Benjamin Franklin. A somewhat similar design made in white stoneware and smaller in size is housed at the American Wing of the Metropolitan Museum (The Met) on 5th Avenue in New York City, gifted there in 1901.

There are multiple differences to the current example, as the date on this Bronze is in large Roman numerals, not a small 1779 and here, Nini's personal hallmark crest design is located under the bust of Franklin at right with his name in text within the metal below, plus a second faintly visible NINI also incuse in the metal below Franklin's bust at left. Other than some light friction rub to the highpoints, this Plaque would grade Choice Mint. It is sharp in detail with no bumps or bruises, having high sharp rims and outer surround. The color is a lovely natural rich chestnut-brown with all details and its text appearing sharp and distinct. We have only located one somewhat similar, yet different example in Bronze, smaller measuring 5.8 (149 mm), which does not have Nini's name on it anywhere, neither below the bust or near his hallmark design at left, and its rim designs are very different, than as on this currently offered Franklin Plaque.

Our consignor states this example came out of Europe. We wish to thank numismatic expert Alan Weinberg for his assistance in attribution, stating that he had never before encountered a similar example. Certainly, this a significant type most likely lacking in every collection, and vastly rarer than the standard Terra Cotta types. An important Nini type and an opportunity for Benjamin Franklin specialists.