Apr 16, 2026 10:00 EST
Rare Books, Autographs & Maps
309
The Best American Short Stories of the Century, limited edition signed by Updike
The Estate of a Larchmont, New York Collector
UPDIKE, JOHN [Editor]
The Best American Short Stories of the Century. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1999. First edition. Signed by Updike on limitation page; edition limited to 200 signed copies, this number 98. Publisher's cloth, retaining original shrinkwrap, housed in publisher's slipcase. 9 1/2 x 6 inches (24 x 15 cm); 776 pp. Light spotting to edges of text, else a fine copy.
Sold for $160
Estimated at $200 - $300
Includes Buyer's Premium
The Estate of a Larchmont, New York Collector
UPDIKE, JOHN [Editor]
The Best American Short Stories of the Century. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1999. First edition. Signed by Updike on limitation page; edition limited to 200 signed copies, this number 98. Publisher's cloth, retaining original shrinkwrap, housed in publisher's slipcase. 9 1/2 x 6 inches (24 x 15 cm); 776 pp. Light spotting to edges of text, else a fine copy.
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.
