Art, Gold & Silver, Primitives & Rare Books
Lot 239:
Description
Collection of mid-19th century manuscript and printed ephemera including handwritten correspondence, recipes, newspaper clippings, folded notes, and assorted paper fragments preserved in an early paperboard storage box. Several pieces contain legible dated material including an Albany, New York letter dated November 22, 1858 addressed to George Robinson discussing a recipe and financial arrangement relating to a preparation known as “white oil, ” along with an earlier note reading “To be preserved May 12, 1862.” Additional handwritten documents include recipe formulas referencing chemicals such as sulphate of copper, distilled vinegar, verdigris, and corrosive sublimate, suggesting practical household or agricultural preparations. The group also contains folded strips of contemporary newspapers used as wrappers, a number of manuscript fragments, and loose slips. Included separately is a folding city map of Florence (Firenze) with pictorial border panels depicting landmarks such as Palazzo Pitti, the Duomo (La Cattedrale), and Giardino Boboli. Materials show expected age wear including toning, folds, tears, and losses consistent with period use and storage, presenting an interesting archive of vernacular 19th century domestic, practical, and personal documentation.
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