Dred Scott decision – “Important Decision of the Supreme Court:” in National Intelligencer. Washington: Gales and Seaton, March 7, 1857

This is the announcement of the Dred Scott decision, brought as breaking news by a leading Washington newspaper.

$2,800

United States Capitol. no publisher, c. 1870

This dramatic photograph of the United States Capitol shows the building in the 1870s, after the completion of the new dome and the extensions.

$2,500

Le Conquête de l’Air. Paris: Le Petit Journal, 1909

This spectacular color lithograph commemorates the Grande Semaine d’Aviation of 1909, the first international public flying event and a turning point in aviation history. The powered aircraft featured at the event dominate the center. Surrounding it are portraits of pioneering figures in flight (including Wright, Curtiss, Latham, Fournier, and Blériot) and vignettes from aviation history.

$2,500

Washington Irving. Mr. Bryant’s address on his life and genius. Addresses by Everett, Bancroft, Longfellow, Felton, Aspinwall, King, Francis, Greene. Mr. Allibone’s sketch of his life and works. With eight photographs. New York: Putnam, 1860

First edition. Presentation copy inscribed by the published to S. Austin Allibone, who contributed the sketch of Irving’s life and works. Allibone ewas a leading American editor, author, and bibliographer who is best known for his Critical Dictionary of English Literature and British and American Authors. Other contributors include Longfellow, Bryant, Everett, and Bancroft.

$2,500

To the friends of the slave in the town of Smithfield. Peterboro, New York: [Smith], March 12, 1844

A fiery antislavery broadside by one of the Secret Six.

$2,500

The Gentle Boy: A Thrice Told Tale. Boston: Weeks, Jordan & Co., 1839

$2,400

Bird’s Eye View of Holy Jerusalem. Odessa, 1902

This vibrant chromolithograph bird’s eye view was published in Odessa for the tourist market.

The foreground is dominated by the Dome of the Rock, behind the wall of the Old City of Jerusalem. In the background appear houses of the Old City and the holy sites. Captions in Russian describe selected sites. The title of the lithograph appears in the margins, in Russian, English and French.

$2,400

Portrait Miniature of George and Martha Washington. American, 19th century

$2,200

The Supreme Court. Washington, D.C.: Ed Clark, 1956

Completed in 1935, the magnificent neoclassical Supreme Court Building features the motto “Equal Justice Under the Law” on the west facade. This splendid, enormous color photograph was taken by famed LIFE magazine photographer Ed Clark: “Black Church Leaders pray on the Supreme Court steps for integration to succeed” (Herrera, Frank, Ed Clark: Decades).

$2,200

Carving a Statue. A play in two acts. London: Dr. Jan Van Loewen Ltd, printed by Franell Enterprises, [c. 1964]

This is a rare original script for Graham Greene’s play Carving a Statue which opened on September 17, 1964 at the Theatre Royal Haymarket. The production, directed by Peter Wood and starring Ralph Richardson, closed after a month. Greene blamed Richardson’s “humourless” interpretation of the main character for the play’s failure.

$2,200