July 2018 Auction Ends Thursday, July 26th, 5pm Pacific
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 7/26/2018
Thomas Paine autograph letter signed, from sometime in the 1790s, when Paine was exiled in France for writing subversive text such as ''Rights of Man''. Paine writes to fellow Revolutionary Ira Allen, brother of Ethan Allen, who was also in Paris periodically throughout the 1790s as a result of his prosecution by the English government. Paine writes in full, ''Dear Citizen - I called at the Caffe Boston today, where I dined, but you were not at home, - will you call on me tomorrow morning, at 12 OClock. / Thomas Paine''. Dated ''4 Vendemiaire'' or 26 September at top, and with verso bearing the name of ''Le General Allen / Americain''.
Interestingly, during this time Cafe Boston was a known haunt of Americans critical of the French government - controlled by Robespierre and the Montagnards, the faction responsible for the Reign of Terror. As Paine spoke out against the execution of Louis XVI, he was subsequently imprisoned by the French government, as was Allen during the 1790s. A 30 December 1802 police report comments about the Cafe, ''Some middle class English people often meet at the cafe Boston on Vivienne Street. They speak only in their own language; our government is always the subject of their conversions, and they say nothing but bad things about it. They take great care not to be overheard''.
Single page letter measures 7'' x 4.75''. Remnants of prior mounting to verso, small hole at bottom and some showthrough from writing on verso. Overall in very good condition, with a bold signature by Paine. Accompanied by a 4.25'' x 6'' engraving of Paine.
Very Rare Thomas Paine Autograph Letter Signed, to Fellow Revolutionary Ira Allen
Click above for larger image.