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Sale 24
Manuscript and Collectibles Auction
| Documents-Slavery/Black History |
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| Lot |
Photo |
Description |
Realized |
Lot 519 |
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1777 Quaker Manumission of a Mulatta Woman. Partly-printed slave manumission signed by John Brown of Bristol, Bucks County, Pennsylvania "this Twenty seventh day of the First month," 1777, 1 pg. oblong octavo. Brown promises to "set free from bondage, my Mulatta Woman named Savina Long aged about Thirty four years." Witnessed by James Moon and Thomas Stapler. John Brown signed boldly and his red wax seal is present. Docketed as being "Recorded in quarterly Meeting Book page 10th," which denotes this document as a Quaker document, as does the date. The Quakers were the first religious group to declare en masse that slavery was wrong and to require that their members free their slaves. Benjamin Franklin was so affected by the Quakers' committment tht he formed one of the first Abolitionist Societies in Philadelphia. Fine.
Estimated Value $800 - 1,000.
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| Realized
$1,725 |
Lot 520 |
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Withdrawn
| Unsold |
Lot 521 |
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Withdrawn
| Unsold |
Lot 522 |
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Withdrawn
| Unsold |
Lot 523 |
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Withdrawn
| Unsold |
Lot 524 |
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Withdrawn
| Unsold |
Lot 525 |
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Cargoes of Slaves Offered For Sale. The June 8, 1807 issue of the Charleston Courier offers four cargoes of slaves on Page 3. The brig Alfred holds "84 very prime Negroes, from the Windward Coast…."; the ship Africa holds "280 very prime Congo slaves"; the Daphne has "460 prime Congo slaves"; and the ship Alice "364 prime Negroes, from Bonny." 1807 was the last year that it was legal to import slaves into the United States. The very attractive front page has 20 ship woodcuts and a woodcut of a runaway slave.
Estimated Value $200 - 300.
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| Unsold |
Lot 526 |
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Charleston Courier, June 13, 1807. 19½ x 12 inches, 4 pp. Page 2 has ads for the sale of four cargoes of slaves: 48 "prime Gold Coast slaves" from the schooner Concord; 105 "prime Windward Coast slaves" from the schooner Hiram; 460 "prime Congo slaves" from the Daphne, and 280 "very prime Congo slaves" from the Africa. The year 1807 marked the last year that slave importation was legal. At the insistence of President Thomas Jefferson, Congress passed a law that prohibited the importation of slaves from Africa, effective January 1, 1808. Page 1 has two ads for runaway slaves, with woodcut illustrations of a fleeing slave; page 1 also has 14 ship woodcuts. Some paper loss at spine, away from text; normal toning and light foxing.
Estimated Value $200 - 300.
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| Unsold |
Lot 527 |
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The Daily Progress, Raleigh, North Carolina, November 19, 1864. Single sheet, 2 pp, 20½ x 15 inches, Very Good. Page 2 devotes four columns to harsh criticism by the leading newspapers of the Confederacy of President Jefferson Davis' recent message regarding arming the slaves and restricting the press. Page 1 has 3 ads for slave sales, two of them public auctions. One is for a group of six men, a girl, and a woman and child, all of whom are "sound and healthy…not refugee negroes." Another ad offers "BARGAIN IN NEGROES!" which offers "A family of very likely House and Plantation Servants, five men and boys, three women and two children, all intelligent and trustworthy…" in exchange for "a small farm convenient to a railroad."
Estimated Value $200 - 300.
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| Unsold |
Lot 528 |
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(Flipper, Henry Ossian) (1856-1940) First African-American to graduate from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point; distinguished in a variety of governmental and engineering positions. Manuscript Document listing "The First Class according to Merit in Ordnance and Gunnery," Headquarters U.S. Military Academy, West Point, N.Y., June 14, 1877, 1½ pages, 10 x 7½ inches. Flipper's name appears as number 57 in the list of 76 cadets. Signed by an adjutant of the 10th Infantry, by command of Major General Schofield. Light toning; mounting traces down right edge of verso, else Fine. Upon graduation, Flipper was commissioned second lieutenant and assigned to the 10th Cavalry. In 1881, his commanding officer accused him of "embezzling funds and of conduct unbecoming an officer and a gentleman." Flipper was court-martialed and acquitted of embezzlement but found guilty of conduct unbecoming an officer and dismissed from the Army. On February 19, 1999, President Clinton pardoned Flipper, recognizing an error and acknowledging the lifetime accomplishments of this American soldier.
Estimated Value $400 - 600.
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| Unsold |
Lot 529 |
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Folded 1831 Letter About the "negro girl Rachel." A frantic 2½ page letter from Mrs. Husband, Herberts Roads, Maryland, to Thomas Bell, Esqr. in Bell Air, about a slave named Rachel. In part, "You may recollect the contention…The girl belonged to Tommy at the time of the appraisement…two days before the sale, he …forbid the sale…and shew'd Mr. Bradford an article he had received of our Mother wherein she promises to return his negro or an equivalent. She was very troublesome to Mother…I promised to take care of her and at his return…give her to [Tommy]…Mary Brown, from a foolish consciousness, wants her to be free…I beg of you to have her awarded to him…She has now become dangerous and is a most diabolical negro and there is too many of them free already. I lay down in terror every night on her account and if she is not put in the hands of some one who can carry authority, there will be murder done…." Some toning and small fold tears. Very Good.
Estimated Value $300 - 400.
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| Realized
$173 |
Lot 530 |
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Oath Regarding The Freedom Of A Mulatto Woman With A White Mother. Manuscript document signed by William H. Poole, Justice of the Peace for Frederick County, Maryland, May 3, 1828, 1 page, 7¾ x 8 in. Poole certifies that Mary Ann Welsh appeared before him and swore that "Mary Harper (a mulatto woman) was free born and that said Mary Ann Welsh knew the mother of said Mary Harper and said mother was a white woman and was free previous to the birth of said Mary Harper." Overall toning, else Fine. A scarce document. Mulatto children were more commonly from slave women and white plantation owners.
Estimated Value $150 - 250.
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| Realized
$109 |
Lot 531 |
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Reconstruction Letter Mentioning Negro Troops. A 2-page letter from C.I. Hudson in Columbus, Georgia to his father, Feb. 15, 1868. In part: "Your freemen say that you shall be pleased with their work…Ted is getting to be the best negro that you have got. He thinks every thing is working all along smoothly and intends to do his best to please you….Prince and his contractor had a difficulty…I have been threatening to run him off but have not so far….Negro troops garrison Columbus and it is supposed that they will also be sent to Hamilton." With envelope. Very Good to Fine.
Estimated Value $150 - 200.
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| Unsold |
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