Benjamin Franklin may be the most familiar Founding Father in American history—but he may also be the hardest to understand.
Printer, inventor, scientist, diplomat, revolutionary, civic leader: Franklin's life encompassed so many worlds that no single object can capture who he was. Yet taken together, the rare books, letters, manuscripts and printed works in the Jay T. Snider Collection achieve something few collections ever can: a nearly complete portrait of Benjamin Franklin.
From one of Franklin's earliest surviving signatures to publications that shaped his reputation on both sides of the Atlantic, these objects reveal a man driven by curiosity, self-improvement and an unwavering belief in the common good. They also illuminate the personal risks he took in supporting American independence, even when he had everything to lose.
As the United States approaches its 250th anniversary, the collection invites us to look beyond the familiar image on the hundred-dollar bill and rediscover one of history's most fascinating figures. The Jay T. Snider Collection of Benjamin Franklin is now open for bidding, culminating in a live auction on 24 June in New York.
