- 39
Continental Congress
Estimate
8,000 - 12,000 USD
Log in to view results
bidding is closed
Description
- paper and ink
Journals of Continental Congress from January 1, 1776–January 1, 1777, York-Town, Pennsylvania: John Dunlap, 1778
8vo (7 3/4 x 4 1/2 in.; 195 x 117 mm). Title-page guarded, browned throughout, annotation in red ink to index (p.xi). Half calf in period style over old marbled boards.
8vo (7 3/4 x 4 1/2 in.; 195 x 117 mm). Title-page guarded, browned throughout, annotation in red ink to index (p.xi). Half calf in period style over old marbled boards.
Provenance
John McAllister (contemporary signature on title-page). Acquisition: William Reese
Literature
Evans 15685, 16137; Hildeburn 3727
Catalogue Note
This volume records the exciting events of 1776, culminating with the Declaration of Independence, which appears here, as well as all the other decisive actions of Congress. It also has a complicated printing history.
Through the middle of 1777 Robert Aitken served as the Congressional printer. In the spring or summer of 1777 he published the first issue of the Journals for 1776. In the fall of 1777, the British captured Philadelphia, forcing Congress to flee first to Lancaster and then to York, Pennsylvania. Their hasty evacuation did not allow them to take many copies of the Journals. Those left behind were most likely destroyed by the British.
However, sheets of pages 1–424 of the 1776 Journals were evacuated. Congress resolved to reprint the terminal sheets to produce additional complete copies. Aitken unfortunately had not been able to remove his printing equipment from Philadelphia but John Dunlap, printer of the Declaration, had. Thus Dunlap was appointed printer to the Congress in May 1778. He then reprinted the remainder of the volume (with a slightly different pagination from Aitken's version). He added a new title-page with his York imprint and a notice on the verso of his Congressional appointment.
Because Dunlap's name is on the title, it has often been erroneously thought that this volume contains a printing of the Declaration by Dunlap. In fact, it appears in the section printed by Aitken (pp. 241–245).
Through the middle of 1777 Robert Aitken served as the Congressional printer. In the spring or summer of 1777 he published the first issue of the Journals for 1776. In the fall of 1777, the British captured Philadelphia, forcing Congress to flee first to Lancaster and then to York, Pennsylvania. Their hasty evacuation did not allow them to take many copies of the Journals. Those left behind were most likely destroyed by the British.
However, sheets of pages 1–424 of the 1776 Journals were evacuated. Congress resolved to reprint the terminal sheets to produce additional complete copies. Aitken unfortunately had not been able to remove his printing equipment from Philadelphia but John Dunlap, printer of the Declaration, had. Thus Dunlap was appointed printer to the Congress in May 1778. He then reprinted the remainder of the volume (with a slightly different pagination from Aitken's version). He added a new title-page with his York imprint and a notice on the verso of his Congressional appointment.
Because Dunlap's name is on the title, it has often been erroneously thought that this volume contains a printing of the Declaration by Dunlap. In fact, it appears in the section printed by Aitken (pp. 241–245).