Apr 16, 2026 10:00 EST
Rare Books, Autographs & Maps
67
In a fine presentation binding
[CHILDREN'S LITERATURE]
OPTIC, OLIVER [pseud. Wiliam Taylor Adams]. The Boat Club; Or, The Bunkers of Rippleton. Boston: Brown, Bazin, and Company, 1855. First edition. Likely a presentation binding elaborately stamped in gilt, the spine is stamped lengthwise with the title and a row-boat seating 12 boys, the cover is stamped in gilt repeating the illustration within captioned "Cheering the Bunkers" (p. 94), this image also stamped in blind on the rear cover, all edges gilt, housed in a tan cloth clamshell case. 252 pp., with 4 inserted plates. Very well preserved overall but with spotting that is worst at the tissue guard and first and last leaves, a very slight lean, a few old wormholes to gutter and a slightly discolored area to the spine tip, very fine overall. Provenance: Justin G. Schiller catalogue Chapbook Miscellany, Spring 1970, item 2.
First edition of the first book using Adams pseudonym of Oliver Optic. This is in a very attractive presentation binding. Blanck 12. Pierpont Morgan 230.
Sold for $544
Estimated at $100 - $200
Includes Buyer's Premium
[CHILDREN'S LITERATURE]
OPTIC, OLIVER [pseud. Wiliam Taylor Adams]. The Boat Club; Or, The Bunkers of Rippleton. Boston: Brown, Bazin, and Company, 1855. First edition. Likely a presentation binding elaborately stamped in gilt, the spine is stamped lengthwise with the title and a row-boat seating 12 boys, the cover is stamped in gilt repeating the illustration within captioned "Cheering the Bunkers" (p. 94), this image also stamped in blind on the rear cover, all edges gilt, housed in a tan cloth clamshell case. 252 pp., with 4 inserted plates. Very well preserved overall but with spotting that is worst at the tissue guard and first and last leaves, a very slight lean, a few old wormholes to gutter and a slightly discolored area to the spine tip, very fine overall. Provenance: Justin G. Schiller catalogue Chapbook Miscellany, Spring 1970, item 2.
First edition of the first book using Adams pseudonym of Oliver Optic. This is in a very attractive presentation binding. Blanck 12. Pierpont Morgan 230.
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.
