Description:

John Joy Leases John Singleton Copley's Land

Manuscript Document, 4pp, bifolium, 7.25" x 9", Boston, Massachusetts, March 7, 1796, a lease for land in Boston Common from John Singleton Copley to John Joy. Signed at the conclusion, "John Joy", beside a paper-covered wax seal. A 7.25" x 1.5" section has been clipped from the final page, likely where Copley, or his counsel, would have signed. Expected folds. Minor age toning. Some scattered spotting. 

John Singleton Copley (1738-1815) was an Anglo-American painter, active in both colonial America and England. After becoming well-established as a portrait painter of the wealthy in colonial New England, he moved to London in 1774, never returning to America. In London, Copley met considerable success as a portraitist for the next two decades. His later years were less successful, and he died heavily in debt. He was the father of John Copley, 1st Baron Lyndhurst.

John Joy (1751-1813) was an apothecary born in Boston to a prominent merchant family in Massachusetts. He was the son of loyalist John Joy, and the brother of Benjamin Joy, an East India merchant who served as the first U.S. Consul to India. 

Both Joy brothers had estates neighboring Copley's and were part of the Mount Vernon Proprietors, a group that acquired and developed the land on the south slope of Beacon Hill, including that of Copley's, into a desirable residential neighborhood. From Copley’s vantage point in England, the land seemed like a worthless cow pasture, but, due to the impending construction of the Massachusetts State House, and unbeknownst to Copley, it was in fact quite a valuable parcel. 

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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