Description:

Washington George 1732 - 1799 The Life Of Washington, inscribed in 1839 to John Gorham Palfrey, a member of the U.S. Congress and House of Representatives



"The Life of Washington," Ferdinand Andrews, 1839, 6" x 9.75". Signed and inscribed by the author, Jared Sparks, to "John G. Palfrey." Embossed blue cloth, faded at spine, with gilt titles. Rebacked with the original cloth laid back down. Original end papers present with bindery embossed stamp to front. Slight rubbing/edgewear to the corner tips. The binding is tight and square. All original tissue guards present but with foxing. The book is very clean with the exception of the end papers and pages that contain the tissue guards which are foxed and have offsetting.


A wonderful example of this historical title with a great association, may have been a presentation copy by the author to John Gorham Palfrey with the inscription of "John G. Parfey, with the compliments and regards of the Author, Jan. 31st, 1839." At the time of the publication of the book, Palfrey was a theologian, writer and professor. However, by 1842, Palfrey opted for a career change, and was elected as a Whig to the Massachusetts House of Representatives and later as MA secretary of state (1844-1848), and a Representative in the U.S. Congress (1847-1849). He was a "Conscience Whig" who opposed slavery, having freed sixteen slaves inherited from his father, who, like his two brothers, was a successful Louisiana plantation owner. His anti-slavery views alienated him from more conservative members of his district, such as the "Cotton Whigs," and in 1848 he was unsuccessful in his campaign for re-election. However as the anti-slavery movement grew in Massachusetts his fortune changed and he later secured an appointment as Postmaster of Boston, a post he held from 1861 to 1867

Perfect for the collector of historical books and made that much more important having been presented to John Gordon Palfrey, a passionate politician during the era leading up to the Civil War and one who championed the fight against slavery.

Accepted Forms of Payment:

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

Shipping

Applicable shipping and handling charges will be added to the invoice. Shipping and handling costs are competitive as we maintain discounted contracts with FedEx. If you have any questions, contact University Archives prior to bidding. After payment has been made in full, University Archives will ship your purchase within 5 business days following receipt of full payment for item. We currently ship via FedEx but if your purchase is shipping to a P.O. Box, we ship via USPS. All items are insured. We ship from our offices in Westport, CT. We may opt to use a third party shipper for very fragile, bulky or oversized items. Items requiring third party shipping will be denoted in the item description. Packages shipped internationally will have full value declared on shipping form. International buyers will be responsible for any customs fees incurred.

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

University Archives

You agree to pay a buyer's premium of 20% 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