The Property of
A Descendant of NOAH WEBSTER (1758-1843)
WEBSTER, NOAH, American Lexicographer. Autograph manuscript leaf from his American Dictionary, n.p., n.d. [before 1828]. 4 pages, 4to, on two integral leaves, clean fold separations especially to second leaf, one square section detached without loss (repairable).
Details
WEBSTER, NOAH, American Lexicographer. Autograph manuscript leaf from his American Dictionary, n.p., n.d. [before 1828]. 4 pages, 4to, on two integral leaves, clean fold separations especially to second leaf, one square section detached without loss (repairable).
THE LARGEST FRAGMENT OF WEBSTER'S DICTIONARY TO APPEAR ON THE MARKET IN MANY YEARS
The manuscript consists of approximately 500 words in Webster's bold, hurried hand, with corrections or deletions in the text in some dozen places. One entire definition, for "Bivalve" or "Bivalvular" is lined out, as are long passages defining "Birch" and "Bitumen." The manuscript comprises Webster's definitions of some 30 terms: Biped, Bipedal, Bipennate or Bipennated, Bipetalous, Bipinnatifid, Biquadrate, Biquadratic (sub-definitions include Biquadratic equation, Biquadratic parabola, Biquadratic power, Biquadratic root) Biquintile, Biradiated, Birch, Birchen, Birch of Jamaica, Bird, Bitter-sweet, Bitter vetch, Bitterwort, Bittour, Bitt (n. and v.), Bitume or Bitumen, Bitumenated, Bitumeniferous, Bitumenize, Bitumenous, Bivalve, Bivaulted, and Bivouac. The list features an unusual number of scientific and technical, botanical and mineralogical terms, including Webster's interesting definition of "Bird": "a chicken or young fowl, a young or small fowl. In modern usage, a fowl or flying animal. It is to be regretted that this word is used as the generic name of flying or winged animals. A bird is a chicken; fowl...signifies the flying animal & is the proper generic term; & this was used at the time when the present version of the scriptures was made." Authorities cited by Webster include Dryden, Milton, Barlow, Martyn and others.
Leaves from the manuscript of Webster's pioneering An American Dictionary of the English Language (New Haven, 1828) are relatively uncommon, though from time to time whole or partial leaves appear on the market. Interestingly, all of these seem to have a Webster family provenance. Two leaves on the market in recent years bore inscriptions from one of Webster's daughters (one, a partial leaf, was sold here 19 November 1986, lot 247). Another, a single-page leaf (sold here on 8 June 1990, lot 197) also descended in family hands. Since the present and the following lot both come from descendants, it appears that Webster's offspring may have been given (by Webster?) detached leaves from his manuscript as souvenirs, long after the book's publication. In any case, the bulk of the manuscript, some 450 pages in Webster's hand, is in the collections of the Pierpont Morgan Library, the gift of ___ in 19__ . See H. Cahoon, T.V. Lange and C. Ryskamp, American Literary Autographs (New York, 1977), no.1 and p.208.
Provenance:
1. Mary Webster Southgate, daughter of Noah and Rebecca Webster
2. Mary Southgate Webster, daughter of the above, adopted by her grandparents, Noah and Rebecca Webster, later married Henry Trowbridge, Jr.
3. Scott Douglas Bevan, by descent through four generations (details available upon request)
4. The present owner (2)
THE LARGEST FRAGMENT OF WEBSTER'S DICTIONARY TO APPEAR ON THE MARKET IN MANY YEARS
The manuscript consists of approximately 500 words in Webster's bold, hurried hand, with corrections or deletions in the text in some dozen places. One entire definition, for "Bivalve" or "Bivalvular" is lined out, as are long passages defining "Birch" and "Bitumen." The manuscript comprises Webster's definitions of some 30 terms: Biped, Bipedal, Bipennate or Bipennated, Bipetalous, Bipinnatifid, Biquadrate, Biquadratic (sub-definitions include Biquadratic equation, Biquadratic parabola, Biquadratic power, Biquadratic root) Biquintile, Biradiated, Birch, Birchen, Birch of Jamaica, Bird, Bitter-sweet, Bitter vetch, Bitterwort, Bittour, Bitt (n. and v.), Bitume or Bitumen, Bitumenated, Bitumeniferous, Bitumenize, Bitumenous, Bivalve, Bivaulted, and Bivouac. The list features an unusual number of scientific and technical, botanical and mineralogical terms, including Webster's interesting definition of "Bird": "a chicken or young fowl, a young or small fowl. In modern usage, a fowl or flying animal. It is to be regretted that this word is used as the generic name of flying or winged animals. A bird is a chicken; fowl...signifies the flying animal & is the proper generic term; & this was used at the time when the present version of the scriptures was made." Authorities cited by Webster include Dryden, Milton, Barlow, Martyn and others.
Leaves from the manuscript of Webster's pioneering An American Dictionary of the English Language (New Haven, 1828) are relatively uncommon, though from time to time whole or partial leaves appear on the market. Interestingly, all of these seem to have a Webster family provenance. Two leaves on the market in recent years bore inscriptions from one of Webster's daughters (one, a partial leaf, was sold here 19 November 1986, lot 247). Another, a single-page leaf (sold here on 8 June 1990, lot 197) also descended in family hands. Since the present and the following lot both come from descendants, it appears that Webster's offspring may have been given (by Webster?) detached leaves from his manuscript as souvenirs, long after the book's publication. In any case, the bulk of the manuscript, some 450 pages in Webster's hand, is in the collections of the Pierpont Morgan Library, the gift of ___ in 19__ . See H. Cahoon, T.V. Lange and C. Ryskamp, American Literary Autographs (New York, 1977), no.1 and p.208.
Provenance:
1. Mary Webster Southgate, daughter of Noah and Rebecca Webster
2. Mary Southgate Webster, daughter of the above, adopted by her grandparents, Noah and Rebecca Webster, later married Henry Trowbridge, Jr.
3. Scott Douglas Bevan, by descent through four generations (details available upon request)
4. The present owner (2)