Doyle Offers Thomas Jefferson’s Autographed Letter and First Edition of Audubon’s ‘The Birds Of America’

The upcoming sale from Doyle will offer more than 350 lots of rare books, autographs, and maps. Leading the catalog is an autographed letter signed by former US President Thomas Jefferson during his term. In this letter dating to 1802, Jefferson expresses fears of “a war of extermination” in Saint-Dominigue. It has been addressed to Governor Mercer (i.e. John Francis Mercer). According to the auction house, the lot is housed in a folding cloth case, with a portrait laid in. 

Also available is the first octavo edition of John James Audubon’s The Birds of America. It comprises seven volumes, each covered with dark blue pebbled leather blocked in gilt with a central motif of an urn. Born in 1785, Audubon was a renowned French-American self-trained artist and ornithologist. At the age of 35, he decided to paint every bird in North America. The Birds of America is considered one of the finest natural history books ever published. Interested collectors can also consider an extraordinary 1250 Old Testament manuscript, a manuscript breviary in Middle Dutch, and a rare first signed edition of Dorian Gray authored by Oscar Wilde. View the complete Rare Books, Autographs & Maps catalog on Doyle’s website.