How to Sell Your Judah Benjamin Autograph

To auction, sell or consign your Judah Benjamin autograph letter signed, please email your description and photos to [email protected] of Nate D. Sanders Auctions (NateDSanders.com).

Who Was Judah Benjamin?

Judah Benjamin was a lawyer and politician in the U.S. born to Sephardic Jewish parents in the Virgin Islands. He was the first proclaimed Jew to be elected to the U.S. Senate as well as the first to hold a position in the Cabinet. He authored the 1868 book Treatise on the Law of Sale of Personal Property which became the go-to textbook of that topic for many years.

Some Judah Benjamin Autographs We Sold:

Judah Benjamin Signed Autograph Letter — Sold for $3,525

Judah Benjamin signed autograph letter, Confederate Secretary of State, regarding the Confederacy’s last funds. After the Confederate army surrendered, Benjamin escaped to England on August 30. Although it had been almost five months since the Confederate government had functioned, its consulate in England, operated by James M. Mason, still had funds which belonged to the CSA, thus making them the last remaining monies of the Confederacy. Mason transferred them to Benjamin for disbursal, and Benjamin gave the following handwritten receipt. Autograph document signed, one page 8vo, dated September 2, 1865, London, England. Reads: “Received from Hon. Jas. M. Mason twenty five hundred pounds sterling, being funds of the State Department in his hands. J.P. Benjamin, Secretary of State, C.S.A.” With its last funds disbursed and Benjamin’s signature on this, it is the last significant document the Confederate government passed into history. His signing as a officer of the “C.S.A.” is probably the last instance of the use of a Confederate title in the present tense. Over the next few days, Benjamin used the money to pay some of the late nation’s creditors. Then on September 5, he left for France and ended his association with the Confederacy. A very nice Judah Benjamin signed letter. Sold for $3,525.

Autograph Letter Signed as Secretary of War — Sold for $1,520

Judah P. Benjamin autograph letter signed, dated 13 March 1862 when Benjamin served as Secretary of War for the Confederate States of America during the Civil War. Benjamin also served as Attorney General and Secretary of State, the only Jew to serve in a cabinet level position for the CSA. Composed on Confederate States of America War Department letterhead, Benjamin recommends a friend to Brigadier General John C. Breckinridge, reading in part, “…Pray do for him every thing in your power – I have the highest regard for him and am anxious that he should have an agreeable and honorable position in our service…J. P. Benjamin”. Single page on lined pale blue bifolium stationery measures 7.75″ x 9.875″. With docketing on verso. Small split starting along one of the folds, overall very good plus condition. With 5″ x 7″ engraving of Benjamin. Sold for $1,520.

FAQs

How do I consign or sell my Judah Benjamin autograph?
It’s never been easier to sell your Judah Benjamin autograph at Nate D. Sanders Auctions. Email a description and photos of your item to [email protected] and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can with a free appraisal.

This sounds great and I’d like to move forward. What’s the consignment process like at Nate D. Sanders Auctions?
We’ll send you more information about our auction house along with an agreement for your review. Your item will appear in our next auction. Unlike many auction houses, we hold monthly auctions and pay you within an industry-leading 45 days following the auction.

What factors determine the value of a Judah Benjamin autograph?
The value of your autograph can vary based on condition, subject matter and provenance.