The Last Spike, Devil's Gate, and Beaumarchais Expedition Document: The Week in Rare Books
Beaumarchais document signed for financing Baron Friedrich von Steuben's passage to America in 1777
This weekly auction result is provided by Spencer W Stuart, an independent collections advisor specializing in rare books and manuscripts as well as fine photography and prints. He is also the author of Contemporary Issues in Rare Books & Manuscript Collecting and host of the monthly webinar Collecting Insights.
These are the three lots that stuck out this week because of either uniqueness or exceeding expectations:
Watkin's print of Devil's Gate
Devil's Gate and the Weber River, Weber Canyon, Utah, 1873, mammoth-plate albumen print. Sold for $20,480 at Bonhams.
Beaumarchais document financing Baron Friedrich von Steuben's passage to America in 1777
A signed document from writer and musician Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais (1732–1799) in French, October 20, 1785, detailing his personal advance of 2,400 livres to Baron Frederich von Steuben for his passage to North America in 1777 in order to assist the Continental Army, plus later accrued expenses. Sold by RR Auction for $65,425.
Mammoth print of The Last Spike
Mammoth albumen print of The Last Spike, 1881, by American artist Thomas Hill. His best-known work, The Last Spike, became famous for its size and detailed portraits of all 71 people involved in the ceremonial joining of the CPRR and UPRR lines at Promontory Summit, Utah, on May 10, 1869. This print is believed to have been used by Hill to establish a copyright of the image with the Library of Congress shortly after its completion. Sold at Freeman's for $17,920 following an estimate of $300-$500.
