Apr 16, 2026 10:00 EST
Rare Books, Autographs & Maps
65
Peepshow perspective view of the Crystal Palace
[PERSPECTIVE VIEW]
Interior of the Magnificent New Crystal Palace at Sydenham. London: circa 1854. Hand-colored, six division concertina-paper peepshow, with four mounted sections and a central aperture for viewing. Titles printed in English, German, and French. 27 1/2 x 6 1/2 x 4 1/2 inches (70 x 16.5 x 11.5 cm). Some wear and dust soiling to covers, with some losses to the cover card mounts, spotting and occasional dampstains to sides of concertina paper with a tape repair.
A perspective view of the Crystal Palace at Sydenham. In this example, the viewer is drawn into the Palace's bustling interior of patrons and an exhibition. After the exhibition of 1851, the Palace was relocated to an open area of South London known as Penge Place. The Palace was rebuilt at the top of Penge Peak next to Sydenham Hill, where it stood until a fire in 1936. In 1854, the Palace featured educational, artistic, and scientific exhibits, most notably the world's first life-sized dinosaur models by Benjamin Waterhouse Hawkins. The 1854 site also included curated historical "courts," Roman, Egyptian, Alhambra, vast art galleries, a 27-foot crystal fountain, and extensive water features.
Sold for $640
Estimated at $200 - $300
Includes Buyer's Premium
[PERSPECTIVE VIEW]
Interior of the Magnificent New Crystal Palace at Sydenham. London: circa 1854. Hand-colored, six division concertina-paper peepshow, with four mounted sections and a central aperture for viewing. Titles printed in English, German, and French. 27 1/2 x 6 1/2 x 4 1/2 inches (70 x 16.5 x 11.5 cm). Some wear and dust soiling to covers, with some losses to the cover card mounts, spotting and occasional dampstains to sides of concertina paper with a tape repair.
A perspective view of the Crystal Palace at Sydenham. In this example, the viewer is drawn into the Palace's bustling interior of patrons and an exhibition. After the exhibition of 1851, the Palace was relocated to an open area of South London known as Penge Place. The Palace was rebuilt at the top of Penge Peak next to Sydenham Hill, where it stood until a fire in 1936. In 1854, the Palace featured educational, artistic, and scientific exhibits, most notably the world's first life-sized dinosaur models by Benjamin Waterhouse Hawkins. The 1854 site also included curated historical "courts," Roman, Egyptian, Alhambra, vast art galleries, a 27-foot crystal fountain, and extensive water features.
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.
