Freeman’s | Hindman’s Fine Printed Books and Manuscripts, Including Americana auction later this month features around 350 lots of works of Americana and Natural History.
One of the most significant offerings is Lot 299, a thick paper first edition of The Federalist (NY, 1788) from the library of Dr. John Talbot Gernon (estimate: $60,000 - $80,000). Written primarily by Alexander Hamilton, with contributions from John Jay and James Madison, The Federalist essays were pivotal in shaping public opinion during the ratification of the U.S. Constitution.
This rare thick-paper issue, intended for presentation, is one of only seven to appear at auction in the last 50 years. It bears a watermark similar to those found on 1789 Connecticut banknotes made by early American papermaker Samuel Levis. The copy is believed to have been owned by Captain David Olmstead, a Revolutionary War veteran who served at West Point and the Battle of Ridgefield.
Also going under the hammer is a complete run of Limited Editions Club publications (1929–2010, Lot 131) with an estimate of $50,000 – $60,000, believed to be the only complete run of these works to ever appear at auction. Founded by George Macy, the Limited Editions Club produced works of world literature with accompanying illustrations by artists such as Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse, and Thomas Hart Benton. Each title was issued in numbers of 1,500 and was sold to club members for an annual subscription fee of $10 (roughly $150 today). Under later leadership, the club continued this tradition, adding works by modern artists like Faith Ringgold, Robert Motherwell, Phoebe Beasley, and Balthus.
Offered with an estimate of $60,000 – $80,000 is John Gould’s A Monograph of the Trochilidae [1849-] 1861 (Lot 234). Most of the subjects came from Gould's own collection of Hummingbird specimens, a number of which he exhibited at the Regent's Park Zoological Gardens during the Great Exhibition of 1851. The plates gave Gould the chance to display the new technique of imitating the birds' iridescent plumage by the use of brilliant metallic coloring. In total, the auction includes eight monographs by Gould reflecting his pioneering contributions to art and natural history.
