Goldberg Coins and Collectibles

Sale 49

Manuscript, Collectibles and Aerospace Auction

Black History

Lot	Photo	Description	Realized
Lot 829		Black Massachusetts 54th Enlistment Document. Partly-printed document, being an Enlistment and Bounty Agent Payment Certificate detailing Stephen Warren Morehouse joining Company E, of the 54th Massachusetts Regiment, at "Head Quarters U.S. Forces Lighthouse Inlet," at Folly Island, South Carolina, 2pp, 7¾ x 9¾ in., 28 May 1864. Accompanied by a docket page, dated 11 Aug.1864, serving as proof for receiving his payment of the $50.00 Enlistment Bounty. There are confirmation signatures across the front written in blue, red and brown ink, approving the document. Morehouse was paid the sum of fifty dollars at the time of his enlistment. The upper portion of the document states: "No. 363. Fort Green May 28th, 1864. I hereby Certify on honor, That Private Stephen W. Morehouse of Mealone N.Y. has been enlisted into Company E, 54th Regiment Mass. Vols., and duly mustered into the service of the United States." Signed by Colonel E.N. Hallowell and Lieutenant Colonel H. Worthy Hooper of the 54th Regiment, Massachusetts. Edward N. Hallowell took over as the Colonel of the 54th regiment after the death of Col. Robert Gould Shaw--who died in July 1863 during the ill-fated attack on Fort Wagner in South Carolina. Hallowell, in contrast to the fallen Shaw, treated his soldiers badly. Black regiments were always headed by white officers. We assume that Morehouse was white, because he was paid $50, when men were generally paid $25, black or white. This was also before Congress passed the equal pay law for African American soldiers later that year. Estimated Value $1,500 - 2,000. View details and enlarged photo	Unsold
Lot 830		Brown, John & Brown, John Jr. With First Edition "John Brown's Body." (1800-1859) Abolitionist Leader who tried to start an armed slave rebellion. Portion of an autograph letter signed, "Your Affectionate Father, John Brown", 3½ x 3½ in. With notation below "Autograph of John Brown from letter addressed to John Brown Jr. March 24th, 1851 [signed] J. B. Jr." Fine. The letter has been pasted to the blank front flyleaf of a First Edition of Stephen Vincent Benet's novel in verse, "John Brown's Body" (NY: Doubleday, Doran and Company, 1928), 377pp.The letter fragment has been neatly trimmed; some light glue stains in the corners, else fine. Bookplate of Otto Orren Fisher is attached inside the front book cover, with a short pencil notation. Protected by a mylar covering, the book has bumps to the top and bottom of the spine and lacks a dust jacket, and otherwise in very nice condition. Estimated Value $1,000 - 2,000. View details and enlarged photo	Unsold
Lot 831		"Buffalo Soldier" Discharge. Two partly-printed documents regarding the discharge of "Pleasant Mayberry, Captain Lewis Johnson's Company G of the 24th Regiment of Infantry, born in Murray County, in the State of Tennessee aged 21 years… Brown complexion… by occupation a Farmer… for Five years, who is now discharged by reason of S(pecial). O(rder). No 130…" 12¾ x 8 in. The Final Statement shows monies due to and from this soldier, with the remark that Mayberry had been "Sentenced to be confined at hard labor for (6) six months, forfeiting his monthly pay for the same period!" The second document is a voucher detailing the balance paid to Jones upon his discharge, who adds his mark at bottom right, 11 x 8½ in. Both documents are fine. After the Civil War, the U.S. Army recruited four regiments of African Americans to serve on the Western frontier. The men of the 24th and 25th Infantry and the 9th and 10th Cavalry fought Indians, built forts, pursued desperadoes, and protected railroad builders. Because their curly hair and their bravery reminded the Indians of buffaloes on the Plains, they called the soldiers "Buffalo Soldiers." Estimated Value $400 - 600. View details and enlarged photo	Unsold
Lot 832		Full Plate Tintype Of A Black Woman, c.1860. This full plate tintype shows a young Black woman seated beside a table with her hands folded in her lap. The photographic details of her face and hands are sharp. Aside from these, the rest of this portrait has been professionally hand-painted, including the gold ring on her right hand. This wonderful early portrait of an African American woman is presently held in a simple, gold-painted wooden frame. Museum quality. Estimated Value $800 - 1,000. View details and enlarged photo	Unsold
Lot 833		"Liberty" Advocate B. F. Wade Fights Slavery in Kansas. 1856 Imprint: "ADMISSION OF KANSAS," a historic Speech by Senator B.F. Wade, Buell & Blanchard, Printers, Washington, DC, 16pp, 9¼ x 5¾ in. The speech was given on 2 July 1956 in the senate of the United States. Lightly toned and separated in half. "I come before the senate today as a Republican, or as some prefer to call me, a Black Republican… I come here especially as the advocate of Liberty instead of Slavery." B.F. Wade was the leader of the anti-slave minority and later in his career became president pro tempore of senate in 1867. Estimated Value $100 - 150. View details and enlarged photo	Realized $86
Lot 834		Missouri Broadside "Sheriff's Sale of Land and Slaves". Printed Broadside, "Sheriff's Sale of Land and Slaves," dated December 31, 1854, Ray County, Missouri, Very Fine. This 18 x 12½ in., well printed Broadside has crisp deep black lettering with a Banner Headline announcing a "Sheriff's Sale of Land and Slaves". There are a few well hidden fold splits within the top headline and at bottom, otherwise this impressive Slave Sale Broadside is bold and vivid on wove paper of the period. This imposed sale is due to a court case involving the family of William, Robinson, and Emma Jacobs, apparently in settlement of the Last Will and Testament of Robinson Jacobs, who is deceased. The real estate includes store house, timber, and: "the following slaves, to-wit: one negro man named Henry, one negro woman named Chaney, and her infant child, and one negro woman named Winney, said Slaves to be sold for ready money…." Signed in print by the, "B.J. Brown, Sheriff of Ray county, Mo." W.M. Jacobs also has a printed notation at the bottom of the Broadside highlighting the timber and a storehouse. This Broadside is in wonderful overall quality, having excellent strong eye appeal which would make a great display item properly matted and framed! A remarkable, historic Slave Sale Broadside from the volatile, antebellum Missouri region of 1854. Estimated Value $2,500 - 5,000. View details and enlarged photo	Unsold
Lot 835		Rare 1796 Printed Anti-Slavery Document. Printed document titled "An Ordinance For the Government of the Territory of the United States Northwest of the River Ohio." Stating: "There shall be neither slavery nor involuntary servitude…," 16pp, disbound from "The Laws of the United States of America," 7¾ x 4¾ in., published in 1796 by Richard Folwell of Philadelphia. The last nine pages are the table of contents for all three volumes of Folwell's historic publication, including the laws passed at the first and second sessions of Congress and the treaties between the U. S. and other nations. The first seven pages hold the seven Articles of the Northwest Ordinance. Article VII forbids slavery in the Territory. Light toning and staining, not affecting legibility. Estimated Value $900 - 1,200. View details and enlarged photo	Unsold
Lot 836		17th Century Copperplate Engraving of The Slave Trade. C. 1650, Copperplate Engraving Depiction of the Early African Slave Trade, c. 1650. Depicting an early sailing ship anchored in a harbor, probably in Africa. In the foreground, the ship's captain buys a shackled African slave from another European or perhaps a Muslim, handing him coins from his moneybag. In the background are many other shackled slaves waiting to be transported. The engraver's name "Sloesfew Sculp." appears in the lower right, just outside the frame. With this engraving are two pages of text, written in the German, Latin, French and Italian languages, describing the slave trade as it then existed. The engraving and text, measuring 9½ x 7¼ in., were apparently removed from an old book or gazette. Both are in excellent condition, without tears, and with only a few very small age spots (only 1 on the engraving). Estimated Value $400 - 600. View details and enlarged photo	Realized $575
Lot 837		1813 Kentucky Broadside Offering Slaves For Hire. Broadside for the Rust Family Estate Sale, including "A Number of Negroes … Men, Boys, Women and Girls," 6½ x 7½ in., 10 Dec. 1813. Printed during the War of 1812, likely in Kentucky, announces an auction sale "… on the plantation now occupied by Capt. John Rust, on liberal credit, the whole of the personal estate belonging to the infants of said Rust - consisting of Horses, Cattle, Hogs, Farming utensils, etc. etc…" The second part reads: "Also A Number Of Negroes Will be hired to the highest bidder (unless previously hired by private contract) by the year, consisting of Men, Boys, Women and Girls…" Signed in print by Jasper Seybold, Trustee and Wm. P. Flemig, Guardian for the Heirs of Rust. This last name is probably a printing error for Fleming, as there was a William P. Fleming living in Fleming County, KY at that time. Apparently the father of the Rust children had died and his infant children inherited his estate, most of which was being sold by the Trustee, except for the slaves, who were being hired out to provide an income for the children. Estimated Value $1,500 - 2,500. View details and enlarged photo	Unsold
Lot 838		1864 U.S. Senate Amendment 41 Re Military Service For Persons of African Descent. Original printed Act "Intended to be proposed by Mr. Wilson to the bill (S. 41) 'To promote enlistments in the army of the United States, and for other purposes….," 12 x 8 in., 2 pp (includes back docket), 1864. This amendment states that any African-American already in service is to be mustered into the service of the U.S. military or navy and his wife and children are to be set free. The amendment also makes provision for compensation to the owner of the wife and children for loss of services. Fair condition; two tears on the left edge from where the Bill was pulled out of a book; heavy staining in a band running across the middle of the document. Extremely rare. Estimated Value $600 - 800. View details and enlarged photo	Unsold
Lot 839		Currier & Ives. "The Darktown Fire Brigade - A Prize Squirt. 'Now den! Shake her up once moah fur de Mug'". Color print, 12 x 16 in., 1885, depicting a company of Black fire fighters operating a hand-pump fire hose as part of a competition. In the background, a Black official holds a prize cup for the winning team, labeled "Prize Mug." The leader of the fire crew holds a megaphone and a bouquet of flowers. In the foreground is a red and white May Pole topped with a Liberty Cap. As in other Darktown Series prints by Currier & Ives, this print stereotypes African-Americans as stupid, lazy and inept. The Liberty Cap is probably shown to point out what the White community believed happened when slaves were given their freedom. Done in vivid and highly colorful red, blue, yellow, green, black and browns, this print is housed in a modern wooden frame (not examined out of frame). Fine. Estimated Value $500 - 1,000. View details and enlarged photo	Unsold
Lot 840		Currier & Ives/ Thomas Worth. "Spoiling A Sensation - The Bicycle Boy on a Bull". Stone lithograph, hand-colored and signed, from the Darktown Series, 1881, 12 x 15 in. with 1in. plus margins, framed in an early 20th century, black ebonized wood frame. Depicting an African-American high wheel cyclist caught on the horns of a charging bull - his cycle in pieces and his friends aghast! In the background, a Black woman wearing a top hat holds a mule. With the printed signature of the artist "Th(omas) Worth". Excellent condition. The colors are bright and vibrant. There is a very light water stain below the title and a single spot of foxing to the right of the legend. Estimated Value $500 - 1,000. View details and enlarged photo	Unsold
Lot 841		[Pennsylvania] Archive Re Black Crime 1823-71. Collection of 26 documents from Adams County, Pennsylvania, dated 1823-1871, charging African Americans with crimes ranging from larceny, burglery, and cow stealing to rape. Documents are both manuscript and partly-printed. They include warrants, true bills, and other instruments chronicling misdemeanors and felonies committed or alleged to have been committed by African American. Various sizes, all folded, with some fold breaks. Very good to fine. Estimated Value $1,250 - 1,500. View details and enlarged photo	Unsold
Lot 842		Slave Leg Shackles With Original Lock. Large hand-wrought slave leg iron shackles with lock and key, c. 1800. Large size, 40 in. long when extended. with dual 4½ in. leg iron locking rings and an 8½ in. lock and key. The tapered end of the slave shackles measures 15½ in.; the lock end was placed around one end and the opposite end of the slave shackles were locked around the slave's ankles. Original brown-rust surface patina to the cast iron. (3 items). Estimated Value $1,000 - 1,500. View details and enlarged photo	Unsold
Lot 843		[Slavery] Two Scarce Early 1800s Title Newspapers. Two scarce title newspapers from the early 1800's: Greenfield Gazette, July 8, 1805 (Massachusetts) and American Mercury September 6, 1814. Articles include "A Rank Dish in the Mercury" about a supposed proposition to merge the black and white races: "…Its object is to destroy Negro Slavery in this country, root and branch and to give the most convincing proof of the people's regard for republican equality, by a general sexual intercourse between the whites and blacks…" Many other articles and news of the War of 1812 including an ad for military goods, an account of the capture of Washington, news of the Niagara Campaign, and more. Good/Very Good. Estimated Value $150 - 200. View details and enlarged photo	Realized $86