Apr 16, 2026 10:00 EST
Rare Books, Autographs & Maps
373
Charles Elmer Martin's witty cover for 15 April 1961
The Collection of a New York Attorney
MARTIN, CHARLES ELMER (1910–1955)
[Raining tax returns]. Cover art for the 15 April 1961 issue of The New Yorker. 11 7/8 x 8 1/8 inches (30 x 20.75 cm) on a larger sheet of illustration board, tempera over graphite outlines with collage elements from a 1960 income tax form, signed with initials lower right. Two small collage pieces no longer present. Framed (not examined out of frame).
A gray day, and the populace (in their raincoats and with umbrellas and hats) tries to fend off the shower of ... tax regulations?
Sold for $11,520
Estimated at $2,000 - $3,000
Includes Buyer's Premium
The Collection of a New York Attorney
MARTIN, CHARLES ELMER (1910–1955)
[Raining tax returns]. Cover art for the 15 April 1961 issue of The New Yorker. 11 7/8 x 8 1/8 inches (30 x 20.75 cm) on a larger sheet of illustration board, tempera over graphite outlines with collage elements from a 1960 income tax form, signed with initials lower right. Two small collage pieces no longer present. Framed (not examined out of frame).
A gray day, and the populace (in their raincoats and with umbrellas and hats) tries to fend off the shower of ... tax regulations?
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.
We Invite You to Auction!
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.
