Rare Book Monthly
Articles - November - 2005 Issue
Freeman's Begins Third Century with Celebration
The first publication, or public printing, of the U.S. Constitution
These lots are part of the first day's sale:
Lot 1. 1 vol. (Bible in German.) Biblia, Das ist: Die Heilige Schrift Altes und Neues Testaments, Nach der Deutschen... Martin Luther. Germantown: Christop Saur, 1743. First edition. 4to, orig. sheep over wooden bds.; rubbed & worn, 1 clasp (of 4) only, several metal border ornaments. Title page mounted to inside of front cover, chipping to edges of title page with loss of printing at top of leaf affecting top half of "Biblia." Lacking leaves A2-A4 (pp. 3-8) and Ii2 & Ii3 (pp. 251-254) in New Testament; leaf E1 (pp. 53, 54) in New Testament defective. With the 4 pp. "Kurtzer Begriff" misbound at end. With "Borrede" leaf not called for by Arndt at end. Moderate foxing & dampstaining, some chipping to terminal fore-edges. With separate New Testament title page. Variant B of title page. The first Bible printed in North America in a European language. Evans 5128; Arndt 47
$1,500-2,500
Lot. 2. 1 vol. (Pennsylvania Imprints on American Indians.) Bound collection of 18th-Century pamphlets & c, relating to American Indians: Dickenson, Jonathan. God's Protecting Providence,... Deliverance of Robert Barrow,... Shipwreck... inhumane Canibals of Florida.
Philadelphia: William Bradford, 1751. Fourth edition. 8vo, (2), (4), 180 pp. Light to moderate foxing. Trimmed - heads close shaved no loss of printing. Evans 6658; Sabin 20015. See Siebert 430. * Post, Christian Frederich. The Second Journal of..., on a Message from the Governor of Pensilvania to the Indians of Ohio. London: J. Wilkie, 1759. First edition. 8vo, (i-vi), (1)-67 (68). Title page darkened & with scattered staining, light to moderate foxing. Trimmed - no loss of printing. Howes P-501; Sabin 64453; Siebert 534. * [Walton, William.] A Narrative of the Captivity and Sufferings of Benjamin Gilbert; who were Surprised by the Indians,... Philadelphia: Joseph Crukshank, 1784. First edition. 8vo, (i-iv), (1)-96. Light to occasionally moderate foxing. Trimmed - no loss of text. Evans 18497; Howes W-80; Siebert 439. * Read, Charles. Copy of a Letter... to the Hon. John Ladd. Philadelphia: Andrew Steuart, 1764. First edition. 8vo, (1)-8. Title page slightly browned, scattered foxing. Evans 9809. * [Franklin, Benjamin.] A Narrative of the late Massacres in Lancaster County, of a Number of Indians, Friends of this Province. [Philadelphia: Benjamin Franklin and David Hall], [1764]. First edition. 8vo, (1)-31 (32). Moderate foxing to title page, other light to moderate foxing. Evans 9667; Howes F-327; Miller 807; Siebert 173. * Hopkins, Samuel. An Address to the People of New England. Representing the Very great Importance of attaching the Indians to their Interest... Philadelphia: B. Franklin and D. Hall, 1757. 8vo, (1)-27 928). Title page slightly darkened, light foxing. Evans 7917; Miller 660. Collection assembled by John Pemberton. Signed by Pemberton on front free endpaper of vol.; at head of title page of Dickenson title very top of signature trimmed away; at head of title page of Post title - most of signature trimmed away; at head of title page of Walton title - top half of signature trimmed away; at head of title page of Read title - slightly shaved; at head of title page of Franklin title; at head of title page of Hopkins title. Also with the 1811 ownership signature of Jonathan Evans on the front free endpaper recto & his bookplate on the front paste-down. Bound in late 18thcentury sheep-backed bds.; edge wear, front cover detached. Dickenson's God's Protecting Providence, first published in 1700, stands as a richly detailed early Indian Captivity Narrative.
