Description:

John Trumbull
New York, NY, March 20, 1823
Painter John Trumbull Urges Attorney to Recover Stolen Miniature and Punish the Thief
ALS
JOHN TRUMBULL, Autograph Letter Initialed, to James Lanman, March 20, 1823, New York, New York. 2 pp., 7.75" x 5.125". Expected folds; light toning.

In this letter, artist John Trumbull, whose rich historical paintings adorn the U.S. Capitol rotunda, as president of the American Academy of the Fine Arts, called upon Norwich attorney James Lanman to aid the Academy in recovering a miniature stolen from its collection several years earlier.

In 1818, the American Academy of the Fine Arts advertised in the New York newspapers a reward of $100 for the return of two miniature portraits, "the one a gentlemen's set in gold, ornamented with pearl and richly finished on the back, radiated from the center; the other a lady's without setting, but fixed in a plain casing." One of these may have been the miniature about which Trumbull wrote this letter. More than a year after Trumbull wrote to Lanman, in June 1824, the Academy again advertised in New York newspapers a reward of $30 for the return of a miniature of two ladies, painted by M. Meucci, and a miniature of the Polish General Tadeusz Kosciuszko, "dressed with a turban and feather."

Complete Transcript
New York 20th Mar 1823.
Hon James Lanman Esqr. / Norwich
Dear Sir
Referring to our conversation when we last met on the subject of the miniature which was stolen from the Academy some years ago; I now enclose to you the Letter of T. S. Perkins Esqr of N London to me in answer to one of which Copy is also enclosed.
I also enclose a letter to Mr Perkins which I beg you to send to him: after consulting with him I beg you will do for the Academy what is just & right in recovering for them what remains of the object stolen & in punishing the Thief:—your kind attention to this subject will be gratefully acknowledged by the Institution & by your faithful servant & friend.
J.T.

John Trumbull (1756-1843) was born in Lebanon, Connecticut, to Jonathan Trumbull, who served as Connecticut governor from 1769 to 1784. A childhood accident deprived him of the use of one eye, and he graduated from Harvard College in 1773. From 1775 to 1777, he served as a soldier in the Revolutionary War, and as an aide to Generals George Washington and Horatio Gates. In 1780, he turned to art as a profession and traveled to London, where he met Benjamin Franklin. He studied under American painter Benjamin West and specialized in painting miniature portraits. After British Major John André was captured and hanged as a spy in the fall of 1780, Trumbull was arrested in London for treason and imprisoned for seven months. After his release, he returned to the United States, where he arrived in January 1782, and worked with his brother in supplying the Continental Army in 1782 and 1783. He again traveled to London to study painting under West and began to paint large historical works, including Battle of Bunker Hill, Surrender of Lord Cornwallis, and Declaration of Independence, based on small portraits he painted over five years of the 56 signers of the document. Congress purchased four of Trumbull's Revolutionary-era portraits, which now hang in the United States Capitol rotunda. He also painted portraits of many of the Founding Fathers, including Washington, Adams, Jefferson, Hamilton, Jay, and others. In 1794, he acted as secretary to John Jay in London during the negotiation of the treaty with Great Britain. He served as president of the American Academy of the Fine Arts, founded in New York in 1802, from 1816 to 1836. Because of financial problems, Trumbull sold 28 paintings and 60 miniature portraits to Yale University for a lifetime annuity of $1,000. He published his autobiography in 1841, two years before he died in New York City.

James Lanman (1767-1841) was born in Norwich, Connecticut, graduated from Yale College in 1788, studied law, and was admitted to the bar in 1791. He began a law practice in Norwich, and in 1802, he was appointed as a justice of the peace for New London County. From 1814 to 1819, he also served as state's attorney for the county and in 1817 served in the U.S. House of Representatives. He represented Connecticut in the U.S. Senate (1819-1825), and served as judge of the Connecticut superior and supreme courts (1826-1829) and mayor of Norwich (1831-1834). While in the Senate, he voted with the South on the Missouri Compromise and was burned in effigy in his hometown of Norwich.

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.

WE PROVIDE IN-HOUSE SHIPPING WORLDWIDE.

  • Dimensions: 7.7" x 5.125"
  • Medium: ALS

Accepted Forms of Payment:

ACH, American Express, Discover, MasterCard, Money Order / Cashiers Check, Personal Check, Visa, Wire Transfer

Shipping

Unless otherwise indicated, we do our own in-house worldwide shipping!

Applicable shipping and handling charges will be added to the invoice. We offer several shipping options, and remain one of the few auction houses who proudly provides professional in-house shipping as an option to our clients. All items will ship with signature required, and full insurance. Most items are sent via Federal Express, with P. O. Box addresses being sent through USPS. We insure through Berkley Asset Protection with rates of $.70 per $100 of value, among the lowest insurance rates in the industry. Our shipping department cameras document every package, both outgoing and incoming, for maximum security. In addition, we compare our shipping and handling rates against those of other auction houses, to ensure that our charges are among the lowest in the trade.

Upon winning your item(s), you will receive an invoice with our in-house shipping and handling fees included. ***We will ship to the address as it appears on your invoice. If any changes to the shipping address need to be made, you must inform us immediately.***

International shipments: In order to comply with our insurance provider, all international shipments will be sent via Fed Ex and customs paperwork will show a value of $1.00. International buyers should contact our office directly with any questions regarding this policy.

Third Party Shipping Option: If a third party shipper is preferred, the buyer is responsible for contacting them directly to make shipping arrangements. For your convenience, we have provided some recommended shippers. For your protection, we will require a signed release from you, confirming your authorization for us to release your lots to your specified third party. At that point, our responsibility and insurance coverage for your item(s) ceases. Items picked up by third party shippers are required to pay Connecticut sales tax. Items requiring third party shipping due to being oversized, fragile or bulky will be denoted in the item description.

Please see our full terms and conditions for names of suggested third party shippers.

After payment has been made in full, University Archives will ship your purchase within 10 business days following receipt of full payment for item.

Please remember that the buyer is responsible for all shipping costs from University Archives' offices in Wilton, CT to the buyer's door. Please see full Terms and Conditions of Sale.

August 7, 2024 10:00 AM EDT
Wilton, CT, US

University Archives

You agree to pay a buyer's premium of 25% and any applicable taxes and shipping.

View full terms and conditions

Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $99 $10
$100 $299 $20
$300 $499 $25
$500 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $2,999 $200
$3,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 + $5,000