Lot 119

Van Buren Signed Affix the Seal for the Vice Consul at the Port of Mobile, Alabama

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Van Buren Signed Affix the Seal for the Vice Consul at the Port of Mobile, Alabama

Estimate: $400 - $500

Current Bid: $220

(5 Bids)

June 17, 2026 10:00 AM EDT
Live Auction
Wilton, CT, US

Description:

Martin Van Buren
Washington, DC, January 29, 1840
Van Buren Signed Affix the Seal for the Vice Consul at the Port of Mobile, Alabama
DS

Martin Van Buren signed "Affix the Seal" document. 1 p., 7.5" x 7" (sight); Washington; January 29, 1840. Van Buren directs the "Secretary of State to affix the Seal of the United States to an Exequatur for George Westfeldt as vice consul of Sweden and Norway for the port of Mobile." Signed, "M Van Buren." Not examined out of the frame. Light thumbsoiling along margins. Matted and framed to an overall size of 11.75" x 14.625".

George Westfeldt arrived in America from Sweden in 1835 to assume a diplomatic post. In 1840, he became vice consul at Mobile and a decade later, founded Westfeldt Brothers, a green coffee importer. The business moved to New Orleans two years later and exists today under the same family ownership.

By 1840 when Westfeldt was vice consul there, Mobile had become one of the most significant cotton-exporting ports in the United States, ranking second only to New Orleans in terms of cotton shipments. The city's strategic location at the mouth of the Mobile River, with access to the Gulf of Mexico, made it a crucial gateway for Alabama's cotton-producing regions in the fertile Black Belt.

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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  • Dimensions: 14.625" x 11.75"
  • Medium: DS

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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