Apr 16, 2026 10:00 EST
Rare Books, Autographs & Maps
200
Extraordinary color plates of the geology of St. Helena
SEALE, ROBERT F.
The Geognosy of the Island St. Helena, Illustrated in a Series of Views, Plans and Sections; Accompanied with explanatory remarks and observations. London: Ackermann and Co., 1834. First edition. Old (perhaps period) cloth with marbled sides. 14 x 20 3/4 inches (35.5 x 53 cm); 25, [1] pp.; 11 hand-coloured lithograph plates, 8 lithograph mounted vignettes, most hand-colored. The binding rather worn but sound, some minor staining to the fore-margin; the plates are generally clean.
The plates are striking in the extreme, making this among the finest geological works of the era. Abbey Travel 317: "One hundred and four copies were subscribed, including forty to the East India Company". Robert Seale, born on St. Helena, was in the employ of the East India Company. Notable geologists such as Murchison, Buckland and De La Bechi are among the subscribers listed, and a copy of the work was in the library of H.M.S. Beagle.
Sold for $2,304
Estimated at $800 - $1,200
Includes Buyer's Premium
SEALE, ROBERT F.
The Geognosy of the Island St. Helena, Illustrated in a Series of Views, Plans and Sections; Accompanied with explanatory remarks and observations. London: Ackermann and Co., 1834. First edition. Old (perhaps period) cloth with marbled sides. 14 x 20 3/4 inches (35.5 x 53 cm); 25, [1] pp.; 11 hand-coloured lithograph plates, 8 lithograph mounted vignettes, most hand-colored. The binding rather worn but sound, some minor staining to the fore-margin; the plates are generally clean.
The plates are striking in the extreme, making this among the finest geological works of the era. Abbey Travel 317: "One hundred and four copies were subscribed, including forty to the East India Company". Robert Seale, born on St. Helena, was in the employ of the East India Company. Notable geologists such as Murchison, Buckland and De La Bechi are among the subscribers listed, and a copy of the work was in the library of H.M.S. Beagle.
Auction: Rare Books, Autographs & Maps, Apr 16, 2026
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Successful Auction of Rare Books, Autographs & Maps on April 16, 2026 Surpasses Expectations
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Thomas Jefferson Letter Commenting on Toussaint Louverture Achieves $32,000
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Consignments Are Currently Being Accepted for Future Auctions
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We Invite You to Contact Us for Complimentary Auction Estimates of Your Collection
NEW YORK, NY – Doyle's auction of Rare Books, Autographs & Maps on April 16, 2026 saw international competition drive strong results throughout the sale and a total that surpassed expectations.
Thomas Jefferson Letter on Toussaint Louverture
Highlighting the sale was a fascinating 1802 letter from Thomas Jefferson as president to Maryland Governor John Francis Mercer that achieved a strong $32,000. The remarkable letter captures a rare, candid moment in which Jefferson assesses, with striking clarity, the arrest of Toussaint Louverture, a leader of the Haitian Revolution, by French General Charles LeClerc, Napoleon’s brother-in-law. Jefferson perceptively warned that LeClerc’s actions would erode trust and likely spark further racial conflict—an insight that proved remarkably accurate. Beyond its sharp political foresight, the letter reflects the broader anxiety the Haitian Revolution provoked in the United States, which contributed to decades of diplomatic isolation of Haiti.
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Consignments are currently being accepted for future auctions. We invite you to contact us for complimentary auction estimates. Our Specialists are always available to discuss the sale of a single item or an entire collection.
