$5,228
Washington, George (1732-1799) Autograph Free Frank, pre-1781. Revolutionary war era free frank, single leaf outer envelope addressed in a large, clear hand to Washington's stepson, John Parke Custis (1754-1781), with fragments of the original red wax seal, housed in a custom cloth portfolio, some repairs, generally fresh, with minor mottling, old folds, 9 3/4 x 8 1/4 in. Custis contracted typhus ("camp fever") at Yorktown while serving as Washington's aide-de-camp. At the age of twenty-six, he succumbed to the disease, leaving a young widow (twenty-three year-old Eleanor Calvert) and four children. The youngest two children were sent to Mount Vernon to be raised by the Washingtons. Despite inheriting more than 18,000 acres, Custis made questionable financial decisions, died intestate, and left debts that were not resolved until the death of his widow in 1811. Provenance: The Estate of David Spinney.
Auctioneer:
Skinner
Date:
2016-10-30
