Thursday's Top Lots: The Eric C. Caren Americana Collection

This past Thursday Swann held the second of three sales devoted to the collection of Eric C. Caren, a collection of paper material that spans the entirety of US history and beyond, from the first American newspapers to anti-war posters and press photographs.

A Briefe Relation of the Discovery and Plantation of New Englad, first edition, London, 1622.

The top lot was a scarce 1622 pamphlet titled A Briefe Relation of the Discovery and Plantation of New England, which sold for $55,200. Another highlight was a 1789 issue of the Gazette of the United States, which brought $31,200. It features the first printing in any form of the Bill of Rights.

Original manuscript indictment of Margaret Scott for the practice of witchcraft, Salem, 17 September 1692.

Amid much attention from the media in Massachusetts, an original indictment from the Salem Witch Trials sold to MA collector for $31,200.

Act to establish the Post Office, Philadelphia, 1794.

Among the day’s surprises were the act to establish the United StatesPost Office, estimated at $2500-3500, but sold for $10,800; and a groupof press photos of the first aerial circumnavigation in 1924, estimated at $200-300, but sold after heated bidding for $2,160.