SEVEN VOLUMES OF 1798 ENCYCLOPEDIAS FROM GEORGE WASHINGTON’S LIBRARY.

SEVEN VOLUMES OF 1798 ENCYCLOPEDIAS FROM GEORGE WASHINGTON’S LIBRARY. Encyclopedia or a Dictionary of Arts, Sciences and Misc. Literature Phila, Dobson Volumes 2, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12. Inside front cover in script is written “Presented by George Washington to Colonel Lear”(Colonel Tobias Lear), beneath is affixed the bookplate of Benjamin Lincoln Lear; son of Colonel Tobias Lear. Folios, bound in rough calf, each volume with bright and fine red-gold stamps, fine labels. All but Volume 2 are in dark calf, the supplement which is Volume 2 is in light calf. This group of encyclopedias have come from another branch of the Decatur family, not the Decatur Armsden branch which the earlier objects have come from. A number of years ago, the family divided and dispersed their holdings into equal shares for each of the various members of the family and thus the set of eighteen encyclopedias were separated at that time. These encyclopedias are unquestionably from the library of General George Washington and research initiated by one of the members of the Decatur family in the 1950s resulted in a letter from a Mt. Vernon Lady’s Association dated August 31, 1956. They state as follows “May we quote from page 496 – 497 of Athenaem Catalog…1 American Encyclopedia, 18 Volumes. 4to $150 Encyclopedia., or a dictionary of the arts and sciences and miscellaneous literature. The first American Editiion greatly improved. 18 Volumes Phila. 1798. 4o. Washington subscribed for two sets of this. In a letter to Clement Biddle, August 14, 1797 he speaks of having given away one set in boards and wishes the other bound for him. Writing to the same, March 3, 1798 he directs that the second set shall be “bound in calf., I hope it will be done neatly.” (His account show a charge of $174, on Feb. 27 and of $10 additional on March 12, for the 17th and 18th Volumes.) The encyclopedias came from the Lear family and have always been referred to from the very beginning as Washington’s encyclopedias. Please Note: There are three additional volumes of this set of encyclopedias being offered earlier. These three referenced of course come from the Decatur-Armsden estate, a different branch of the same family from whence this seven came from. In addition to this document there is another extraordinary document that further affirms conclusively the original ownerships of these encyclopedias. In the papers of Tobias Lear was an itemized handwritten inventory titled “Catalog of Books Received from Washington”, lot 2135 in this sale. Lear lists the books by title and indicates in the right hand column how many volumes. On the first page of this multi-page inventory Lear lists encyclopedia and under volumes 21, clearly and convincingly these same volumes here that have descended from the Lear family. A copy of the original inventory sheets will be included with this lot. CONDITION: Bindings show some soiling and wear, generally tight. One backboard has roughness on surface of the calf skin and backboard of the supplement has a small amount of surface peeling. Generally good. 9-98727 (10,000-20,000)

Auction: Fine Art, Antiques & Asian - Winter 2010

Please Note: All prices include the hammer price plus the buyer’s premium, which is paid by the buyer as part of the purchase price. The prices noted here after the auction are considered unofficial and do not become official until after the 46th day.

Image	Lot	Price	Description
	2147A	$23,000.00	SEVEN VOLUMES OF 1798 ENCYCLOPEDIAS FROM GEORGE WASHINGTON’S LIBRARY. Encyclopedia or a Dictionary of Arts, Sciences and Misc. Literature Phila, Dobson Volumes 2, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12. Inside front cover in script is written “Presented by George Washington to Colonel Lear”(Colonel Tobias Lear), beneath is affixed the bookplate of Benjamin Lincoln Lear; son of Colonel Tobias Lear. Folios, bound in rough calf, each volume with bright and fine red-gold stamps, fine labels. All but Volume 2 are in dark calf, the supplement which is Volume 2 is in light calf. This group of encyclopedias have come from another branch of the Decatur family, not the Decatur Armsden branch which the earlier objects have come from. A number of years ago, the family divided and dispersed their holdings into equal shares for each of the various members of the family and thus the set of eighteen encyclopedias were separated at that time. These encyclopedias are unquestionably from the library of General George Washington and research initiated by one of the members of the Decatur family in the 1950s resulted in a letter from a Mt. Vernon Lady’s Association dated August 31, 1956. They state as follows “May we quote from page 496 – 497 of Athenaem Catalog…1 American Encyclopedia, 18 Volumes. 4to $150 Encyclopedia., or a dictionary of the arts and sciences and miscellaneous literature. The first American Editiion greatly improved. 18 Volumes Phila. 1798. 4o. Washington subscribed for two sets of this. In a letter to Clement Biddle, August 14, 1797 he speaks of having given away one set in boards and wishes the other bound for him. Writing to the same, March 3, 1798 he directs that the second set shall be “bound in calf., I hope it will be done neatly.” (His account show a charge of $174, on Feb. 27 and of $10 additional on March 12, for the 17th and 18th Volumes.) The encyclopedias came from the Lear family and have always been referred to from the very beginning as Washington’s encyclopedias. Please Note: There are three additional volumes of this set of encyclopedias being offered earlier. These three referenced of course come from the Decatur-Armsden estate, a different branch of the same family from whence this seven came from. In addition to this document there is another extraordinary document that further affirms conclusively the original ownerships of these encyclopedias. In the papers of Tobias Lear was an itemized handwritten inventory titled “Catalog of Books Received from Washington”, lot 2135 in this sale. Lear lists the books by title and indicates in the right hand column how many volumes. On the first page of this multi-page inventory Lear lists encyclopedia and under volumes 21, clearly and convincingly these same volumes here that have descended from the Lear family. A copy of the original inventory sheets will be included with this lot. CONDITION: Bindings show some soiling and wear, generally tight. One backboard has roughness on surface of the calf skin and backboard of the supplement has a small amount of surface peeling. Generally good. 9-98727 (10,000-20,000) Auction: Fine Art, Antiques & Asian - Winter 2010 Please Note: All prices include the hammer price plus the buyer’s premium, which is paid by the buyer as part of the purchase price. The prices noted here after the auction are considered unofficial and do not become official until after the 46th day.

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