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Sale 75: The Sescal Sale

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Documents, Free Franks and Autographs

Lots 136-145 Lot 146

Lot 136

(Post Office)"Transportation of the Mails" Post Office Department Draft, two similar 1857 allegorical drafts, one signed by Postmaster General Aaron V. Brown and other by acting Postmaster General Horatio King, the latter with red "Newark, N.J., Paid, Sep 4" cds; usual folds, Very Fine.
Estimate    $300 - 400.

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Lot 137    

Blaine, James G., (1830-1893) Speaker of the House of Representatives, 1869-1875. Free frank signature as Speaker of the House of Representatives, on cover addressed to the U.S. Minister in St. Petersburg, Russia, carried by hand by their friend, F.L. Dingley, a Maine newspaper publisher, Very Fine.
Estimate    $100 - 150.

Realized: $120

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Lot 138    

Dunbar, David, Lieutenant Governor of New Hampshire. Folded Autograph Letter Signed David Dunbar and datelined "Wednesday Morning, Apr. 20th 1737" to Ebenezer Stevens at Kingston, cover endorsed "For His Majestys Service" at top; small cover tear, Very Fine and early New Hampshire free frank.
Estimate    $500 - 750.

David Dunbar (fl. 1728-1737) was a British military officer, a surveyor of the King's woods in North America, and lieutenant governor of the Province of New Hampshire. Of Scotch-Irish origin, Dunbar married into a wealthy and politically influential family, and received his first North American appointment, that of Surveyor of the King's Woods, in 1728, through the influence of his family connections and that of Martin Bladen, a member of the Board of Trade. In this position he made numerous local enemies in his enforcement of regulations governing the cutting of trees that could be used as ship masts. He was the leader of an attempt to establish a colony named "Georgia" in what is now the central coast of Maine, and was in 1730 commissioned as lieutenant governor of the Province of New Hampshire in an attempt to strengthen his authority. He engaged in frequent disputes with New Hampshire's Governor Jonathan Belcher. He established Fort Frederick in Maine.

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Lot 139

Gates, Horatio, ALS, 1+pp., folded letter datelined "Rose Hill, 13th July 1793" with some news "…The French have beat the Spanish Army near Bayonne & driven them into Spain with great slaughter & Disgrace; it is also believed that the German Armies upon the other Frontier of France, have since the dedection & desertion of General Drumoner been severly handled by the French; This cannot fail to produce peace and Freedom, to that Country…" and signed "Horatio Gates", entered mails with partial "New York July 13" straightline and red manuscript "20" cent rating to Shepherds Town Va. (current day WV); edge wear, Fine.
Estimate    $500 - 750.

Realized: $500

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Lot 140    

Hayes, Rutherford B., (1822-1893) 19th President of the United States, 1877-1881. 9-page Autographed Manuscript Signed as Minister of Chancery during his rare period as a Lawyer in Lower Sandusky, datelined Sandusky (Ohio) Supreme Court, July 24, 1846, with his name "R.B. Hayes" additionally in the document two times besides his signature at the end, also with part of deposition signed by Jesse Olmstead, a judge and later U.S. Representative from Ohio, who had held the contract between Myers and Whyte, Very Fine, a very rare example of his first period of work as a young lawyer.
Estimate    $750 - 1,000.

ONE OF THE LONGEST AUTOGRAPHED MANUSCRIPT SIGNED BY RUTHERFORD B. HAYES.

A long deposition taken by Hayes in a lawsuit over a contract between Barney Myers and Edward Whyte who had entered a partnership in a saddlery business. Hayes had just graduated from Harvard where he received his LLD and had started a practice in Sandusky in 1845. He was there until 1847 when he became ill and moved to Cincinnati. This is a very rare example of his first period of work as a young lawyer.

Realized: $725

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Lot 141    

Lee, Arthur, Delegate from Virginia (Continental Congresses of 1781-84), head of the Board of Treasury Department. Autograph free frank "Free A. Lee" as commissioner of the Board of Treasury on folded cover addressed in his hand to William Ellery, commissioner of the Continental Loan Office for Rhode Island at Newport, straightline N. YORK*NOV 15 handstamp and FREE rating handstamp, neat 1786 docketing on backflap, Very Fine, ex-Grunin.
Estimate    $1,000 - 1,500.

A RARE CONTINENTAL CONGRESS PERIOD FREE FRANK.

Realized: $1,600

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Lot 142

Monroe, James 1758-1831, 5th President of the United States 1817-25, signature on 1823 general land office grant (12½x10") for tract of land in Arkansas, to corporal in the 5th regiment of infantry; some slight soiling and foxing, F.-V.F.
Estimate    $500 - 750.

Realized: $350

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Lot 143

Read, George 1733-1798, Signer of the Declaration of Independence and Constitution, signature on 1781 legal document (8¼x2¼') addressed to Gen. J. Bedford, writ of arrest to answer of a plea of trespass, few small holes well away from autograph and script, otherwise Very Fine.
Estimate    $400 - 600.

George Read (1733-1798) was a Delaware politician and lawyer most noted for signing the Declaration of Independence. In 1787, Read was selected as a delegate to the U.S. Constitutional Convention. He later served as a U.S. senator and chief justice of Delaware.

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Lot 144    

Taylor, Zachary, (1784-1850) 12th President of the United States, 1849-1850. Free frank signature as U.S. President on fresh 1849 cover to Baltimore, Md., addressed entirely in Taylor's hand, red "Washington D.C., Free, Oct 9" cds; minor cover folds, Very Fine and choice.
ASCC $2,000    Estimate $1,000 - 1,500.

Taylor had an impressive military career, serving in the War of 1812 and the Black Hawk War. In the Mexican War, he earned the nickname "Old Rough and Ready" after defeating Santa Anna. He was elected President in 1848 after Polk retired. While in office, he opposed slavery and the Compromise of 1850, and signed the Clayton-Bulwer Treaty with England regarding the building of a canal in Central America. He died after eating some cherries and ice milk on the Fourth of July.

Because Taylor served as President for only sixteen months, from March 1849 until his death on July 9, 1850, and because his correspondence was closely monitored, he ranks only behind William Henry Harrison and James Garfield in terms of scarcity of his presidential material.

Realized: $3,000

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Lot 145    

Taylor, Zachary, (1784-1850) 12th President of the United States, 1849-1850. Free frank "Public service, Z. Taylor Majr., 7th Regt. Inft." as Major on the 7th Regiment Infantry, on 1813 folded letter to Washington, D.C., clear "Frank(for)t, Ky, Mar 27" cds, with holograph letter explaining his presence at that place as witness at the court of enquiry concerning General Hopkins conduct signed "Z. Taylor"; file folds, Very Fine.
Estimate    $750 - 1,000.

After the War of 1812, Taylor resigned his commission but later in 1816 re-entered after gaining a better commission in the Army as a Major. He commanded Fort Howard for two years at the Green Bay, Wisconsin settlement. In 1818 he then returned to Louisville and his family. In April 1819 he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel and would command the Cantonment in the Bay of St. Louis.


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Realized: $900

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Lots 136-145 Lot 146

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