Autumn 2020 Catalogue

33 American Heroes & Leaders Autumn 2020 Presentation Copy Inscribed And Twice Signed By FDR—One Of Only 50 Copies Published Of A Revolutionary War-Era Manuscript That Roosevelt Owned And Arranged For Publication 30. ROOSEVELT, Franklin D. Minutes of the Committee and of the First Commission for Detecting and Defeating Conspiracies in the State of New York. WITH: Minutes of the Committee and of the First Commission. WITH: CARMICHAEL, Donald S. A “Thriller” of Years Ago. Hyde Park, 1925. Together, four volumes. Octavo, original half cloth and boards, dust jacket; original cloth; original staple-bound wrappers; custom slipcase. $14,500. Click for more info First separate publication of the very rare FDR-sponsored printing of a Revolutionary War-era manuscript that was in Roosevelt’s possession, one of only 50 copies printed, dated, numbered and signed by Roosevelt. Presentation copy additionally inscribed in the year of publication: “Victor H. Paltsits Esq. from his friend Franklin D. Roosevelt 1925.” Offered together with first editions of both the Historical Society publication and Donald Carmichael’s pamphlet regarding the history of the manuscript, which prints considerable unpublished FDR correspondence about this project. On May 25, 1923, Franklin Roosevelt (by proxy) outbid collectors and librarians for a 148-page manuscript of the minutes of 17 meetings held in Poughkeepsie by the New York Council of Appointment between 1778 and 1779. The $85.00 acquisition—a price he considered “ridiculously low”—generated a lively correspondence with Alexander J. Wall, librarian of the New York Historical Society, whom Roosevelt had bested at the Philadelphia auction by $9.00. To Roosevelt’s delight, the Society agreed to include his manuscript of the Poughkeepsie minutes in their publication for 1925. Soon after, at Roosevelt’s request, the Society ran off a separate printing of 50 copies, at a cost of $78.00. In 1925, Roosevelt distributed only 15 of the 50 copies, putting the balance into storage. In 1943, his cousin Margaret L. Suckley unearthed the remaining 35 and distributed them with his permission. In all, Roosevelt sent out 16 of the 35 “Suckley” copies; the rest remain in the Library at Hyde Park. Copies of the Minutes rarely surface for sale, and this is the only copy that Donald Carmichael, author of the accompanying pamphlet regarding the acquisition and publication of the manuscript, and President of the Franklin D. Roosevelt Collectors’ Association, had encountered. Spine of fragile original plain paper dust jacket mostly perished. Books and pamphlets fine. An exceptionally rare and desirable Roosevelt presentation copy.