![[JEFFERSON, Thomas]. Notes on the State of Virginia: written in the year 1781, somewhat corrected and enlarged in the winter of 1782, for the use of a Foreigner of distinction, in answer to certain queries proposed by him.... [Paris: Philippe-Denis Pierres for the author], 1782 [i.e., 1785].](https://www.christies.com/img/LotImages/2013/NYR/2013_NYR_02717_0145_000(jefferson_thomas_notes_on_the_state_of_virginia_written_in_the_year_17050127).jpg?w=1)
PROPERTY FROM A DIRECT DESCENDENT OF THOMAS JEFFERSON
[JEFFERSON, Thomas]. Notes on the State of Virginia: written in the year 1781, somewhat corrected and enlarged in the winter of 1782, for the use of a Foreigner of distinction, in answer to certain queries proposed by him.... [Paris: Philippe-Denis Pierres for the author], 1782 [i.e., 1785].
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[JEFFERSON, Thomas]. Notes on the State of Virginia: written in the year 1781, somewhat corrected and enlarged in the winter of 1782, for the use of a Foreigner of distinction, in answer to certain queries proposed by him.... [Paris: Philippe-Denis Pierres for the author], 1782 [i.e., 1785].
8o (7¾ x 4 7/8 in.). Lacks folding table usually bound between pp.168 and 169, full-page woodcut of Madison's Cave (p. [35]). On page 5, five words regarding the Appomattox River are crossed out in ink (presumably by Jefferson himself). With the appendix (pp.367-391) containing additions by Charles Thomson (1729-1824), and "A Draught of a Fundamental Constitution for the state of Virginia" (pp.[1]-14). Contemporary speckled French calf, flat spine gilt-ruled in six compartments, one with spine label gilt-lettered JEFFERSON NOTES, speckled edges, marbled endpapers (front cover detached; spine extremities chipped, corners discretely repaired).
PRESENTATION COPY TO DAVID S. FRANKS (ca.1740-1793). One of only 200 copies printed for private circulation. The issue with leaves D2-3 cancelled (concerning a theory for the presence of fossils at high elevations). Presented to David S. Franks, a noted Jewish-American officer and diplomat, with his ink inscription by him on verso of title: "This Book was given by the Author Mr. Jefferson to [David S. Franks] at Paris 7th Feb. 1787." Franks's name is heavily inked out but barely readable). Accompanying the book is a letter of Worthington C. Ford, Massachusetts Historical Society, Boston, 20 June 1911, to T. Jefferson Coolidge, Jr. confirming the identification of the recipient. The handwriting of the inscription perfectly matches samples of Franks's hand at LOC.
Jefferson's descriptive essays on his home state of Virginia are "a classic statement about the promise and the perils of the American experiment" (Frank Shuffleton, Introduction to Notes). Jefferson's notes embrace topography, natural history, botany, mineral and agricultural productions, manufactures, religion and government, and features a pioneering bibliography of state papers. It was begun in the spring of 1781 in response to questions from the Marquis de Barbé Marbois, Secretary of the French Legation in Philadelphia, on behalf of the French government. Marbois's queries were forwarded to Jefferson, who promised Marbois on 4 May 1781 that he intended to give "as full information as I shall be able to do" (Papers, 5:58). For some years, Malone reports, he had been "making memoranda about Virginia on loose sheets of paper"; after leaving the governorship, he returned to Monticello and took up the project in earnest (Jefferson the Virginian, p.374). In December, he forwarded Marbois a draft, cautioning that it was "very imperfect" (Papers, 6:142). Once he had taken up residence in Paris as U.S. Minister to France, he prepared a private edition; in May 1785, he announced to James Madison that the printers "yesterday finished printing my notes. I had 200 copies printed, but do not put them out of my own hands, except two or three copies here, and two which I shall send to America, to yourself and Colo. Monroe..." (Papers, 8:147). Bernstein, Are We to be a Nation?, pp.133-136; Church 1189; Howes J-78; Sabin 35894; Streeter Sale 3:1722.
David Franks, one of three high ranking Jewish officers in the Continental Army, was born in Philadelphia, but lived in Montreal before joining the patriot cause. He helped arm and provision General Montgomery's ill-fated Canada expedition. He joined the Continental Army, serving with the Third Artillery Regiment, spent the winter of 1777-1778 at Valley Forge, and was assigned to Benedict Arnold as an aide-de-camp with rank of Major. When Arnold's treason was discovered, Franks escorted Arnold's distraught wife, Peggy Shippen, back to Philadelphia. Arnold's aides, Franks and Richard Varick were completely exonerated by a courts-martial. As Franks was fluent in Spanish and French, he was employed as a diplomatic courier and sailed for Europe in July 1781, to deliver key papers to John Jay in Spain and to Franklin in Paris. Promoted to Colonel, he carried the Treaty of Paris from Paris to America. He served for several years as American Vice-Consul at Marseilles in 1784. When a treaty with Morocco was negotiated in early 1787, Franks carried the document from Madrid to Paris and on to London to obtain the signatures of Thomas Jefferson and John Adams. It is on this mission that Jefferson most likely presented this copy of Notes to Franks. Returning to America, Franks was one of eight veteran "assistants" who escorted George Washington to his inauguration at New York's Federal Hall.
Provenance: David S. Franks, presentation from Jefferson (inscription) -- Edward Livingston (1764-1836), who drafted the legal code for Louisiana and battled Jefferson over land there (elaborate bookplate engraved by Peter Maverick) -- purchased by T.J. Coolidge, c. 1911 (see accompanying letter of Worthington C. Ford).
8o (7¾ x 4 7/8 in.). Lacks folding table usually bound between pp.168 and 169, full-page woodcut of Madison's Cave (p. [35]). On page 5, five words regarding the Appomattox River are crossed out in ink (presumably by Jefferson himself). With the appendix (pp.367-391) containing additions by Charles Thomson (1729-1824), and "A Draught of a Fundamental Constitution for the state of Virginia" (pp.[1]-14). Contemporary speckled French calf, flat spine gilt-ruled in six compartments, one with spine label gilt-lettered JEFFERSON NOTES, speckled edges, marbled endpapers (front cover detached; spine extremities chipped, corners discretely repaired).
PRESENTATION COPY TO DAVID S. FRANKS (ca.1740-1793). One of only 200 copies printed for private circulation. The issue with leaves D2-3 cancelled (concerning a theory for the presence of fossils at high elevations). Presented to David S. Franks, a noted Jewish-American officer and diplomat, with his ink inscription by him on verso of title: "This Book was given by the Author Mr. Jefferson to [David S. Franks] at Paris 7th Feb. 1787." Franks's name is heavily inked out but barely readable). Accompanying the book is a letter of Worthington C. Ford, Massachusetts Historical Society, Boston, 20 June 1911, to T. Jefferson Coolidge, Jr. confirming the identification of the recipient. The handwriting of the inscription perfectly matches samples of Franks's hand at LOC.
Jefferson's descriptive essays on his home state of Virginia are "a classic statement about the promise and the perils of the American experiment" (Frank Shuffleton, Introduction to Notes). Jefferson's notes embrace topography, natural history, botany, mineral and agricultural productions, manufactures, religion and government, and features a pioneering bibliography of state papers. It was begun in the spring of 1781 in response to questions from the Marquis de Barbé Marbois, Secretary of the French Legation in Philadelphia, on behalf of the French government. Marbois's queries were forwarded to Jefferson, who promised Marbois on 4 May 1781 that he intended to give "as full information as I shall be able to do" (Papers, 5:58). For some years, Malone reports, he had been "making memoranda about Virginia on loose sheets of paper"; after leaving the governorship, he returned to Monticello and took up the project in earnest (Jefferson the Virginian, p.374). In December, he forwarded Marbois a draft, cautioning that it was "very imperfect" (Papers, 6:142). Once he had taken up residence in Paris as U.S. Minister to France, he prepared a private edition; in May 1785, he announced to James Madison that the printers "yesterday finished printing my notes. I had 200 copies printed, but do not put them out of my own hands, except two or three copies here, and two which I shall send to America, to yourself and Colo. Monroe..." (Papers, 8:147). Bernstein, Are We to be a Nation?, pp.133-136; Church 1189; Howes J-78; Sabin 35894; Streeter Sale 3:1722.
David Franks, one of three high ranking Jewish officers in the Continental Army, was born in Philadelphia, but lived in Montreal before joining the patriot cause. He helped arm and provision General Montgomery's ill-fated Canada expedition. He joined the Continental Army, serving with the Third Artillery Regiment, spent the winter of 1777-1778 at Valley Forge, and was assigned to Benedict Arnold as an aide-de-camp with rank of Major. When Arnold's treason was discovered, Franks escorted Arnold's distraught wife, Peggy Shippen, back to Philadelphia. Arnold's aides, Franks and Richard Varick were completely exonerated by a courts-martial. As Franks was fluent in Spanish and French, he was employed as a diplomatic courier and sailed for Europe in July 1781, to deliver key papers to John Jay in Spain and to Franklin in Paris. Promoted to Colonel, he carried the Treaty of Paris from Paris to America. He served for several years as American Vice-Consul at Marseilles in 1784. When a treaty with Morocco was negotiated in early 1787, Franks carried the document from Madrid to Paris and on to London to obtain the signatures of Thomas Jefferson and John Adams. It is on this mission that Jefferson most likely presented this copy of Notes to Franks. Returning to America, Franks was one of eight veteran "assistants" who escorted George Washington to his inauguration at New York's Federal Hall.
Provenance: David S. Franks, presentation from Jefferson (inscription) -- Edward Livingston (1764-1836), who drafted the legal code for Louisiana and battled Jefferson over land there (elaborate bookplate engraved by Peter Maverick) -- purchased by T.J. Coolidge, c. 1911 (see accompanying letter of Worthington C. Ford).