Fine Printed and Manuscript Americana

Christie’s Books & Manuscripts Department is pleased to present Fine Printed and Manuscript Americana to be held live in New York on 17 January 2024. Leading the sale is the Stamp Act Defiance Placard—an important and powerful, handwritten protest against British authority authored by the Sons of Liberty and posted throughout the City of New York that played a critically important role in sparking The American Revolution in 1765. Extremely rare, it is one of only two known extant, and the only one privately held. Other important historical pieces include documents marking the beginning and the end of the Civil War including the first record of Robert E. Lee’s acceptance of Grant’s surrender terms at Appomattox as well as James Buchanan’s Presidential message justifying the use of troops to protect the counting of electoral votes and for Abraham Lincoln’s inauguration.

The sale opens with the Library of Ernest E. Keet, focused on the colonial exploration and settlement of New France and New England from the early 17th to 18th centuries. Proceeds from this sale will benefit the Cloudsplitter Foundation, dedicated to improving the economy, community and environment of the Adirondack Region. This superb collection is led by a fine and incredibly rare copy of Samuel de Champlain’s Voyages from 1613. This work contains the first printed map to indicate the existence of the Great Lakes. There is also a nearly complete run of the Jesuit Relations on New France—the most important primary source for 17th-century Canadian history. Other highlights include works by Marc Lescarbot, Melchisédech Thévenot, and multiple contemporary accounts of La Salle’s last voyage. The French and Indian Wars are well-documented including by Samuel Penhallow, Charles Chauncy, and Thomas Mante, taking us into the 18th century.

Explore the sale in person in our Rockefeller Center Galleries from 12 – 16 January.