Sell Your Slave Letter for up to Nearly $6,000 at Nate D. Sanders Auctions
FREE ESTIMATE. To buy, auction, sell or consign your slave letter that is for sale, please email your description and photos to [email protected] of Nate D. Sanders Auctions (http://www.NateDSanders.com).
Slave Letter Sold at Nate D. Sanders Auctions
We at Nate D. Sanders Auctions sold a scarce letter from three former slaves requesting emancipation for $5,910. Lot details are below:
Three Former Slaves Ask to be Discharged From Civil War Service — Extremely Rare Letter
Very good 1865 letter signed with an “X” mark by three former slaves, asking to be emancipated now from service in the U.S. Navy during the Civil War. Letter dated 22 June 1865 reads in full, “U.S.S. New ‘Era’ / Mound City Ills / June 22nd 1865 / Sir, There are three of us attached to this vessel who have been in the Navy from one year to eighteen months over the time for which we understood we were shipped. When we ask for our discharges we are told that we have been set down for the war. The war is now over to all appearance. Will you please allow us to be discharged so that we can see our wives and families from whom we have been some time separated. We are all colored men and formerly slaves. / Very Respectfully / Your Obdt Servants / William Vulcher / Timothy Harvey / Benjamin King”. Letter is signed by what looks like Acting Ensign Schelky, who forwards the letter to Admiral S.P. Lee. With docketing on verso granting their request, “petition for discharge of Vulcher, Harvey and King (coloured) of USS New Era / Refd to lt Wm Flye (previous officer and captain off USS Monitor) if these men came under different orders that have been given in regard to discharging men. Discharge them and make requisition for others to fill their places. Livingston Commander Naval station Mound City Ills Aug 4th 1865”. Letter has toning and folds, else near fine. Sold for $5,910.
We also sold the following items:
“Uncle Tom’s Cabin” Inscribed Book by Harriet Beecher Stowe
Harriet Beecher Stowe signed and inscribed copy of her incendiary work “Uncle Tom’s Cabin; or, Life Among the Lowly.” Published by Houghton, Osgood and Company, The Riverside Press: Boston: 1879. The “Holiday Edition,” inscribed and signed by the author in pencil on a preliminary leaf, “Very truly yours / H. B. Stowe / Bay View House / Aug. 16 1879.” A specially-designed reinvention of the book with the first appearance of Stowe’s 31-page introduction in which she describes the book’s creation. Octavo hardcover runs 529 pages, profusely illustrated with 106 illustrations in the text, some full-page; additionally, a stereoview showing Stowe’s residence is laid in. Publisher’s three-quarter dark brown morocco over marbled boards with gilt titles and rules, and all edges gilt. Marbled endpapers. Text bordered in red. Housed in a red cloth clamshell case with a red leather spine label lettered in gilt. Binding and corners rubbed. Binding somewhat shaken with rear hinge detached. Front hinge starting. Despite these flaws, a clean, very good copy of a title rarely encountered signed. Sold for $3,709.
Consign your slave letter at Nate D. Sanders Auctions. Send a description and images of your slave letter to us at [email protected].
Harriet Beecher Stowe Signed “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” — Also Includes Rare Inscribed Biblical Verse by Stowe
“Uncle Tom’s Cabin” signed and inscribed by Harriet Beecher Stowe dated 29 July 1893. Boston: Houghton, Mifflin & Company: 1893. Inscribed on the flyleaf, “Warren G. Kittredge with the best wishes / of his friend / Harriet Beecher Stowe / July 29 1893 / He that is faithful in that / which is least is faithful / also in much / Luke 16,10.” The Bible quote ties in with the sentiments Stowe writes of in Chapter XVII “The Freeman’s Defense”. The elderly Simeon encourages George with a quote from Psalms, and says “…it is often those who have least of all in this life whom He chooseth for the kingdom. Put thy trust in Him, and, no matter what befalls thee here, He will make all right hereafter.” Stowe’s signature is dark and clear. 566pp. hardcover has wear around edges and spine. Inside pages are heavily toned around edges, but very good condition otherwise. Front end papers with inscription are separated from binding. Small tear and crease along the right edge of the flyleaf just touching “that” and “faithful” of inscribed Biblical verse without any affect on legibility. In good condition. Sold for $3,000.
FREE ESTIMATE. To buy, auction, sell or consign your slave letter that is for sale, please email your description and photos to [email protected] of Nate D. Sanders Auctions (http://www.NateDSanders.com).
Nate D. Sanders Auctions offers the following services for your slave letter:
- Appraise slave letter.
- Consign slave letter.
- Valuate slave letter.
- Slave letter appraisal.
- Slave letter estimation.
- Slave letter consignment.