Tea Leaves
Item #80165
DRAKE, Francis S. Tea Leaves: Being a Collection of Letters and Documents Relating to the Shipment of Tea to the American Colonies in the Year 1773, by the East India Tea Company. Now First Printed from the Original Manuscript... Boston: A. O. Crane, 1884. Two volumes. clxxxiv; [185]-375pp. plus frontispiece and twenty-seven plates or facsimiles, extra-illustrated with an additional fifty plates, one newspaper clipping, and fifteen original manuscripts or signatures. Small quarto. Contemporary three-quarter brown morocco and cloth, spines gilt, raised bands, t.e.g. Light shelf wear. Occasional minute foxing, repaired tear to p.335. Near fine. An elaborately extra-illustrated copy of this 19th-century work on the history and legacy of the Boston Tea Party. Drake, provides a short history of the Tea Party and brief biographical sketches of as many of the participants as possible, along with more than two dozen portraits and numerous in-text signature facsimiles and other illustrations. Along with these sketches, Drake presents the text of contemporary and later poems and ballads about the incident as well as many letters and documents which were new to the public at the time of publication. This copy has been divided into two volumes and spectacularly extra-illustrated with an additional fifty portraits and illustrations, one newspaper clipping, and fifteen original manuscripts or signatures, all from participants or other figures closely connected to the Tea Party. Present are, among others, an autograph document by Samuel Adams as president of the Massachusetts Senate informing the Lt. Governor of newly elected senators (including Caleb Strong and Elbridge Gerry), a legal document discussing a probate matter written and signed by Thomas Hutchinson, a partially-printed form accomplished in manuscript by famous patriot Thomas Melvill, an autograph note from Lord North (signed "North") authorizing payment to the Duke of Newcastle, and an autograph letter, signed, from John Hancock to his brother Ebenezer requesting "three hundred of pump nails and nothing more." An interesting late 19th-century work on the Boston Tea Party, made truly unique by the generous addition of portraits, illustrations, and original manuscript documents connected to the event's leading figures. A full list of manuscripts and autographs bound wi.
Price: $25,000.00