What: A pair of Revolutionary War-era imprints more than tripled the high estimate and sold for $8,750 recently in a sale of rare books, autographs and photographs at Doyle New York. Only five copies are known to be in institutions or libraries.
More: Consigned by The New York City Bar Association, the document has a handwritten date of 1907 penciled on the front. Consisting of a pair of rare revolutionary Williamsburg imprints including names of the printers, the acts include those related to “Kentuckey” county and acts securing lands and bounty for soldiers, surgeons, chaplains, etc.
Smart collectors know: Early Americana, including documents relating to the country’s very earliest years, are highly prized by collectors.
Hot tip: Early documents bearing official stamps —this one has several — are sought by collectors. Tax stamps and the like often add considerable value.
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Bottom line: The sale catalog tells that another copy sold at Sotheby’s in 1999 for $7,475. That sum set a benchmark exceeded in this sale.
