Description:

Peter Force Signed 1844 Document Re: Book Purchases

Manuscript document on a bifolium, 8" x 9.25". Signed by Peter Force with a large, bold signature "Peter Force", and dated January 24, 1844. Expected creasing and toning. Integral address leaf, addressed to a bookseller in New York. Shown in part below:

"I received this morning, your letter of the 21st with the list of books. I will take the whole you name... you may leave them with Bartlett who will soon send a package of books to me, and I will pay them or pay you which ever you prefer...  "

Peter Force (November 26, 1790 – January 23, 1868) was an American politician, newspaper editor, printer, archivist, and early American historian. He was twice elected the twelfth Mayor of Washington D.C. During his lifetime he amassed an invaluable and vast collection of books, manuscripts, original maps and other archival material from statesmen, and American and British military officers of the American Revolution. Force's collection is considered to be among the most extensive.

In 1833, Peter Force, under contract with the Department of State authorized by Act of Congress, planned to compile a vast work in at least 20 volumes, to be known as the "American Archives, a Documentary History of the English Colonies in North America." It would include legislative records, documents, and historic private correspondence. Six volumes were published from 1837-1846 and three more between 1846-1853. The nine volumes covered the years 1774-1776. Inserted in Volume 1 was the famous Force copy of the Declaration of Independence.

Force served in the Washington militia as a lieutenant during the War of 1812. Politically, he was a member of the Whig Party, and supporter of John Quincy Adams. He is mostly noted for editing and publishing a massive collection of historical documents, books and maps in several volumes involving the American colonies and the American Revolution which was ultimately purchased by the Library of Congress for a large sum. Force founded a political journal and other publications and was president of a premier national science society, and the Typographical Society which was largely charged with the task of communicating political affairs to the general public. Force served on the committee that approved the Geographical Department for the Library of Congress. During the international political unrest caused by the American Civil War, Force was sent to Europe by the Lincoln Administration to stabilize diplomatic relations with France and England.

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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May 26, 2021 10:30 AM EDT
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University Archives

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